<P> 1905 had been a bloody year on the gridiron; the Chicago Tribune reported 18 players had been killed and 159 seriously injured that season . There were moves to outlaw the game, but United States President Theodore Roosevelt personally intervened and demanded that the rules of the game be reformed . In a meeting of more than 60 schools in late 1905, the commitment was made to make the game safer . This meeting was the first step toward the establishment of what would become the NCAA and was followed by several sessions to work out "the new rules ." </P> <P> The final meeting of the Rules Committee tasked with reshaping the game was held on April 6, 1906, at which time the forward pass officially became a legal play . The New York Times reported in September 1906 on the rationale for the changes: "The main efforts of the football reformers have been to' open up the game'--that is to provide for the natural elimination of the so - called mass plays and bring about a game in which speed and real skill shall supersede so far as possible mere brute strength and force of weight ." However, the Times also reflected widespread skepticism as to whether the forward pass could be effectively integrated into the game: "There has been no team that has proved that the forward pass is anything but a doubtful, dangerous play to be used only in the last extremity ." John Heisman was instrumental in the rules' acceptance . The forward pass was not allowed in Canadian football until 1929 . </P> <P> Most sources credit St. Louis University's Bradbury Robinson from Bellevue, Ohio with throwing the first legal forward pass . On September 5, 1906, in a game against Carroll College, Robinson's first attempt at a forward pass fell incomplete and resulted in a turnover under the 1906 rules . In the same game, Robinson later completed a 20 - yard touchdown pass to Jack Schneider . The 1906 St. Louis team, coached by Eddie Cochems, was undefeated at 11--0 and featured the most potent offense in the country, outscoring their opponents 407--11 . Football authority and College Football Hall of Fame coach David M. Nelson wrote that "E.B. Cochems is to forward passing what the Wright brothers are to aviation and Thomas Edison is to the electric light ." </P> <P> While St. Louis University completed the first legal forward pass in the first half of September, this accomplishment was in part because most schools did not begin their football schedule until early October . </P>

Who threw the first forward pass in football
find me the text answering this question