The first game in NAPFT history took place on Sunday, September 28, 1919, when the Oakwood Park Rollers hosted the Ann Arbor Gladiators in Kalamazoo, MI. It wasn’t a particularly exciting game, ending in a 3-3 tie that was scoreless for the last three quarters, but nevertheless, a new league was born. It didn’t take long for the season to get eventful, though perhaps not for the reason that anyone associated with the league had hoped. A week before opening day, the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers went on strike. This put the Gary Broadways in an awkward position, as the players were all steelworkers, and were paid to play football by their employer. They cancelled their season opener, which was scheduled for October 5 th . The next day, a riot broke out in Gary that was so severe the National Guard took over the city and declared martial law. In the chaos, Broadway Stadium burned to the ground. The team would eventually play two games in Chicago in November
