When the NFL came into being in the 1920s, the professional league played second fiddle to the collegiate game and baseball was the reigning national pastime. Over the years the NFL gradually grew in recognition and by the 1970s was challenging baseball for fan devotion. Trace four and a half decades of NFL development with this encompassing near run of (44/45) 1935-1979 guides, absent only an example from 1978.

Featured are:

(6) Spalding's NFL Official Guide: 1935 (GD-VG), 1936 (EX), 1937 (VG-EX), 1938 (VG-EX), 1939 (VG), 1940 (GD) with tape repair on spine

(6) Ringley Official NFL Record and Roster/Record and Rules spiral bound editions: 1941 (GD-VG), 1942 (EX), 1943 (EX), 1944 (VG-EX+), 1945 (EX), 1946 (VG)

(15) NFL Record & Rules Manual (67% EX to EX-MT, 33% VG to VG-EX): 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961

(8) NFL Record Manual average (EX to EX-MT+): 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969

(9) The Sporting News NFL Guide average (EX to NM+) unless noted: 1970, 1971, 1972 (VG) with deference to sticker adhered to cover, 1973, 1974, 1975 spiral bound, 1976, 1977 (VG-EX), 1979