On this day in 1892 Pudge Heffelfinger became the first professional American football player. His first paid game was for the Allegheny Athletic Association. Heffelfinger had been a three time All-American guard at Yale. The contract called for him to be paid $500. Heffelfinger scored the only touchdown in the game he played, recovering a fumble for a touchdown. It was not publicized that Heffelfinger was being paid. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that it became known that he received this pay making him the first professional player. Heffelfinger lived to the age of 86, dying in 1954. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.