Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-12-12
IT IS OLD As CIVILIZATION
Foot Ball Was Played When His
tories Were Not Written.
Ancient Grccks in Seeking Rcrrca-
ton From study Played IT,
Caesars Columns Took
n into brittany.
william McMartin has prepared the

$3.50 ~ 81, ADN'& ~
game of foot ball think. when he dons
padded anvas armor and enters the
arena to battle for tn. possession of the
ball and victory. that he is worshipinS
the sun according to the practice OF his
ancestors hundreds of years before his
day. Yet this is what he is doing. Long
ages ago his forefather entered the con-
test with as much spirit as his descend
ant does now. but he called the ball a
sun. and in honor of that great luml-
nary fought and sometimes died.
The origin of foot bali is unknown. 1t
reaches so far into the past that 1t has
been hidden by the veil of ages. OF one
thing, Though, WI are certain-it came
to life amid the rough and sturdy sons
Of the north. The south. more used to
ease and dalliance. beEot cricket and the
Sentler forms of ball playing.
The first we hear of it. the Greeks,
needing recreation after learned labors.
are engaged in playing ~'episkyros,' so
named from 'skyron." the line which
divides the two sides. They are using
Il large ball formed by initiating a skin
ar bladder. which they called a "follis.'
This they were trying to force into each
others goal. and so win. and. doubtless,
when this Is accomplished they will
shout as long and as loud as we of more
modern times do over victory.
Now let us pass to the Campus Mar
titus. and here we will ind the Romans
intent upon an exercise of the same
kind. 1t is called "harpastum." The
campus rings with The shouts of the
striving players. giving some slight idea
"f the sounds during II modern contest.
Now we find he game played in Brit
Aany. IA province of France. Here we
find that the mass of struggling human
1ty are Worshipins the sun. They are
playing with a ball about "A foot in di-
Ameter. stuffed with sand or shavings.
which is propelled or carried in any
manner possible.
This they called a"teulc.' which is
with the sun: they them
selves are called "teuleours." or wor-
shippers Of the sun. Most all adorers OF
heather gods show their reverence OF
the deity by undergoing some kin of
an ordeal. and this game of ".eule'' was
the test of the Bretons put themselves
to.
1t is IN exceedingly rough and cruel
game. generally played between two viii
lagos. i'm each of which was a goal, and.
his being the case. OF course the dis
tancc which the ball had to be carried
was some three or four miles. Upon a
set date the two halnletS would assem-
BILE at some point midway between the
goals. A neutral party would cast the
ball straight into the air. ana then the
half naked men of the two sides would
struggle for it and try tn force it into
the encmy's territory. Meanwhile the
women. who always went along. would
cheer the combatants with shouts of en-
-couragelnent. There were no rules. no
1,rnnirao. he an A1,;nof ,,o ~ fo,.ca tn,
ball by any means whatsoever. and it's
course could be traced owe the fields
and rivers by the dead left behind. The
contests We're nothing except battles,
and the previous ono ml1c the combat
ants eager for the next: Tor the friends
of him slain in this game would remem-
Der the murderer, ard in the next. If
possible, take summary vengeance.
Ever in cur own day We see the sun
.Worshiped as the ancient f5retons did.
Among somA of the tribes of Indians
still living In this country "A game very
similar to our foot bali is played in hon.
or of the sun. 1t is also an ordeal. The
tribe CT Washoes, of Nevada. are nota-
bly, fond of this ans
And row passing from Brittany over
to the British Isles we find that
Caesar and his army did something
more than conquer the land. His sol
oilers were SO with harpas-
tum. which doubtless came to them
from the Greek episkyros. that they
played 1t in he strange land. The ma
lives saw it, We're pleased. and adopted
it for their own, and from that time to
this it has been much loved by the in
hab.tants of the Albion Isles. This is
held to be It's origin In England by
some. while Others say il was a native
sport which sprung up IN the land Of its
own accord.
1t is very probable that the game was
played before Caesar, conquest. iur
the writer Of this article thinks 1t did
not originate there. but was introduced
by the Rretons. who doubtless often
visited their neighbors across the Chan
mel.
The first time this pastime is dis
tinctly mentioned as foot ball is found
in a F." History of London written by
William Fitzstephen. and published in
1175. In England II was nothing like
cas- rough as played in Brittany, yet a
death or SO resulting rom n contest
was nothing unusual. while minor in
.juries were numerous. Shrove Tuesday
was known as foo ball day. JUST as
THANKSGIVING Is becoming to be thought
Of by US. and n game generally began
at . O'Clock and lasted the rest Of h
day, sometimes extending n the
night. We know that at Roodee. in
Chester. games were played annually
until 1910. A description is given OF a
game played In Derby in 1886. n from
= brief glance al 1t we car form some
idea of the contrast between it and the
present game.
Az IL neared the hour of 2 on the
Hhrove Tuesday of this year.. the mer-
chants could have. been seen putting III