Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1899-12-21
FOOTBALL ARMOR.
Its Development Coincident with That
of the Game.

N mig "'o VI 'Hc ihIuulC tSCS i
battle array, minus his spear and hi
sword. With the top Of his hea,
protected from hostile blows BY
heavy leather cap, with pads abou
his ears made of lambs wool to with
stand the shock of the attack, will
his nose and mouth shielded BY hare
pieces of rubber nodded into conven
lent shape, with his arms and shout
ders padded, his chest protected b,
strips of leather so as to ward of
chance blows, his legs encased il
breeches two inches thick with pads
his Sims protected by guards, with
spikes in his shoes, and every Joint OF
his body encased in and reinforced
by elastics, the football hero Of to-day
charging over the gridiron field is not
at all unlike an endorsed knight of
the middle ages in a fitting tourna.
ment.
The development Of the armor Of
the gridiron has been coincident with
the development of football. a dozen
years ago the game of football Was
only beginning to be developed in this
country. Americans got their idea.
OF the Rugby game as it is now PLAYED
IN this country from England. There
the game was then and still is played
IN tennis shirts and flannel knicker-
bockers, with bare knees and arms
bare to the elbow. The English game
is very much like the American game
OF polo, with the use OF the hands to
drive the ball instead of polo sticks.
The American game Of Rugby foot
ball has been made infinitely moro
scientific.
Mass plays were found to be very
dangerous, especially to the team
that sought to break them up. The
average player could not stand the |
knocks and bruises which we're re-
'eived in these plays. Means were
therefore, devised to protect the play
rs from injury, First came padded |
,reeches, then padded elbows, padded
houlders, and finally shin guards.
The next addition was the gutta
'ercha nose protector, which was de-
lsed at Princeton by a player who
lad repeatedly had his nose broken.
n year or two the nose protector
ad a piece added to it which protect
d the mouth and teeth FROM cuts and /
nocks.
The result of the great advance in
he science of football has been to do
way, first Of ALL with the dangers
the game. Althe tricks that made
'otball so dangerous few years ago
ave either been discarded or have
zen prohibited. Teams all over the
'untry are now playing the old
'sMoned open game, with lots of
uniting and runs around the end of
&c line.
This game, however, is harder than
e game Of dozen years ago. In
rferenee, diving tackles, line buck
& and formation PLAYS make the
ayers more liable to cuts and
uises. For this reason the armor
football has not been discarded
the other hand, it has been added
from year to year, Allsorts of de-
'es have been tried to protect theI
'yers from hard knocks and bruises.
lie flrst requisite in football armQris
secure something light which, does, 4
t burden the player. For this res- w
all the padding Of the brseclNs| T
1 arms and shoulders and chest con.
IS OF the best quality u, hair covered,
h leather. Shin guards are mad. e
canvas and cork, The shoes 4re
de as light a. possible, Nose. pro.
tors are made Of vuk.anazedt rub.
The helmets, With ths ear.;pads.
made out of sole ieathenlined with
ne quality of wool.
here is also another piece ofarmor
is now frequently seen On the
liren. II consists of shoulder
i, or rather a big leather shield,
d with sheepskin. which is worn
; the right shoulder, OH which the
'er falls most frequently. Playing
ough ground is likely to make the
alder sensitive, and this scheme
been deviaed as protection.
re are half dozen other devices
protecting players which are worn
ath the armor. Notable among
are rnbber bsndages, with cork
ITS, which arc worn over portion
he body that has been bruised.
ost every PLAYER wears oIasti.