The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
FOOTBALL IN SKIRTS.
CANADIAN GIRLS HLVE BEGUN 10
TRY THE GAME.
The Weather Being Too Cold for Tennis
They Essayed the Rougher sport,
Satisfactorily to Themselves.

writer in the New York Recorder. II
the proceeding was kept so dark secret
that no glimmer of it reached even the
sport-loving world. But on a mild day
in early October, in Ballinwood. northern
Ontario, feminine football had It's beglnn-
ing.
"Oh. dear, l want to play something"
sighed a maiden disconsolately. 1t mas
| got too cold for tennis"
TRY football" observed her brother,
disagreeaby.
suppose we try one game. anyway
suggested a bold spirit
The idea grew at an alarming rate.
Football was discovered TO be the one
! game several damsels had burned to
shine at from infancy upward. The form
| aliJy Of organization was dispensed with
| Instead. the girl who iuaugurated the at
fair and her temporary dearest friend,
with beautiful simplicity, elected them
selves captains, ana eacn chose the girls
| she liked best to be on her side. Thus,
without any worry about questions Of
fitness, the whole selection Of players
was amicably settled But this was be-
| fore the advent Of the university girl. She
! viewed the existing makeup OF the
| teams with extreme disfayOr.
! why we want forty, at least, TO get
two decent elevens. You are going to play
association 1 suppose?"
There seemed to be no doubt on the sub
! ject.
Rugby, Of course, is the swagger game.
! All the men We know play Rugby"
Let's play that" suggested Captain
| No. 2. promptly
II love TO watch it, anyway, even If l
do not understand it," Captain Kit put IN.
We'll, We cannot play it, None OF us
have time, enough TO take month off to
learn the rules" decided this young dis
turber Of the peace, "and don't want to
play anything unless We play it well So
we will have TO go regularly into training,
and you know what that means"
Thereupon the club was organized on
a broader basis. The younger girls were
brought in H. great numbers and showed
the wisdom Of the member who justified
the choice OF them by proving much fleet
er runners than the older members. The
game was, i'm reluctant Difference TO the
objections against Rugby, played under
association rules. al least as many OF
them as the college girl could remember
on the spur of the moment. As she was
under the impression that lacking was
permitted at any stage of the first after
Moons play, any two girls mlgth have been
seen fraEticaly hanging on 10 each
others waists or belts or any other con-
yeient hand grasp. The girl, moreover,
on whose tennis court the game was 10
be played had enj0ined tennis shoes.
when she discovered that a football field
had 10 be at least a hundred yards in
length. and accordingly transferred the
players 10 an adjacent hve-acre lot she
neglected TO communicate the transfer in
shoes. The result was that evening en-
bodied I'm song by one frivolous damsel
Many are the toes that are aching to-
night Henceforth. as heavy shoes as
the owners Of pretty feet could bring
themselves 10 wear were the rule on foot
ball days.
1T is too bad. though, really" remark
ed Captain Alice The one chance We
shall probably have In a lifetime TO show
off a decent fitting boot"
The college girl was also dubious about
what one did with the ball when it got be
hind a goal. She knew all about "oh side"
and explained IL so well that whenever a
player wanted a rest she kicked the ball |
over the side line and sat down 10 re-
cover. But what 10 do with the ball be-
hind the goal line was a puzzler When |
the book of rules arrived. however all |
these doubtful points We're settled. With !
the exception of these few mistakes, and |
one other Objectionable feature, the first |
game was brilliant success. The other |
Objectionable feature was really plural |
and consisted Of several badly behaved |
lntruders, who Joined in the game at the |
very outset. They had not been invited, |
nor did anyone desire their presence. In |
fact they We're distinctly told to leave the |
field. The greatest annoyance at their |
participation was manifested.
Nugrnnt Dogs ou the Field.
"Why on earth don't the people who /
own dogs keep them at homer asked
Captain Kit, eXasperatedly. whose skirt |
one of them had just rudely torn. Finally |
small boys were induced 10 come down or
the fence and hold the dogs until the
match was over.
The game itself was subject to Interrupt
lions more or less unprOVidcd for, which |
consisted chiefly Of dogs, taking rests, and
running explanations from the college girl.
The bah was placed in the center OF the |
field. Some one on Captain KITS side
promptly seized the opportunity TO rush
at Il and kick with all her might There
was no stopping for technicalities, then,
and all protests were lost In the Wild tear
down center field. Forward half-backs,
backs and all Joined I'm one mad race to-
ward the north goal Then II was the col
lege girl, also self-elected field captain
who ccolly picked up the ball, which had
been entirely forgotten, twenty yards
behind the tail-end of the race, and
brought back the teams 70 the starting
point She shrieked out an order 10 the
half-backs and backs 10 get back, and let
the forwards DO the rushing. and had the
subsequent satisfaction OF seeing them
remain steadfasuy at their posts as the /
ball was kicked, gayly bounding past
them. az their own goal. The goal-keeper.
rejoicing In the privilege Of using her
hands, promptly grabbed the ball, carried
il down the side field with half the team
az her heels, and spasmodlcally succeeded
in kicking il into the fence. "On-side'
and Lets rest now" We're shouted sim
from several parts Of the field.
The idea was good ana the ground was
presently dotted with painting. disheveied |
maids1e. The distracted field captain
seized the opportunity and endeav0red to
!nsuIl some ideas Of team playing.
con, don't bother us. Varsity" threw
IN the most fushed-cheeked lounger. we
are playing for run. you know, and not
80 enrich the scientific word with a SIM
gle discovery"
Thine" called ont a goal-keeper, and
they scrambled 10 their feet A girl who |
had spent the past winter In New York
and o. whom high kicking was no novelty |
.ot 81 hasty chance NJ The ball. Its h.eht !
from her foot was sudden and strong, |
and in its course bOwled down three UNI
wary damsels.
Follow up that ball" shouted Captain
Kit. Follow II up yourself" retorted
one OF the fallen trio. helping herself to
rise.
"Oh, l can't I'm in goal" cried the