HOW FOOTBALL BEGAN

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1923, Page 1

HOW FOOTBALL BEGAN

(Lv \ E. Crawlev in " London Daily Mail." There is a good deal of the romantic about the early history of the most popular of games. There is a Chinese print of the filth century IL C. of men “punting” a football. The only game played in ancient G recce was a sort, of football which the Spartans engaged in hut I he Athenians not —a typical contrast. One of the most extraordinary ol the many varieties ol hall used all ovet the world is the probably prehistoric stone ball of the North American Indians. Tins was, of course, not kicked, hut pushed with the side ol the foot. In France, especially in Brittany, fool ball was played probably before the Middle Ages: the earliest record is ill 1117. The Breton name was "soule” or ** cboule In some districts the foot was the only propeller; in others the ball could also be thrown or carried : and alwavs there were no " lotils.

The players fought each oilier, just as they did ill English football of the liUh century, when the game was banned by Janies 1. and slated by Bishop Stubbs.

The bishop’s anathema is classic it. may rather he called a bloody and murthcriiig practise than a telowly sporte oi' pastime. For ilontli not ovciy one lye in weight for his adversane, seeking to overthrown him and to picke him nil his nose, tlioiigh iL bo upon hal'd stones? Anil he that can serve the most of this fashion, he is counted the only felow, and who but he? So that by this mealies, sometime their necks arc broken, sometime their legs, sometime their annes, sometime their eyes star; oui ... Is this murthcriiig play, now, an exercise lor the Sabaoth day’ ’ ’ The old French footballs were of particoloured leather stuffed with moss, sawdust, or hay. or inflated with air. ( anion played canton and village against village, just as in many of otti villages the street football match on Shrove Tuesday is played between the two halves of the. village. The goals were the church doors, or hedge-, „r gates. Any number of player- look part, often the whole population of men, women and children. The first rule* of the game were drawn up in R!% by the canons of the Church of Anxerre; and it is curious Hint the officials of most churches played Hie game as if it were a regular duty and ceremony. They had matches on stated days; the game began with a psalm and concluded with a dance by the players.