Antedating of "Football"

[Fred Shapiro]

football (OED, 2.b., 1881)

1873 _Forest and Stream_ 30 Oct. 189  The game of Foot Ball is truly
pleasing, not only for the spirit and amusement which it affords to the
mind, but the good results which the constitution derives from such active
exercise.  There is no game, not even base ball, which combines so much
bustle, so much "hurrying to and fro," or heathful [sic] pastime for the
young men of our Universities and Colleges, as foot ball. ... The Foot
Ball season opened on October 18th.  The following Colleges sent delegates
to the convention which was held in this city, namely -- Rutgers, Yale and
Princeton.  Harvard College having adopted rules of their own, it was
useless for them to send any members to the convention.  Columbia College
was not represented.  The first match of the season was played on October
25th at Hamilton Park between Rutgers and Yale.

Fred Shapiro


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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
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