Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-12
AsHBOURNE FOOTBALL is
UNIQUE IN SPORT WORLD
quo Villagers Take Part i'm Annual
Carnival Lasting Two
ttr Days.
GOALS THREE MILES APART
Kickoff Is Impressive Ceremony, At
tended by experimenting and
Much Noise = Players Principal
Effort Is to Get Lick at Ball.
by EATON FEAVN,


LONDON. Feb. 11.-Snugly cnsconccd
amid the rugged limestone hills OF
Derbyshire-thrce miles from delight
tui Dovedale aptly described as the
switzerland of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
quaint. 9ld,fashioned town OF Ash
towns which are to be found scat
Sered about rural England. where
33othing seems to ruiIle their serenity
ua EVERY shroye Tuesday-this year
m n'arGh 4Mfrom almost time imme-
siumbsr Is the foetbsl out ear 1 ts
BUSINESS Is suspended tor two days
liner! t;nero Is only ono topic of conversa-
are days when legs and arms get
broken. shop windows smashed. and
nS Yet whH Il is 'o S s sGss ss mad
course, and no soldier who has re-
ssived scars on the field OF battle is
moro proud than these disabled foot
ball players are of their personal dis
hgurements.
Ashbourne football is unique in the
contestinC teams are not limited TO
eleven players on either side. Instead
OF morc ,hsn oc each na tsa@
IN greater or lesser degree. the whole
town. consisting OF 5000 inhabitants.
who visit Ashbourne every year i'm
order to take hand IN the game, par
ticipates In the sport afforded. ahd
~ ID tho ambition OF every one TO en-
ball. a feat which Is Dragged about
McR Ro oFF e cfsSIMa5ts,
IMPRESSIVE AFFAIR
The Kicking off" ceremony is al
ways prominent feature OF the pro
ceedings particularly on the first day,
when the honor falls to some promi-
s ,sia resident Speeches are made. pa
The national anthem always forming
part OF the program. The bali is
orthodox match football.
Orig inaliy the Market Place was the
Kicking of ground. blu, in later years
the venue has been changed TO Shuws
croft, a large meadow at tho back OF
Known as Piin Syp the h'slslry in the town
Man. " '"' Green
I'm rns contesting sides are. known as
on the north OF an lima ginary, line be-
tween the two goals which are three
, ,ba :,n apart: niaying on the side OF
southern side OF the line play on the
side Of the ..downers." There is con
siderable latitude. however, and dur
Kick. players at different times OF the
day have been known TO take either
sidered very unsportsmanlike. and
many free lights have occurred in con-
scquence Of such behavior. In such a
hotter skclter game it is needless to
Say that referees are not required
The role OF referee Is the best regu-
lated match is anything but a sinecurc.
and the man who occupies the position
Invariably gets more kicks than half
pence. He would be brave man in
SO far as Ashbourne football was con-
cerned, for II he escaped with his life
az the end OF the game ne might con-
slider himself very lucky Individual
} indeed
TWO GRIST MILLS FORM
GOALS THREE MILES APART
60 psiG nS n
water mills for corn-grindtng. as has
already been stated, are three miles
Mill. and the southern goal Clifton
Mill. In order to goal the ball it is
necessary for the lucky individual-
to wade waist deep in wafer and
hold the ball on the mill wheel Tor
some minutes.
The soaline of ball is always an
exciting event. and the man to whom
the honor falls. is regarded as the
carried shoulder high. amid the cheers
Of an enormous crowd to the Market
Place, where due honor Is paid 10 him.
Between the two goals are innumer-
able formidable objects 10 be sur
mounted. The town itself stands mid
way between tho two water-miils, and
II Ia no infrequent occurrence for the
ball to be passed through n front win
dow OF one OF the houses in Church
the toWn-conveyed 10 the back of the
house. through the garden Ut the back,
across the River Kenmore and so into
an adjoining meadow.
The struggles for the capture OF the
ball in the three miles length OF river
arc always OF an exciting character,
and create considerable diversion The
players often emerge from the water
with the blood streaming down their
grimy faces
In spite OF drenched clothes, cuts
and bruises. these undauntcd players
go on playing as though nothing had
happened. Tney turn up on the second
day, fresh rs daisies ard as eager for
the fray as ever
There have been many attempts to
put the game down, and although on
one occasion no less than GOO people
were summoned for playing football
in the public streets, the fines were
quickly met by means of Il public sub
scription. and since then the authori-
ties Of tho town have left the players
in peace.-Copyrisht 1919.
WEDDINGS AND ENGAGEMENTS