The record-union., 1892-12-17
POPULARITY OF FOOTBALL.
Great Interest in To-Days Big Inter-
collegiate Contest.
Bacramentans Getting in the Swim,
Too-How the Game is Played
The Details.

berkeley Universities takes place this
afternoon at the Haight-street baseball
grounds in San Francisco.
A large number of Sacramentans Of
both sexes will witness the game, many
OF them having gone to the metropolis
already to see the Berkeleyites at their
practice.
Both teams are in magnificent condi-
ton and great game is looked for.
GROWING IN FAVOR.
Football is becoming very popular in
this country Of late, and has taken a
strong foothold on the Pacific Coast. 1t
is essentially winter game, being alto
gether too ''speedy'' for summer weather
Sacramento has some good football play
ers and many admirers of the game.
Teams are being organized in different
parts of town, and some contests at Snow
lake Park are on the tapis. The athletic
cub has gone into the game. too, and
VIII organize couple of teams to-mOr-
row morning at Agricultural Park under
the direction of K. y. Cole, the we'll
known wrestler and all-around athlete.
Many people have not yet been mi
tlated into the mysteries of the game of
football, and for the benefit OF those who
nave never seen a game, and who know
not how IL is played, the RECoRD-U UNION
has prepared description as follows:
DETAILS OF THE GAME.
The game of football is, in its way, as
scientific and technical as the game of
chess: As IN the pastime of the royal
board, there are unlimited resources for
display of brains and generalshiD. 1t
requires great deal Of patience and
practice to become a great chess player,
and just as much hard work to become
proficient in manipulating the leather
ball: Neither game can be learned thor
oughly in a day, or even year.
The regulation football grounds, such
as that on Manhattan field, are $50 feet
III length and 100 feet wide. goal is in
position in the middle of each goal line
Ihis goal is composed OF two upright
posts twenty or more feet high. The
posts are placed IS feet s inches apart
and support cross-bar, which is put ten
feet from the ground.
The field is marked in slack lime with
transverse lines every five yards. This
is done TO enable the referee to decide
how far the ball is advanced at every
down. The regulation ball used is an
oval leather cover, containing a rubber
inner, which is inflated. Eleven men
form team or side. They are divided
into seven rushers or forwards, who take
up position in line facing their seven
opponents. The quarter back stands be-
hlnd the line. few yards behind the
quarterback stand the two half backs.
The same distance in the rear is the posi-
ton for the full-back or goal tend.
The heaviest member of the team is
generally the center rush or snap back
All the heaviest men are to be found in
the rush line, because they are obliged
TO do all the nard part OF the work. The
end men are usually speedy runners but
the haIt-backS are considered the fastest
on the team. They lave to do most OF
the running with the ball under the pro-
lection of the rush line. In addition to
being quick runner ii is necessary that
the tull back should be infallible almost
AS an accurate kicker. 1t is the center
rush who puts the ball in play. He
snaps 1t back from between his legs to
the quarter back.
The opposing team tries TO get through
the rush line TO obtain possession of the
ball and the rush line tries to prevent it,
A common way of starting the game is
for the player to touch the bali with his
foot and then pass 1t to one of the run
ners OF his own side behind him. The
other members of the rush line mass in
the form Of a wedge in front of this run
ner and rush ahead as far as they posi-
bly, can into the ranks OF their opponents.
This play is styled the or wedge.
PUTTING THE BALL IN PLAY.
The opposing team is permitted to
charge as soon as the ball is touched bv
the foot, and the rushers plunge at the
wedge-shaped mass and stop the flight OF
the runner as soon as possible When
the ball and player have been brought TO
a standstill the runner must cry,
"DOwnp' and the center rusher takes
and places The bail on the ground for
another scrimmage. The ball is then
again put in play by the snap back kick
ing ii or swapping it back to the quarter
back.
Both sides may press forward as soon
as the ball IS put in play by the center
rush. The quarter back generally passes
The ball still further behind him to a half
back or back to kick or run with, and 1t
IS the object OF the opposing forces to push
forward, while the side having the ball
endeavors to retard their advance until
their runner or kicker has mad time to
execute the play.
The opposing forces are given the priv
ilege OF using their hands and arms in
making passage for themselves to Sc
cnre the ball, but the side having the
ball must not use their hands or arms,
but only their bodies in obstructing or
retarding their opponents. To prevent
one side from retaining possession of the
ball continually the rule provides that
III three attempts or downs as thew
are called, a side not having advanced
tie bail five yards in the direction OF its
opponents goal or retreated twenty yards
toward their own goal must surrender
possession.
10 prevent this surrender the team
having the ball invariably kicks it as far
rs possible down the field after having
made two unsuccessful attempts to adj
vance 1t by force or by means of q run.
NO lent kick is permitted. Should the
BAH be caught on the fly and no other Of
his own side touching it the catcher
plants his heel in the ground where the
catch Is made and is entitled to free
kick.
Under these circumstances his oppo-
nentS are not permitted to come beyond
the mark made by heeling the catch.
While he and his side may take up any
position toward his own goal as he de-
cides and then make a punt or drop
kick, or place the ball for place kick.
This Is seldom done. however, the catcher
generally going the form as described in
the first kickoff.
THE BALL "IN ToUCH.u
A ball that goes across the side bound
airy line of the field is said to 90 ''info
touch,' and must be brought back to the
spot where it crossed the line. 1t is then
put in play by one of the side that first
secured possession Oft after it went ont.
There are several ways of putting the
ball in play after it goes Into touch"
1t may be thrown in at right angles to
the touch line. or it may be bound in or
touched in and then passed back, but the
more polite way is lor the player to de-
clare, before stepping into the field, how
many places he will walk in, SO as to
make an ordinary scrimmage for it, the
same as after down.
great many good plays can be made
when the quarter back gets possession of
the bail on a snap-back. The wedge" is,
perhaps, the prettiest play of all. The
center rUsher leads the rush across the
field. The remainder of the rush line
form triangle and keep close to the
center rusher, with the quarterback and