Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-11-16
FOOT BALL WAS FIRST
PLAYED BY THE GREEKS

school have their peculiar ball. and
the particular trades have. most Of
them. theirs. The elders of tho c,ty
me Iatners or the parties, and the rich
and wealthy, come to the fields on
horseback In order to behold the ey-
erclsss OF the youth and in appearance
are themselves as youthful az nc
youngest their natural heat seem;ne.
10 revive at the sight of so much agil-
lty and i'm q participation in the di-
version OF their respective sons"
But football was not always held in
as much esteem or spoken Of so COR
daily as by this genial old chronicler.
Aprll 10, 1914, King Edward II, of Eng
land. promulgated this law. s.Eoras-
much as there is great noise in the CITY
caused by hustling over large footballs,
from which many evils arise, which Cod
forbid, we command and forbid on be-
hell of the king, on pain of punishment.
such game to be played in the future"
Evidently the second Edwards pro-
nouncement carried small weight, for
Edward Ill, In 1349, was compelled to
forbid by law several sports. among
them hand. ball. football, hockey and
on. In 1889. King Richard III forbade
all laying at %tennise, foteballe and
other such importune gaymes."
Fcotball was again introduced i'm 1A1O
ny Henry Nv. and "a years later, in
i4Sa. the baby Henry vi. proclaimed
The kyngc forbiddes that ma name
play at he futballe."
But in spite of laws and proclama-
tons OF kings football continued; men
persisted in playing at the futballe,'
amid the denunciations of those who
see naught but brutal-
ity and all evil in the game. In the
days Of Robin Hood and the black
prince. Sir Thomas Elycte, author OF
the "boks' called the '.Gopyernour."
said:
"Sonaime MEME wolde save that in
the mediocritie, which I have so much
praysed In shootynge. why shoulde not
coullnge. claishepins and koytinge be
as much commended? Verylv as for
the w last they be utterly objected
OF all MEME. in lyke wyse foote balls.
wherein is nothing but beastile furie
ana extreme violence, whereof pro-
ceedeth hurte and consequent ran
couf and malice doe remayne. with
them that bee wounded. wherefore ii
is to be put in perpetual ~sylence."
Sir Thomas didn't think very highly
of football. did he? But listen to what
one Philip Stubbes has to say of the
game. Stubbes was a Puritan PAM
phleteer. who fleuris],ed between the
years 15S1-1593. He was born about
Aooo' was. ny ms own confession, pref
~ much OF a tramp. refused to remain
at Observation-Disclosures he wanted
to see the world and how 1t got along
and wrote two or three pamphlets en-
titled The Anatomie OF Abuses"
"Anatomle' was a good title; STUDIES
vent on the plan of taking everything
to pieces and pointing put just how
bad 1t all was. or football, one OF his
pet abuses" STUDIES saws:
"For as concerning football playing.
do protest that it may rather be
called a friendlie kinde OF fyghte than
a playe OF recreation, q bloodie and
numbering practise than a fellowlie
sport or pastime. For dooth not every
n lie I'm waight for his adversary,
seekynge to overthrow him and pickle
him on his nose. though it be on hard
stones. on ditch or dale. on turves. on
| valley or hill. and he that can serve
the most of this fashion he is counted
the only fellOwe and who but he. So
that by this means sometimes their
backs are broken, sometimes their legs.
sometimes their arlnes, sometimes their
noses gush out with bloode and some
times hurts I'm one place and another.
And no mervaille. For they have the
sleights to mix one betwixt two, to
dashe hymn agaynst the hart with their
elbowes. to butt him under the short
ribs and pickle hymn on hys necke, with