When Football Was Football

Originally published in 1999, this book won the Nelson Ross Award for “Outstanding Recent Achievement in Pro Football Research and Historiography,” awarded by the Professional Football Researchers Association. The book was also recognized in publications such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. This second edition includes updates on former Chicago Cardinals players, team history, archival photos, and recently discovered “forgotten” scores from the historic past of the NFL’s oldest team, as well as an expansive index and resource guide. This illustrious work of pro football history explores how the Cardinals and their loyal fans experienced countless on-field brawls, financial discouragements, losses in war, and a couple of NFL championships. Names like Red Grange, Paddy Driscoll, Duke Slater, Al Capone, and more dot the colorful history of the team now known as the Arizona Cardinals.

Joe Ziemba has written widely on the history of football. He is the host of the podcast When Football Was Football on the Sports History Network, and has been a source of reference for media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, the Arizona Republic, NBC Sunday Night Football, ESPN, and many others.

Joe Ziemba
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages:
Bibliographic Info: ca. 50 photos, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9676-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5586-4
Imprint: McFarland

• “In When Football Was Football, football historian Joe Ziemba, has proven equal to the challenge of turning one of the NFL’s least known franchises, the Chicago Cardinals, into a compelling and fascinating read. Painstakingly researched, NFL fans and football historians alike will applaud Ziemba’s detailed, well-crafted treatment of the long-ignored other NFL team located in Chicago.”—Chris Willis, head archivist, NFL Films

• “It’s hard to say what’s more impressive about this book: the meticulous research or the captivating storytelling. It’s more than a book just for Cardinals fans, although they will love it. If you’re a fan of football and the NFL, this is a must for your library.”—Kent Somers, former Cardinals and NFL beat writer

• “The Cardinals, as a franchise, have been around since the late 19th century—longer than any NFL football team. Its history is important, especially with its multiple homes. The Cardinals are in Arizona now, and were for a long time in St. Louis before that. But the organization’s roots are in Chicago, where it first joined the fledgling NFL. You can’t know where something is going until you understand where it’s been, and Joe’s diligence in chronicling the Cardinals’ years in the Windy City is as thorough as it is impressive.”—Darren Urban, director, editorial content/senior writer, Arizona Cardinals Football Club

• “Anyone that is an Arizona Cardinals fan, a fan of Chicago sports or just sports history in general, will be fascinated by When Football Was Football. Joe Ziemba conducted groundbreaking research on the 1899 Chicago origins of today’s Arizona Cardinals. He also brings back to light the greatness of the original ‘Million Dollar Backfield’ and the 1947 NFL Champion Chicago Cardinals. The book is a treasure to the football world.”—Jason Aikens, curator of collections, Pro Football Hall of Fame