While Daniel Okrent is largely credited with creating mainstream fantasy leagues and the roto scoring system in baseball in the 1980′s, the concept of fantasy football was actually born much earlier – the 1960′s. And the man we all have to thank for this obsessive game… Wilfred Winkenbach.

In some circles, Winkenbach is credited with creating the concept of fantasy sports as a whole. In the 1950′s, he started playing a simplified version of fantasy golf, and then applied this simplified statistical tracking game to baseball.

Fantasy Football History: The GOPPPL

After 12 years of developing fake sports and hosting contests within his social circle, Winkenbach presented a concept of fantasy football to Raiders PR man Bill Tunnel and Oakland Tribune reporter Scotty Starling in NYC’s Milford Plaza Hotel during a trip in 1962. At the time, Winkenbach was a part-owner of the Oakland Raiders. Intrigued by what Winkenbach proposed, the Bill and Scott joined him in fantasy football and ended up creating an eight team league, the “GOPPPL” (Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Procrastinators League).

In the GOPPPL, the draft consisted of 20 players:

• Four offensive ends (REALLY?)
• Four halfbacks
• Two fullbacks (C’MON)
• Two quarterbacks
• Two kick/punt returners
• Two field goal kickers (WHO REALLY NEEDS TWO KICKERS)
• Two defensive backs/linebackers
• Two defensive linemen

And in comparison to today’s scoring methods, the point system was a little outrageous:

• 10 points for an extra point
• 25 points for a passing touchdown
• 25 points for a touchdown reception
• 25 points for a field goal
• 200 points for a special teams or defensive touchdown

Another very strange feature of the GOPPPL was the payout system. In most modern fantasy football leagues, only the league champ (or the top three and maybe the last place guy) actually win cash. In the GOPPPL, however, anyone could get a piece of the pie with each score.

The GOPPPL’s payout method went something like this:

• $.50 for rushing touchdown (with a double bonus for a TD of 75 yards +)
• $.25 for any receiving touchdown or touchdown pass (with a double bonus for a TD of 75 yards +)
• $.25 for any field goal
• $2.50 for a special teams touchdown
• $2.50 for an interception touchdown
• $5.00 for a defensive lineman touchdown

Fantasy Football History: Kings X

After a few years, the GOPPPL wasn’t the only place to get down on some fake football action. In 1969, fantasy football leagues were established at Oakland-area sports bar Kings X by owner Andy Mousalimas. The biggest enhancement to the Kings X game is the advancements in point scoring, where players earned points for touchdowns AND yards as opposed to just touchdowns.

Forty years later, Kings X the bar is now closed (bummer)… but the fantasy leagues live on!

Clearly, the biggest revolution in fantasy sports came with widespread use and development of the Internet. The web improved roster updating, point scoring, player involvement, and expert analysis.