Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-02
THE TEAM THAT WILL PLAY HERE
They Have Had a Championship
Record.
MAY BE PENNANT| WINNERS

porterS induced the then champion Prince
ton College team to visit this city to play a
picked team from "All Washington"
The Rugby game was the only game play
ed in England for long time until. in 1863,
the Foot Ball Association was organized
by a number of ardent followers of the
game who plainly saw that an organization
to adopt a code of rules. The rules they
adopted are very simple are only sixteen in
number and are in force today in what is
known as association foot ball.
AS the Messrs. Wagner of this city are
going to Encourage a season Of professional
foot ball. in which the association game is
to be played, anything Of interest in rela-
ton to the details of the game will be inter-
esting.
In the first place. the grounds must not
be less than 100 nor more than 200 yards
in length, with a minimum breadth of fifty
to a maximum of 100 yards, so it will be
seen that the rules are not exactng as to
grounds. The goals are formed of two
posts twenty-four feet apart, with a cross
bar only eight feet from the ground.
The ball is taken from goal to goal, not
by carrying. but by kicking or "dribbling"
It with the foot.
Tries" are unknown-the only point that
can be scored in game being a goal"
which IS obi lined by kicking the ball under
the cross-bar.
In the game played by collegians the tries
for goals necessitates the ball going over
the bar. OF course the sides having the
greater number of goals win.
The great difference between this game
and the intercollegiate lies in the fact that
there is no tripping, holding or throwing of
an opposing player, nor is there any ham
ding of the ball by any one other than the
goal keeper.
The ball itself is somewhat different from
that used in the ordinary game, being
round in form, instead of oval. So much
for the tools and appliances.
Each team, for playing purposes, is COM
posed of eleven men, and they never group
themselves together in a V, or make a fly
ing wedge, or do the revolving act. They
scatter themselves all over the field and
keep their position constantly.
The first five men are styled forwards"
and they always follow the ball closely.
They should keep strictly in their places,
and not wander away from their proper
positions, following the ball all the time,
ready to receive it on a pass.
In passing, to do so gently is often more
efficacious than to pass high or long. For
wards should harass or hustle the oppos-
ing backs" or half backs,' for nothing
Will more easily cause miskick than the
mere fact of some one running directly to-
ward the kicker.
Center forwards should be sure kicks
at goal, with either foot. Behind these for
wards. are three men known as half
backs" A half back should not do any
snowy or hard kicking. He should en-
deavor to pass the ball to his forward who
When his goal is in danger, he should
hasten to guard it by supporting the full
back He generally kicks more surely
and safely by using his instep instead Of
his toe.
The forwards" and half backs" should
always do hard work-not necessarily bril-
liant, but steady.
Then come the backs" two in number
Their work Is to back up the men in 'front.'
playing especially in concert with the half
backs. They try to get rid of the ball as
quickly as possible, and should be able to
kick strongly with either foot.
A back should never ''dribble" IL pos
sible to avoid it, but should be able to
Volley the ball, and Withstand a charge
whilst kicking.
The remaining player is the goal keeper"
This player should be able to use both
hands to grasp the ball, and should always
when practicable use the hands rather than
the feet. He should keep we'll within his
ground, and be n good place kicker AS il
is his aim to get the ball away as quickly
as possible he should be able to hit the
ball away with his fists. To do this sue
cessfuily requires plenty Of practice.
II Will be seen that team work Is essen
tial to success. individual play amounting
to but little. Should the ball be kicked out
OF bounds player on the opposite side
from the man who kicked 1t out is per-
mitted to throw 1t as far as possible in the
direction of his opponents goal
III a player, outside the goal keeper
touches the bali with his hands, the oppo-
site side Is entitled to a free kick from
where the ball was touched
An important thing in the makeup Of the
teams Is that men averaging las pounds
make the best players, as they are gener-
ally quicker on their feet than the heavier
players; and as nothing like scrimmages
and tusseling occurs they are free from
any interference Of the big center rushes."
as exhibited in the Rugby game. During
the first five years after 1863 the game in
England was confined solely to amateurs,
but as the rivalry grew professionalism
commenced to creep in until at one time
the championships Prestol North Ends
were composed entirely of Scotchmen. Now
In the old world the game is a fourisning
affair, and at the professional games 1t is
common to read about ten, twenty or thirty
thousand spectators being within the paid
Enclosures.
In 1883 the game was introduced into this
country, and at once 1t sprang into Wig
orous life in the neighborhood of Philadel-
phia, though our climate has been some
what against making 1t continuous winter
and autumn sport. The mi.ness Of Eng
lands climate allows the game to be play ed
nearly all winter.
So pleased was the late George w. Childs
of the Philadelphia Ledger with the game
that he offered magnificent silver cup to
be competed for annually, and no less than
sixteen teams are entered this year for the
trophy The game spread rapidly, and
soon teams were formed throughout New
Jersey. New York, Pittsburg, Chicago, Bos-
ton, Cincinnati st. Louis and Brooklyn
Believing the time was ripe for organizing
the game under professional basis, a
number of the base ball magnates have
formed league, and for the present sea-
son Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and Washington will COM
pete. The teams have been selected with
great care, many of the players being from
England
The Messrs. Wagner of this city have
secured a team which Is regarded as a good
one indeed. The New York Herald says 1t
will not be surprising If they should win
the pennant The men are all English
players. who prior to coming to this coun-
try made champion record, a feat they
sustained last year with the Trenton Row
ers, the champions. Their names are
George Harty. George Harvey. Thomas
Riley, George Rock. ID. c. Shanahan, Tom
Robinson. James Tiffany, John d. Gal
lagher. Joseph Devlin, Ralph Dean, John L.
Kearns and Matt. Wessen. The men are
practicing every day out at the ball park,
and from their exhibition 1t is apparent
that they will give good account of them
selves.
Association foot ball is gaining favor
ILL