Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29

That association foot ball. more COM
monty designated as soccer" has gain
ed much popularity in the country in the
last few years Is evident. 1t Is one of
the most popular pastime in England
and Scotland. and is a common occur
renee in the ''old county" to see from
&C. 900 to $4,000 at a game.
The American Foot Ball Association,
the oldest soccer" organization o. its
kind in this county was organized in
1884. A silver cup is the trophy for
which the teams battle each year. Dur
ing the history of the association the cup
has been won by Fall River. Pawtucket.
Philadelphia. Paterson and Newark
teams and is at present held by the Clark
A. A. of East Newark.
few years ago soccer" foot ball was
practically unknown in the large col
leges of this country but of late it has
secured a strong foothold. as is shown
by the enthusiasm displayed at the annual
intercollegiate league games. The league
is composed of representatives from
Pennsylvania. Haverford. Yale, Har-
ward, Princeton, Cornell and Columbia.
A Sight Worth Seeing.
The game is played in all kinds of
weather, even when snow is on the
ground, and no doubt dscourages a great
many who would otherwise be interested
spectators. but those who do attend Are
rewarded by the invigorating sight of
seeing twenty-five young men chasing up
and down the field at top speed after a
ball that every few seconds is kicked or
headed, but is very seldom touched by
hands. The goalkeeper is the only man
on each side who legally can touch the
ball with. his hands. and as a result the
players are very skillful in "dribbling'
the ball with their feet.
1t Is team work more than individual
skill that wins games, and some of the
things that players do with the ball are
truly remarkable. Although the ball is
passed from man to man of the same
team by kick with the foot or a bump
Of the head, there is always one or two
men on team who excel in goal shoot
ing. and it is winning team work that
gives the ball to one of these men at just
the right instant and at suitable dis
lance from the goal.
Shooting a Goal.
Short shots are more successful. for nc
matter how true the long ones are the
goalkeeper invariably intercepts the ball
before 1t goes through the goal. The
goal shooter tries to deceive the goal.
keeper and to catch him off his guard
To bring this about there is often lot
of maneuverIng in front of goal that af.
fords exciting incidents. The goal posts
are far enough apart-24 feet-to make
1t possible for player to shoot the bal
past the goalkeeper in spite of all hi:
efforts, providing the shooter is accurate
enough and at the same time is able tt
avoid the interference of the opposing
players, every one of whom is trying tc
intercept the passes and secure the ball
Individual skill as well as team play
may be developed to the highest standard
as there is never any piling up or wallow.
ing in the mud except when player
chances to fall. The rules penalize G
player for tripping or other rough tao
tics, even to the extent of putting the
offender out of the game without allowing
a substitute, so that there is seldom any
Serious injury
The field of play is marked by half.
way line, the center of the field being
also marked, with circle with a ten.
yard radius made around it. Lines are
marked yards from each goal post, al
right angles to the goal lines, for a dis
lance of yards, these being connected
with each other by line parallel to the
goal lines. the space between these line.
being known as the goal area. Line.
are also marked IS yards from each goa
post at right angles to the goal lines, fol