The morning call., 1894-03-11
THE RUGBY GAME.

Charity football was the order of things
yesterday afternoon, and q great game
was played at the Haight-street baseball
grounds in aic of the San Francisco Poly
clinic and Children's Hospital
1t was according TO the eternal fitness
of things that the newly revived association
under Rugby Union rules should celebrate
it's return to competition with its newer
and so far more popular rival, the Inter
collegiate game, by doing something out
Of the common, that would hit 1t from the
lowest slough of despond into the topmost
pinnacle of earthly glory. So the powers
that be among the Rugby Union players
on this coast went to work with Will
and, enlisting some influential patronage,
organized this game strictly under the old
English rules. 10 which most of the foot
ball-loyers on the coast were comparative
strangers.
For years attempts have been made to
revive Rugby football. About four years
ago desperate effort was made to estab-
lsh it as a popular pastime. But only one
team was get together, and as no rival
fifteen dropped from the clouds the much
hoped-for venture had 10 be abandoned, il
was thought, forever.
But no. Again did willing hands under
take the work, and scorniDg past defeat
resolve TO show the deniZens of the Pacific
Slope that college games we're not the only
ones that would provide excitement tor the
weary pleasure-g0er. This winter that
is now passing away marked the first
really threatened rivalry. Two teams,
the Nomads ana Zingaris, got together,
bought footballs, clad themselves in befit-
ting knlckerbOckers and jerseys and for
some time past have disabled each other
on the battlefield every Sunday morning.
But still football stood where it was.
No encouraging interest appeared to be
taken IN II. 80 there was only one thing
to stir the apathy shown by society people.
A desperate resolve was iaken. 1t was
decided to give society match.
There are two kinds of society matches.
There is the one wherein society euple
have sons and brothers prominent in the
fray; and there is the other way of giving
an exhibition for some charity. and getting
sufficient number of society people inter
ested in Ii. Partly tor his reason but
principally from an honest desire to show
the people what the old game Of football,
OF which they have heard so much, really
was, the present game was organized, and
from the outset II held out hopes of sur
cess TO the most pessimistic OF interested
persons.
Early in the past week over $1,000 worth
o. tickets were sold for tie peII.rmance,
and it was confidently hoped that ON the
eventful day the number of uad aumis-
sOns at the gate would certainly reach to
double that amount. DIR. Smells was placed
al he head of the enterurise. ard with Dr.
Browning, secretary. set himself to secure
all the patronage he could get ,ogether.
all the repreSe nj atives Of the rival teams
took an immense interest IN the event, and
among those must interested very little else
was talked about during the entire preced-
ding week. And these two leans num-
Der among their members some men highly
distinguished in the lands of their birth for
their proves IN this game. Among these
may be men toned the following:
Z. Orr, the l ternaiionai haifback, who
for four successive years represented his