127-583: Erwin Theodore "Erv" Prasse (December 1, 1917 – June 18, 2005) was an American multi-sport standout athlete in the 1930s and 1940s, notably in football , basketball and baseball . In college he competed for the University of Iowa where he was a second-team All-American and captain of Iowa's 1939 "Ironmen" football team . Professionally, Prasse played basketball for the Oshkosh All-Stars in
254-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage
381-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
508-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
635-596: A 9-acre (3.6 ha) course, at a cost of $ 1.5 million. According to the 2019 American Community Survey, 77% of commuters drove, 11% took public transportation, and 8.6% worked from home. 22.1% of workers were employed in educational services, and health care and social assistance, 20.4% were employed in professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services, 10.3% in arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services, 9.7% in retail trade, and 9.5% in finance, insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing. According to
762-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
889-528: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained
1016-598: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as
1143-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
1270-471: A game against Minnesota. The 1939 Hawkeyes were nicknamed the "Ironmen" because several players were forced to play all 60 minutes of many games. Prasse was one of those Ironmen – he played all 60 minutes of each of Iowa's last five games that season. The Hawkeyes finished the year with a 6–1–1 record and were ranked ninth in the country. While Prasse's teammate, Kinnick, won the Heisman Trophy , Prasse
1397-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed
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#17327685920991524-598: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,
1651-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
1778-564: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to
1905-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
2032-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
2159-704: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on
2286-697: A nearly two-month voyage from Ashtabula County, Ohio , in the Naper brothers' schooner , the Telegraph . By 1832, over 100 settlers had arrived at Naper's Settlement. After the news of the Indian Creek massacre during the Black Hawk War , these settlers were temporarily displaced to Fort Dearborn for protection from an anticipated attack by the Sauk tribe. Fort Payne was built at Naper's Settlement,
2413-691: A new branch was evident. Land was acquired, and the upper floor of the Naper Boulevard Library opened to the public on December 29, 1992. South Naperville still had a gap in the Library's coverage, so the 95th Street Library was opened on September 21, 2003. The Nichols Library is in downtown Naperville, on Jefferson Street. It opened at this location in March 1986. It is a 63,300 square feet (5,900 m ) structure. The previous library building still stands on Washington Street, just south of
2540-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
2667-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
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#17327685920992794-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create
2921-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble
3048-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
3175-592: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Naperville, Illinois Naperville ( / ˈ n eɪ p ər ˌ v ɪ l / NAY -pər-vil )
3302-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
3429-456: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for
3556-775: A steel beam from the World Trade Center and rubble from the Pentagon. The Naperville Historic District is a set of 573 buildings in the older eastern section of Naperville and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . It was listed on the NRHP on September 29, 1977, and It was granted local district designation by the Naperville City Council in 1986. The buildings represent significant examples of local architecture and are among
3683-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine
3810-479: A trail that became Ogden Avenue. A minor village was near where Bailey Hobson later built his mill in 1834. In 1831, Joseph Naper arrived at the west bank of the DuPage River with his family and friends to found what would be known as Naper's Settlement. Among those original settlers were Naper's wife, his brother and his wife, his sister and her husband John Murray , and his mother. Their arrival followed
3937-520: Is a city in DuPage and Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois . It is a southwestern suburb of Chicago located 28 miles (45 km) west of the city on the DuPage River . As of the 2020 census , its population was 149,540, making it the state's fourth-most populous city . Naperville was founded in 1831 by Joseph Naper . The city was established by the banks of the DuPage River and
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4064-526: Is a major enclave. In the southwest, the Tamarack neighborhood is a major unincorporated enclave. In the north, McDowell Grove Forest Preserve and various office complexes around Diehl Road form a major enclave into the boundary. Naperville has a typical Midwestern humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ). There are four distinct seasons: winters are cold and snowy, springs are humid, summers are hot, and falls are cool. The highest recorded temperature
4191-654: Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1859. They perform a summer concert series in Naperville's Central Park, as well as several other concerts around the city, and are made up of over 90 volunteer musicians. The Naperville Art League hosts the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair annually, and the event has been running since 1984. The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair hosts artists who work in forms such as painting, ceramic, wood, jewelry, fiber, photography, glass, and metal. The Century Walk Corporation, founded in 1996,
4318-479: Is a nonprofit organization who commissions sculptures, murals and mosaics to be placed throughout the city. As of February 2021, the organization has placed 51 statues, and over $ 4 million worth of art. Notable statues include the 9 foot tall statue of comic book figure Dick Tracy , Laughing Lincoln, a life size statue of 30 year old Abraham Lincoln , and the Dan Shanower Sept. 11 Memorial, which includes
4445-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
4572-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
4699-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
4826-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
4953-648: Is responsible for the Naperville Riverwalk, construction of which began in 1981, marking the 150th anniversary of the first Joseph Naper's settlement. The Naperville Riverwalk is 1.75 miles (2.82 km) miles long and runs along the West Branch of the DuPage River. It consists of brick paths, fountains, and covered bridges. In addition, the Riverwalk features fountains, art pieces, and nearby resuraunts. The Naperville Riverwalk Commission has started
5080-598: Is the newest and largest of the three facilities at 73,000 square feet (6,800 m ) and features a modern architectural style. In 2022, Library Journal rated the Naperville Public Library the best in the nation in its expenditure range. Naperville is home of the Naperville Independent Film Festival , an annual film festival which features the work of independent filmmakers . The Naperville Municipal Band
5207-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
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5334-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
5461-572: Is within the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor . Employers contributing to the population explosion of the 1980s and 1990s included: Bell Labs and Western Electric (once Alcatel-Lucent , now Nokia ), Amoco (now BP and Ineos ), Nalco , Calamos , Nicor , and Edward Hospital . and ConAgra 's Grocery division branch office employs approximately 400 workers. Kraft Foods (now Mondelez International ) opened their Naperville site in 1968, and employs over 200 individuals at
5588-607: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become
5715-493: The COVID-19 pandemic . On June 20, 2021, an EF3 tornado tore through southeast Naperville, uprooting trees, injuring eight people, and damaging 231 homes. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Naperville has a total area of 39.68 square miles (102.77 km ), of which 39.10 square miles (101.27 km ) (or 98.52%) is land and 0.59 square miles (1.53 km ) (or 1.48%) is water. Parts of Naperville drain to
5842-564: The Kroehler Manufacturing Company 's factory in Naperville along the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy tracks . In 1890, reincorporation as a city occurred. After Professor James Nichols donated $ 10,000, Nichols Library was built and dedicated in 1898. In January 1907, Edward Sanatorium (now Edward Hospital ) was opened by Eudora Hull Spalding. It used the " open air " treatment for tuberculosis patients. In 1908,
5969-551: The National Basketball League (NBL), winning two league championships in 1941 and 1942. Prasse also played minor league baseball for two years within the St. Louis Cardinals ' farm system. A native of Chicago, Illinois , Prasse attended Carl Schurz High School . Prasse played the end position. Iowa struggled in his first two varsity football seasons, compiling a 2–13–1 record spanning 1937 and 1938 . Prasse
6096-608: The Western Association . In 1941 he again competed for the Asheville Tourists. His baseball career ended due to an injury sustained during World War II in which his throwing arm was shot. During his 189-game career, Prasse compiled a .240 batting average and hit 10 home runs. During World War II , Prasse became an officer in the United States Army. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and
6223-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
6350-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
6477-471: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in
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#17327685920996604-520: The "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of
6731-406: The 1950s, the city limits were about six square miles, but by 1960, the city had its single largest year in geographical expansion in Naperville's history with over 1,500 acres annexed. In 1955, Edward Sanatorium was converted into a general hospital. A predominantly rural community for most of its existence, Naperville experienced a population explosion beginning in the 1960s and continuing into
6858-601: The 1980s and 1990s. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, the city's population tripled. In 1996, Naperville was the site of a flood that also affected the majority of northeastern Illinois. Naperville received 14 inches of rain in less than 24 hours, and DuPage County was declared a disaster zone. The estimated damages were over $ 30 million. The YMCA in Downtown Naperville was announced to close in May 2020 after 109 years of operation, due to economic difficulties caused by
6985-542: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for
7112-715: The All-Stars in part of the 1945–46 season. For his professional career he averaged 1.9 points per game. After completing his collegiate career at Iowa, Prasse played two years of semi-professional baseball within the St. Louis Cardinals' organization as a second baseman and third baseman . In 1940 he competed for the Asheville Tourists of the Piedmont League and the Springfield Cardinals of
7239-471: The Chicago YMCA stated that Naperville was too small for its own YMCA building, but Peter Kroehler led a campaign to build one. In January 1910, Kroehler was the mayor of Naperville and its richest resident, but rumors in Naperville relating to a relationship between him and his stenographer caused him to resign as mayor. After his resignation, he retreated to his Binghamton, New York factory. The YMCA
7366-543: The City Of Naperville, to establish a library after his passing. On September 22, 1898, the Nichols Library formally opened. Its collection comprised over 700 books. With the population of Naperville growing, the original location was running out of space. In 1983 a referendum was passed to build a new library, and the new Nichols Library opened on March 11, 1986. As the population increased, the need for
7493-582: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to
7620-742: The Naperville Cemetery Association. In 1855, Sybil Dunbar came to Naperville as its first recorded black female resident; she died in 1868 and was buried in Naperville Cemetery. Naper's Settlement was incorporated as the Village of Naperville in 1857, with a population of 2,000. The county seat distinction was lost in 1868 to Wheaton . On August 5, 1873, a train crashed on the CB&;Q tracks about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Naperville. Conductor Williams, who
7747-456: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on
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#17327685920997874-586: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used
8001-468: The United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop
8128-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in
8255-554: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when
8382-475: The West Branch of the DuPage River in DuPage County . The Forest Preserve District ownership of a large amount of property along the West Branch has minimized development in floodplains and has helped reduce the damage from overbank flooding that has occurred in the county's more developed watersheds. The DuPage River Trail also runs along the DuPage River, which serves bikes and pedestrians. Naperville
8509-640: The YMCA building (razed in 2022), at Washington and Van Buren. The Naper Boulevard Library was dedicated in December 1992 and underwent internal renovations in 2015. It is situated on Naper Boulevard, south of Scott Elementary School . It is the smallest of the three buildings at 32,000 square feet (3,000 m ). The 95th Street Library is near the intersection of 95th Street and Route 59 (just west of Neuqua Valley High School). Opened in September 2003, it
8636-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
8763-413: The average family size was 2.76. The city's age distribution consisted of 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 127,648, and
8890-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
9017-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
9144-467: The ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp ,
9271-403: The city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's top ten employers are: The Naperville Public Library has three library branches within city limits. In 2020, there were 61,476 active cardholders, there were 728,147 total library visits, and there were 2,973,939 checkouts. The Naperville Public Library was founded when James Nichols, a Naperville resident, bequeathed $ 10,000 to
9398-582: The city's most important cultural and historical heritage. The Old Nichols Library building, which served as Naperville's original public library, was designated a local landmark in 2017. Naper Settlement is an outdoor history museum representing the era of Naperville's founding. Naper Settlement was established by the Naperville Heritage Society and the Naperville Park District in 1969 to preserve some of
9525-568: The community's oldest buildings. Reconstructions of Fort Payne and the Pre-Emption House stand as part of the museum. The 158-foot-tall Moser Tower is just north of Aurora Avenue and at the base of Rotary Hill, just west of Downtown Naperville. The Millennium Carillon is designated as one of the four largest carillons in the world, with 72 bronze bells weighing from 10 pounds to the 6-ton "Captain Joseph Naper Bell". It
9652-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
9779-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
9906-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
10033-703: The east-central portion in Lisle Township . In Will County, the southwest portion is in Wheatland Township , and the southeast portion in DuPage Township . The largest number of Naperville residents live in Lisle Township, followed by Naperville Township. Naperville's municipal boundaries are cut in noticeably by many places. In the west, Springbrook Prairie, a forest preserve run by The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County,
10160-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
10287-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
10414-561: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play
10541-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in
10668-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play
10795-586: The first European contact with Native Americans in Illinois was made with members of the Iliniwek tribe. The Iliniwek was the predominant tribe throughout Illinois at the time. They were later forced off the land by the Potawatomi tribe. The Potawatomi inhabited Naperville when the first settlers arrived. There was a major Potawatomi village at the present site of downtown Naperville, reached from Chicago by
10922-629: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included
11049-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
11176-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that
11303-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
11430-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
11557-411: The median income for a family was $ 150,075. Males had a median income of $ 94,340 versus $ 47,690 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 58,075. About 2.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over. As of April 2020, Naperville was the 181st most populous city in the United States. Naperville
11684-506: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in
11811-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
11938-410: The offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking
12065-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until
12192-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
12319-493: The plant, which supplies all Triscuit products for North America. Naperville is also home to the headquarters of Dukane Precast and its double-wall precast concrete manufacturing plant. Naperville was one of the nation's ten fastest-growing communities during the 1990s. It was home to the Office Max headquarters until the 2013 merger between Office Max and Office Depot . The former Office Max headquarters in Naperville
12446-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
12573-411: The population. There were 52,648 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.65% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.08% were non-families. 20.35% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.33% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and
12700-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
12827-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
12954-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,
13081-542: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as
13208-457: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,
13335-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
13462-603: The settlers returned and the attack never materialized. The Pre-Emption House was constructed in 1834, as the Settlement became a stagecoach stop on the road from Chicago to Galena . The Pre-Emption House was the first hotel in DuPage county. After DuPage County was split from Cook County in 1839, Naper's Settlement became the DuPage county seat . In 1843, the Illinois General assembly passed an act to incorporate
13589-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands
13716-531: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in
13843-499: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following
13970-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
14097-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
14224-403: The world's four largest carillons. It is also home to an extensive parks and forest preserve network, including Centennial Beach . The city has two school districts, 203 and 204 . Naperville's largest employer is Edward Hospital with 4,500 employees. Naperville has a train station served by Amtrak and Metra . Before any settlement, Naperville was home to Native American tribes. In 1641,
14351-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in
14478-592: Was 105 °F, and the coldest was -29 °F. As of the 2020 census there were 149,540 people, 52,648 households, and 39,443 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,768.36 inhabitants per square mile (1,454.97/km ). There were 55,348 housing units at an average density of 1,394.75 per square mile (538.52/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 63.39% White , 4.99% African American , 0.17% Native American , 22.29% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 2.23% from other races , and 6.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.94% of
14605-540: Was an All- Big Ten selection as a junior in 1938, and he was elected captain of the Hawkeye football squad for 1939. In Iowa's Big Ten conference-opening game, Prasse set an Iowa Stadium record by catching three touchdown passes from Nile Kinnick in a 32–29 victory. His third and final touchdown catch came on fourth down with only minutes remaining in the game. His three touchdown catches remained an Iowa Stadium record until 2005, when Ed Hinkel caught four touchdowns in
14732-610: Was an honorable mention selection. During the winters at Iowa, Prasse competed for the school's men's basketball team . He earned three varsity letters (1938–1940). After college, he played in the NBL for the Oshkosh All-Stars for parts of the 1940–41 and 1941–42 seasons, winning championships in both, before having to fight in World War II . When the war ended he returned to professional basketball, once again competing for
14859-412: Was dedicated in an Independence Day event on June 29, 2000, with a reception attended by over 15,000 people. The carillon is manually or computer-playable, with most performances played by hand, but with half the bells played by a computer-controlled system at set times during the day. The DuPage Children's Museum was founded in 1987 and moved from Wheaton to its Naperville location in 2001. The Museum
14986-520: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in
15113-720: Was later shot in the arm while on reconnaissance in Germany. That injury earned him the Purple Heart from the Army. He then retired from sports and returned to private life after the war. Prasse died on June 18, 2005, in Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois , from head wounds suffered in a fall earlier that week. He was 87 years old. American football American football , referred to simply as football in
15240-512: Was named a second-team All-American by United Press International . Prasse was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1940 NFL draft (11th round, 96th overall) but never ended up playing in the league. He was inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in its first year in 1989. In 1989, Iowa fans selected an all-time University of Iowa football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football, and Prasse
15367-597: Was opened on March 26, 1911 and included the first swimming pool in DuPage County. In February 1920, Edward Sanatorium burned to the ground and cost $ 500,000 to rebuild. On April 26, 1946, Naperville was the site of a train disaster . Two Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad trains collided "head to tail" on a single track just west of the Loomis Street grade crossing. The accident killed 45 and injured approximately 127 passengers and/or crew members. In
15494-409: Was operating a passenger train, was informed of a freight train occupying the line, but for some reason increased his speed, and upon rounding a curve, ran into a freight caboose. A conductor sitting in the caboose and a cattle drover were instantly killed. The passenger train fireman and engineer jumped out of the locomotive just in time to save their lives. In 1887, Peter Edward Kroehler established
15621-535: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at
15748-414: Was originally known as Naper's Settlement. By 1832, over 100 residents lived in Naper's Settlement. In 1839, after DuPage County was split from Cook County , Naperville became the county seat, which it remained until 1868. Beginning in the 1960s, Naperville experienced a significant population increase as a result of Chicago's urban sprawl. Naperville is home to Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon , one of
15875-711: Was primarily flat prairie before its settlement. Its main geographic anomalies are manmade hills, such as the Greene Valley Hill, a former garbage dump. Naperville has had two major floods, one in 1996 and one in 2013. Naperville is in six townships and two counties. In DuPage County, the northwest portion is in Winfield Township , the northeast portion in Milton Township , the west-central portion in Naperville Township , and
16002-528: Was rebuilt and redesigned in 2015. The Naperville Park District manages and provides leisure and recreational activities for Naperville and nearby residents. The District was established by referendum in 1966, but a current park, Centennial Beach, was founded in 1932. As of 2021, the Park District manages over 2,400 acres (10 km ) of open space, including over 136 parks, two golf courses, 73 playgrounds, and 70+ miles of trails. The Park District
16129-540: Was sold, as the merged company moved to Boca Raton . The Naperville area is home to many retailers, restaurants and shopping centers, such as Downtown Naperville, Freedom Commons, Springbrook Prairie Pavilion, and the Route 59 and Ogden Avenue corridors. Naperville has over 11 automobile dealerships , and in October 2006, the city opened the country's first public–private partnership automobile test track, situated on
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