It was a relatively humble start for the first professional rugby league in the United States, but one that organizers will gladly take.
The opening two matches of the inaugural Professional Rugby Organization, better known as Pro Rugby, were held April 17 in Denver and Sacramento, Calif. Denver beat Ohio, 16-13, in sudden-death overtime after a foot of snow was cleared from the field before the game could start. In California, Sacramento beat San Francisco, 37-25, in far warmer and sunnier conditions.
First-week attendance was estimated at about 2,300 in Denver and 3,400 in Sacramento.