The Washington critic., 1888-01-14
BETWEEN TIE GOALS.
Growth of the Game of Football in
the District.
A REVIEW OF TIE SEASON,
Some of the Memorable Contests
Played Last Year.

The good old English game of foot
ball, after meeting with many draw
backs and discouragements, has at
last gained an ascendancy in this city
and permanently established itself as
~ popular sport. The reasons for this
popularity are many, but there can
be no doubt that the now assured per-
manency of the game is principally
due to the influences brought to bear
on the pupils in the public and pri-
vate schools of the city by the male
teachers, many of whom are college
graduates, and are therefore cognizant
of the benefits to be deprived from
the game as well as desirous of pre-
venting so ancient sport from falling
into disuse. Consequently most of
tine clubs which have existed in the
city and vicinity were organized from
the various educational institutions,
but during the past season few other
teams having no connection with any
of these, were also formed.
THE FOOTBALL PIONEERS.
The principal credit of inculcating
q love Of the sport in the youth of the
city is due to Messrs. Frank Angel
and j. ]. Chickering, the former at
one time teacher in the Washington
High School, but now studying in
Germany, and the latter at present in
charge of the male grammar school
Mt Wallach building. Both of these
gentlemen took an active interest in
the game and frequently played on
the field 1t can easily be seen how
great an ascendancy the sport has
gained by comparing the number of
clubs existing in the neighborhood of
Washington three years ago and those
having an organization at present.
THE DISTRICT FOOTBALL CLUBS.
During the last season twelve clubs,
having an actual membership of over
200 members, were in working order,
against only three teams of three
years ago. All of the latter are still
in existence, and hold high places in
the football field. They are the Ken
dalls, composed of students of the
Deaf and Dumb Institution at Ken
dali Green; the Washington High
School team, and that of the Episco-
pal High School at Alexandria Up
Fto last season these were the recog-
nized clubs in the District and its
neighborhood, but now nine others,
three of which have no connection
with any school, are in existence. A
well-known dealer in sporting goods
said recently that his supply of foot
balls had become exhausted, and he
was expecting consignment of three
lots at the time. He thought that in
terest in the game had increased to n
remarkable extent,
A REVIEW OF THE SEASON.
The football season last year began
during the latter part Of September
and lasted until Thanksgiving Day.
Lack of an organized schedule of
games was the disadvantage under
which the clubs worked. Each team,
however, endeavored to have at least
one game with each of the others, and,
as the defeated organization invariably
challenged the victors, another was
usually played East Washington
heads the list in the number of clubs.
These are the Athletics, Amateurs,
Wallachs, and Peabodys. The other
organizations are the Deponts, Emer-
son Institute team, the High
School, Georgetown College, Kendall,
Friends School, and Jefferson School
teams. The lie Droits bore an un-
certain existence, springing into life
only when great occasion demanded,
and cannot, therefore, be classed
among the regularly organized clubs.
Outside of the District, but near
enough TO be classed among the
clubs within its boundaries, is the
Episcopal High School team of
Alexandria. Whenever they came
in contact with the Capital clubs,
the latter had plenty of hard work
to do, in order to prevent defeat.
THE INvINcIBLE KENDALLs.
A brief review of the past season
will serve to show how many of the
clubs stand, but it must be remem-
bered that there was no organized
series of games, and hence such q
summary cannot be strictly perfect.
Early in the season the Kendalls
showed their superior strength and
training, and the other clubs saw that
to compete with them was practically
useless, so far as gaining victory was
concerned. Though the X Kendalls won
all games which they had with clubs
in this city, they did not fare so well
with outsiders, losing in every con-
test. This is the Oldest club within
the District limits, and has always
stood we'll in the football field.
The Duponts did excellent work
also. They were defeated by the
Kendalls, the Amateurs, the Wash
ington High School team and the
Naval Academy Club, but wrested two
games from the Emersons, and one
each from the Episcopal High Schools
second team, the Georgetown College
team and the Washington High
School Club They also tied the
Amateurs in an exciting game. "The
Middies," as the Naval Academy Ca
diets are called, have excellent mate
rial for good club, but their time is
so taken up by studies and marine
exercises that little recreation can be
devoted to the game, which requires
active training and frequent practice
of its players, If they wish to become
proficient. The East Washington
Amateurs proved themselves to be
formidable competitors of the other
organization. The Amateurs are one
of the 'private" clubs, and the mem
bers are enthusiasts in regard to the
game. During the season they played
six match games, winning four of
these and losing one. The other
game, which was with the Duponts,
resulted in tie, but subsequently
the latter club was defeated by the
Amatenrs From the Athletics they