Which came first? · Tricky
Which came first: the ballpoint pen or the NFL?
The ballpoint pen came first, in 1888 (first patent). The NFL followed 32 years later, in 1920 (founded).
- First1888
The ballpoint pen
invention · first patentJohn J. Loud patented a ballpoint pen in 1888 to mark leather; it was too rough for writing on paper.
- Second1920
The NFL
institution · foundedThe NFL was founded in 1920 in a car showroom in Canton, Ohio.
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Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.