Oldest soccer rules book sells for $1.4 million at auction - ESPN

[victor steinbok]

Note that "corner kick" is listed in the OED from 1882, free kick (of any
kind) from 1862. With cross-bar, things get even more interesting. Although
the term is old, it is not separated for football purposes. OED has
cross-bar going back to 1562 (1.a.), but the earliest sports use listed is
from 1857--still, the "goal" in that citation is /above/ the cross-bar, not
below. Finally, the next citation after 1857 does involve football, but it
has a glaring error in its version of football history!

1956    M. Golesworthy Encycl. Assoc. Football 36   The crossbar over the
> goalmouth was first introduced into Football Association rules in 1875.
>

Obviously the cross-bar was in the rules in 1857. ;-)

VS-)

http://goo.gl/lHsTV<http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6768997/oldest-soccer-rules-book-sells-14-million-auction?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines>

LONDON -- The world's oldest soccer rules book has been sold for $1.42
million.

The handwritten pamphlet from 1857 was put on auction at Sotheby's in London
as part of an archive of Sheffield FC, the world's oldest soccer club.

Sheffield FC sold the 154-year-old document to raise money for the club,
which plays seven tiers below the Premier League.

The rule book contains many innovations that are still part of the modern
game, such as the corner kick, cross bar and indirect free kick.

Sheffield FC chairman Richard Tims says there was "huge international
interest, reflecting the truly global appeal of both the game itself and its
remarkable evolution."

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