The morning call., 1892-10-14

FOOTBALL BY MOONLIGHT
Kicking a White Leather
Globe in the Dark.
BARkED Sims AND NOSES.
Two Teams of Athletic Scots Scramble Through
the Sand and Darkness at
Central Park.
BARkED SHINS AND NOSES.

while the big travelling chOw-ch0w organ
now located at Central Park was playing
the grand suckers Quadriles on Wednesday
evening between the hours of and
O'Clock. team Of athletic young ScOtchmen
were engaged in spirited practice game Of
football.
Ihere is nothing strange in a practice
game of football, but when number
OF young men congregate in an open
sandiot and settle down to a vigorous
game of leather-kicking under the light Of a
half-full moon and about two dozen torch
hghts then something worthy of notice is at
stake
Ii was decidedly novel sight athletically
mat was witnessed by quite a number of in
teTested spectators.
on the sandlot were TWO teams of foot
oall-players dressed in the regulation foot.
ball uniform.
1he pail, which was made specially to
stand hard kicks, was painted white. so
.iiat II could be more readily discerned by
san1
-, Inc customary evening fog blanket that
oilu over the dunes from old ocean had
enveloped the grounds, but not murmur
VI uiscontent could be heard from any OF the
aole- Dodled young men who persDired freely
III thelr thin and rather breezy" garments.
oh the plain, which is now being prepared
specially Tor series of football games,
were number OF small hllocks of sand
mat added very materially to the amusing
features OF the game
ouihce IL to say that the little mounds
were completely demolished when the con-
test was brought to close.
judging from the peeled nasal appen-
uages OF the players after the struggle, the
hnr IT,,
sand must have been many.
The game was called at 8 o'clock sharp.
ana when the ball was put in motion by
vigorous kick the scene became iniescrib-
able.
A grand rush was made for the leathered
globe, which was spinning over the field,
and immediately the players appeared as 4
they had telescoped. aud tangled-up mass
Of humanity followed.
The men who held the lights became ex-
cited and shouted for their respective sides.
They ran toward the spot where the con-
testants were struggling for possession of
the ball. and when they got there it be-
came darker than ever, as the lights had
gone out.
There was, however. thu half-moon left,
which occasionally hid Itself from view be-
hind bank of fog.
Notwiths landing the darkness. which fire.
quently shut out the players from view of
the spectators, the game went n0bly on, and
the white paint, which made the ball look
like human skull. was rapidly being
knocked out OF color.
AS the game progressed the interest be-
came all the more keen and decidedly anus
ing.
The players could not discern who their
opponents were until they got within arm
lock distance; then yells of ''iet co."
shiny on your own side, break away
there" and dead ball." were numerous.
Occasionally a player would shout, "Oh
my nose" Get off my ear" "Who are you,
anyhow?" and many other expressions
seldom heard on the sunlt balfeld were
waited over the ground and caused the man
who turned the crank of the big rheumatic
organ 10 wish that the young Highlanders
were anywhere else than in Central Park
The Scotch lads will meet the representa-
tive football team of the Wanderers Club
at Central Park on Friday afternoon, the
2lst inst. and lovers OF the game who have
never witnessed practice match of ball In
semi-darkness will have an opportunity OF
seeing the Scottish boys this evening in
their second nights kicking entertainment
at Central Park.