Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an
American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's
line of scrimmage and the system of
downs. With
John Heisman,
Amos Alonzo Stagg,
Pop Warner,
Fielding H. Yost, and
George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the
early history of American football. He attended
Yale College, where he played and coached
college football. Camp's
Yale teams of 1888, 1891, and 1892 have been recognized as
national champions. Camp was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1951.