Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-12-07
NOTES..
BI HIS SATANIC MAJESTY.

BI HIS SATANIC MAJESTY.
For the past week the daily papers, espec-
tally those in the east, have had scarcely
anything in them but foot ball. They told
rs Of the 25,oOO crowd at Springfield. Mass,
of the 10000 gathering at New York Thanks-
giving, and Of Nbe 10000 at Boston on the
same day. They told Us Of Slugger gaining
a yard through Yale's center, of Sprin.er
running around Harvard's right end, and Of
Pusher going between Princeton's tackle
and guard.
From the immense crowds at the different
games, it stands to reason that football il
the most popular outdoor game in the
United States to- day. Base ball never drew
snch crowds, neither does cricket or lawn
tennis. We can hardly imagine the shous
that goes up from $1,000 throats, as some
brilliant play is being made by one of the
teams. Everybody has to yell, even the
coolest men get worked up to the highest
pitch as one exciting rush succeeds another,
and as one by one the players lump or are
carried from the field.
Football is a comparatively new game,
rising fast into favor, and il may fall like
Lucifer, never to rise again. Even now it
is being condemned as brutal, and by those
who have never witnessed a game, still the
best lover Of the sport cannot call it a
friendly game for points only. 1t has only
been within the last ten years that the game
ghsnies, and nine out of every ten of the
people living in the small cities aud towns.
know little il anything about it. Most any
one can get out and and play creditable
game of baseball, but when it comes 10
foot ball large number have to take a
back seat, for to play it, strength, endur-
ance and quickness of thought are the
necessary requirements. Don't think this
alludes to the old game you used to play
kind reader, where round, inflated rubber
ball was used, and sore shins were the only
results of playing. An attempt will be made
to give a short, rough outline of the Rugby
game, and il further knowledge is requir-
ed, either see a first class game, and that
would be best, or take a checker board at
home, using the checkers for men, putting
them in the positions given. If you are
quick at seeing into anything, you will not
be long in finding out that the sport is as
scientific and the maneuvers as complicat-
ed as anything ever witnessed before.
Every team consists of eleven men with
substi, utes in case any of the regular players
should be disabled. Seven men play in the
slime" and are called "rushers." The men
on the ends Of the line are the end rushee,
either right or left according to the end they
are on, the two men next to them are called
the right and left tackles, the next two, the
right and left guards, and then we have the
center man as center rush. These men are
as rule all large, strong fellows, especially
the guards and center. Directly back of the
center is the quarter back, short chunky
fellow; back of him and on each side ere the
two half-backs, and then further back is the
full back, this completing our eleven men.
The rush line OF seven men on a side,
stand facing each other, the center on one
team directly opposite the other center, the
guards standing in opposition to the oppos-
| ing guards. and so on. These two lines are
as close to each other as it is possible to get
| them, and have shoulder against shoulder.
| One of the centers has the ball, an oblong,
| leather covered, foot ball, between his feet.
The quarter back stoops behind the centsr
with arms outstretched, ready to receive the
ball when it's snapped back to him. He
! gives signal, the ball is snapped back, the
! quarter passes it to ono Of the half-backs
who tucks it in under his arm, and starts to
| get through and past the opposing line. The
signal of the quarterback means every
| thing. 1t tells the rush line just what men
| to push aside to make hole for the man
with the ball to get through. so that the ball
can be carried back of the opposing teams
goal. They, the opposing team, try to stop
the runner and throw him down. If one
side fails to advance the ball 5 yards in four
runs, it goes to the other team, and they re-
peat the running, trying to push their op-
ponents back until the ball is behind their
goal posts. The side getting the greatest
number of goals, wins.
This is, as stated before, only rough out
| line, all the minor details being omitted.
What's the matter with our boys? They
don't seem to be matrimoniaIly inclined.
Last week two of our leading society girls
we're married to outsiders, and rumor has il