Football Illegal

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 601, 1 March 1929, Page 6

Football Illegal

Queer Effect of Old Statute Law GOLF A CAPITAL OFFENCE Very few English people have the least idea of the fact that every time they play football they break the law. There are no fewer than four statutes against football, the first being one of Edward 111., dated 3 3.65. lie prohibited football because he feared it would interfere with archery. Richard 11. did the same in 1388, while Elizabeth and James I. were other monarchs who showed their dislike of football. James’s quaintly worded decree ran: “From this court I debarre all rough and violent exercises as the football, rneeter for lameing than making able the users thereof.” In the reign of Elizabeth, his predecessor, a true bill was found against 16 persons for the offence of playing football. The Act of 1602, which made football in Scotland “an unlawful exercise,” has never been repealed, and it Is a fact that any police officer could stop a football match anywhere north of the Tweed. It is a pity that the experiment is not tried, for it might lead to the ending of a lot of these absurd old laws which still cumber tlie statute books. The punishment fop playing football in Scotland is merely a fine or imprisonment, but the penalty for golf is far more severe. Difficult as it seems for one to believe, the playing of golf in Scotland is a capital offence. “Hanged for Playing Golf!” Think what a placard it would make, yet from a purely legal point of view this would actually be possible. That these old laws are not mere dead letters was proved a few years ago, when a resident of York was summoned for playing golf on Sunday on Fulford links, “outside his parish, before a concourse of people, for the purpose of sport.” This pr9secution was started by a Southport solicitor, who was defending Southport traders in their battle against the Watch Committee, who were trying to stop the sale of milk, bread, tobacco, and so on on Sunday. More recently still —it was in August, 1924—a Mr. Barnard, of Oxon, was summoned before the Pwllheli magistrates for taking part in a hill-climbing competition on a. Sunday at. Screw Hill, in Carnarvonshire. This prosecution was taken under the same silly Act of 1602, but fortunately the magistrates had the good sense to dismiss it. SEVENTY-TWO HOLES IN 271 What is claimed as a world’s golf record for 72 holes has been put up in America by “Wild Bill” Mehlorn, who returned a card of 271—137 for the first 36 holes and 138 for the second lot. It was a great performance, but it is impossible to apply the “record” standard to such a game as golf, where conditions vary so tremendously on every course, and are so influenced by conditions of weather and a dozen other contingencies. Par for the 18-hole course at El Paso, where the feat was performed, is 72. which would make the performance 17 under par for the four rounds.