The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-15
GAME OF GAELIC FOOTBALL,
INTERESTING FACTS AMOUR THB ne
OROUs AND EXCITING SPORT

oROUs AND EXCITING sP0RE
Remarkable Progress OF the Come In Amer
icn-It IL Easily Understood. and Com
mnnds Attention from start TO finish-
The Ruie. and Noted Players.
The very entertaining game OF Gaelic foot
ball recently played Mt Madison Square Gar
den made q decided impression upon these
who saw IL. The simplicity OF the game rem
doris II attractive to the average spectator. and
the constant. vigorous action tends 10 nolo
tho attention OF all onlookers.
Gaelic football has been played by the youth
OF Ireland for centuries past. and 10 to-day
one OF the most popular sports in Erin. Many
OF tho contests there are attended by from
10000 to 10000 persons. and intense interest
ia manifested In the results. The Gaelic Ath.
letic Association havo charge OF all events.
and q few years ago that organization sent TO
America n delegation Of fifty athletes. includs
ing football players. hurlers. and general ath.
letos, with the object OF establishing the sports
in America.
While the exhibitions OF the visiting athletes
were not successful In the matter OF attend.
ance. still the object sought was attained and
the Gaelic Athletic Association OF America was
formed and has grown to large and vigorous
proportions. Now York's membership In the
association consists OF fifteen clubs. and there
nro five unattached clubs. In those twenty
clubs there are probably $500 strong-limbed
young lrishmen. nearly all OF whom have
played tho game in the old country. or the
clubs In this vicinity the best football teams
are presented by tho Irish Americans. tho
Kickhams. and the Shamrocks. There have
been three struggles for tho championship.
one being won by the 1rish-Americans. the
others by the Kickhams. but in the third there
was a dispute regarding time. and the council
OF the association decided In favor OF the Kick
hams. which made them the champi ons. The
championship will be decided in February.
There Is 80 much activity In a game OF
Gaelic football that every man on q team has
an opportunity to exert himself. and there 10
can be detected Mt once,
According to the rules Of the game: a full
also rSaairs that The ground sisII BE- Ito, 1sS
ground is not easy to find in this country. the
plumber OF players has been cut down to nl.
been a HoIe ess ."a asi it pf Is SGT forth fqfhnt That ta ne
ground 10 less than l40 yards long and "a
game game IS s' played i" Is f iiS y"rd Hs long GnsU and IS yards
wide. Tho officials OF tho gamo consist Of Q
referee and two nmpires. and when ne latter
The goal, POSTS are twenty.one feet apart.
and there n r Is a eros fEoss bur Gig to ieet .n from n He
10 score a goal. the bali must be driven be.
bar, When the ball is sent between the goal
posts. but, over tho cross bar Il counts a point.
the goal posts and the stakes set twenty-one
r 1ee1 r IS dcoiS Mae ON ~ fSe E Soints q msd scoE pat one 5ns
goal viii beat any number Of points.
m TsS time re Of Up play y Is S t hour .9 b, TIth a, an !p .s5.
kicked and pounded the leather for an hour.
with the iSsv 9e sra IB coyaisi1 rn1 N Rs tn Snd ssFq iSr
Strength 8 rsstii d It is sit = Fs% m tb tint ntaT requires great
hand. TIE ball must not be thrown nor car:
lite itSs il IN 'FRONT.' 'front.' q him Rin, IN o sniSS to set ta a oSsnss
something which Invariably, attracts atten-
tiGn: Having caught the ball. which is per;
Fal sfins. he ne b s,an's Il he a b 5plp' on and th ies arSsp g.
e hn al tSf rs It ha lp%P Pbe p Yp spd a dsTn fy lssr ssinss
bail, and az the rule says that the sphere can.
When a af fair catch Il is @1 made P tie Catcher may
Free k'ss kicks fss 0s tie Il bs sRy m %sE Be Be Piif fsssd ' fas n III e.,
ground. no player on the opposite side being
S SafGs aut II t feR ssii e k asesss we Mhen t tSs Ssif
is driven oyer IA goal line outside Of all the posts
t 81 the s9s san hse aiWa 1ss e q free t eStSa sHa this FAT FSt
ball, Is placed on the ground in front Of the
s ssieet !,RSi io an SI sh ~! goal all ff fiesIaE Th sIi 4 s' isiis
a position back, Of the line and makes :
s syS1Spis T pisk Ct isn The s,5 ssII; a asISs tRss , : r.;
The m9nnsr r. which re ball is put into
pIay rs f fofm IN {iw iD's sasslleff itn ass IS G tSs ssn.
ire OF the ileId. each man holding the hsnde Of
IN the nr so that it will FL! about the centre
III Ha rsS i Wiz s rnsr s]laeeity :e and Ptsfhs liz pia !9t bs 81 q.
with a furious rush;
proieetiles in their shoes. and Merf the hen ru nsass r g.
SS@e etdIG:; b9sting With the head; Tripping: Or
has the power to order an offending player
to cease playing for such length Of time ashe
substitute in his pi%ee. fFh ta' rete erss may may p ALSO.
IN MS dlscretion. allow a free kick for infrac.
When the amount OF hard kicking. that is
the players escane with SO few injuries. il Is
T. in iaSt, dho ov that Gaelic Players IRE seldom
l nins: T fhxse eIsy ehsG %enr f fnes brse %nsn I euH.
81 ,ae should gu = be enc abe is to 'h run I 4oSS 0 yards S'1 ia
~sionnlly results in serious collisions. The
bali used Is PERFECTLY round and about thirty
Among tine noted players are Capt. J. Cotter
OF the lrisn,Americans. who is q crack for
very strong bacE. The Anglim brothers are
also strong backs and important factors In the
Kickhams. William Sheehan. the captain. is a
phenomenal kicker. while T. Savage. 1t is
claimed. has no superior rs n wing player. or
the shamrocks, o'DonnelI. goal keeper: GAL
laEher. back and Lynch. wing. are noted for
]: Buckley o, the MitchelIs, is reputed to be
a fine all-round player. and J. Cranley. captain
oil 1.-THE sane team. who generally plays In the
in securing free kicks.
Hayes Of the, Barrys has a fine reputation
teams in tho association contains a number
OF crack players. and the contests never lack
scientific and skilful effort.
Inc positions on u team are q goal keeper.
two full backs. four half backs. two ~centres,
four forwards. a right wing. and n left wing.
The most important positions are those Of
goal. backs. forwards. and wings.
Since tho Gaelic Association have secured
Rldgewood Park there has been n boom In
their sports. Owing to the fact that most OF
tho plnyers are young mon, whose employ.