The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-12-13
began rapidly swimming away. Some

began rapidly swimming away. Some
thing had to be done quickly, and a
braWny opponent stripping off his out
SIDE clothing, dived in after him. Then
occurred an exciting race, but the pur-
suer was steadily gaining, and at last,
reaching his victim, caught him in the
hair and SouSed him under, holding him
there until the ball floated up. He
seized 1t and away he swims, but by
this time many others are in the river,
and a fierce struggle ensues, which
carries 1T closer and closer to the bank.
At last a st. Peters man succeeds in
throwing it to his friends on shore.
They carried it q little distance, then
lose 1t to an opponent, who, lodging
behind fences becomes lost to the
crowd. Then there is a rush of the ST.
Peters men to the mill to guard the
wheel. Perhaps they can save the day
yet. No one is allowed to approach,
and as dusk falls a struggling bowling
mo are before it. Both sides are there.
1t is getting late. and the miller and
his Wife clamor for entrance; they must
have suppe and go to bed. AT last a
lane is made through the crowd, and
the pair make their way toward the
door. AS they approach the wheel the
pail drops from the matron's skirts, and
one OF the All Saints men, who had
planned the affair, catching it up strikes
1T against the goal, while the shout "All
Saints forever" rings through the night.
Probably no game has been objected
to as much as O o ball, yet it has
thriNed. and at the present time shows
no signs OF coming into disfavor. AS
early as 1914 Edward II forbade the
"hustling over big balls Gagaries de
crosses pelotes). Yet it was so loved by
the populace that it continued, md we
lind Edward III, in 1865, forbidding it
for fear it would interfere with the
practice of archery, from which he had
derived SO much enetit in his wars
with France. Then, later, in 1888, we
tind Richard II interdicting it for the
same reason, though, had these sover-
eigns but known it, their subjects were
gaining much training from these
games to fit them for the wars. They
acquired dexterity i n outwitting the en-
envy. endurance and daring, and always
were in good physical condition from
participating IN contests of this kind.
Again, in 1401. Henry ~ forbade the
game, and after him Henry VIII, while
in the time of Elizabeth he who took
part in the sport was liable to be Sc
verely punished. Yet it survived, and
was SO popular that in the time Of
James I the heir apparent took part in
1T, and was finally forbidden to do so by
his father on the ground that it was
"meeter for tanning han making able
use thereof" Nevertheless, DOT ball
still remained a favorite game, and it
was not until Puritanism. which al
tered 80 many of the established Gus
toms with its stern edicts, had acquired
i firm hold upon the kingdom that it
began to decline. The middle of the
seventeenth century saw the game no
more popular. as it formerly was,
though Shrove Tuesday or DOT ball day
did not cease to be observed until 1880.
However, With the advent OF Puritan
ism we may say III first decade in the
history of foot ball came to al end. for
from thas time nothing much is heard
about it until the revival of athletics at
the beginning of the present century.
In 1S12 athletics began to revive in
England, and football once more took a
prGllinent place. But it was no longer
to be played by whole communities, as
was The former CUSTOM: nov it is con-
fined to Tubs. schools and universities.
once brought TO life again, it soon be
came the favorite pastilne. though as
Yet the game Vas restricted by no rules
and WAS exceedingly rough.
However. We soon find thai measures
w@fc taken to remedy this fault. Hack
ing and tripping, Which We're allowable
IN addition to more dangerous practices,
were causing too many injuries. SO rules
We're formulated to guide the game.
Now, it is interesting to note that the
two styles of the sport, namely the
Rugby and Association, were the out
come of the nature of the ground on
which different institutions played the
game. At Rugby, a smooth, grassy
meadow was at the disposal of the play
ers, hence they did not mind running
with the ball and being thrown. This
being the case, the style of play named
after the above institution, and which
is the popular one in our nj did
not fohib running with the ball. But
then some communities We're not so fa-
Nored by nature: the ground was-stony,
and in some cases the only places avail
able We're paved courts. OF course it
would N do to be thrown on ground
like this, SO carrying the ball was pro-
hibited, and the Association game de-
Neloped. The evolution of the two styles
was gradual, and each found many ar
dent supporters, S o ardent that when a
convention of players was called to
formulate rules by which all games
could be governed, neither would yield,
and compromise was found impossible,
so The convention was a failure.
But in 1863 the devotees of the purely
kicking game met, formed the Foot Ball
association and formulated a code of
rules to govern their sty1a of %plavine
And, following their example, eight
years later the followers of the other
form of play also made rules to govern
them. These laws in their main pro
visions are the ones in vogue even now.
though. of course, changes are being oc-
casionally made to meet the later re-
quirements of the game.
Foot ball has followed the English peo-
pie into Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
and has become a favorite game with all
of them, but in the United States it has
been received with the most marked APP
probation.
1t was introduced into this country in