Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-07
AN ANCIENT SPORT.
eye Merry Game of Footbnll" and Its
-. ManY.CenturIed History

eye Merry Game OF Football" and Its
Many-Centuried History.
eye Merry Game Of Football from
Ancient Times Till Now" is the title
OF an illustrated article in st Nicholas
from the pensof MO. Messenger The
Greeks invented the sport, and through
the Romans It reached the Britons. In
the time OF Queen Elizabeth football
was In high favor. 1t was played In
the city streets, on the commons, and
in country lanes There was not mucn
rule or order to the game, the object
being merely to put the bal into the
enemy's goal, by fair means or y foul.
The goals might be mile apart, with
bitches and hedges and highroads be.
tween. The players struggled in earnest,
and broken bones were no rarity in the
rush that followed.
This WINS probably the toughest and
most brutal period in footballs history
The accounts of the times speak ire.
qlently of accidents, and too ofter there
were fatal Incidents in the playing nj
the game. A1sa
Shrove Tuesday was football day in
those times, and then the whole popu-
lace went football mad. Every one
turned out to kick the ball. There was
one grand scramble to reach it as it
was punted down the streets, over
housetops, and across commons. The
merchants barred shop windows and
doors as the merry crowds sureed
through the streets, for soant heed was
given to any obstacle that stood in the
way OF the pursuit OF the ball. Some
times two or more crowds, 10 chase of
the flying pigskin. fell foul of one
another's course, and then there was a
TODD. and the strongest held the right
OF way, perhaps carrying off both balls,
and causing the other crowd to Join in
their pursuit.
With the year 1900 the game began
to be adopted by English schools and
universities as the leading sport In
1868, an association was formed and it
was made a scientific sport. At this
time the game was played differently
by different universities. Rugby per.
mItted carrying the ball, holding run.
ners, charging and taolsling, while Har-
row and Winchester only allowed kick.
ing. In 1871 the Rugby Union was
formed, and rules laid down. Prior TO
1873 American universities had maid
little attention to football. 1t was
Harvard that brought the game to the
United States, and in order to have a
foeman worthy Of its steel, taught it to
Yale. "Old Eli'' took gracefully to
the drubbing that was involved in
learning the first lesson, whIoh was
learned so we'll that for many years
thereafter HARVARD had no more VIC
tories. i... 10.
The Rugby game has been developed
IN America mainly along the lines of
interference and tackling The Yankees
were quick to perceive advantages
which could be gained in this direction
and put them into play. In 1886 Prince
on introduced the wedge using it
against Harvard, who IN turn took 1t
up against Yale next year. Then Har.
ward went one better and brought out
the flying wedge,' which with the
w" the push . and the ''plow. ;
are permanent eatures OF football work.
in tie p rfection Of football playing
into scientific sport from the old
rough ami tumole games OF the East an
involved system OF signals has come
into use The signals are made by call
ing out numbers.
There seema to be no lessening OF in
terest in the sport. There may be as
many as 10000 srectators, and the
great game Of football, which began
with the Greeks. was carried on by the
Romans, developed by the British, and
perfected by the Americans seems to be
indeed the king Of autumn sports.