1883-1884 ANECDOTES

1883-1884 ANECDOTE

On the 15^th December 1883 the R.F.U. sent out a letter reminding member Clubs that the Annual subscription of  £1 1/- shall fall due in October. Under Bye Law 4, any club not paying before or at the R.F.U. General Meeting IN March, would be struck off the Union list.

To the Editor of the Bath Daily Chronicle.

“SIR,- I have had considerable experience in the game of football, originally under true Rugby rules, where “hacking over” is allowed, since then the modified game where hacking and scrimmages only is tolerated, and in the present game without hacking. I attribute the whole of the unfortunate experiences of the game of Saturday last first, and principally, to the fact of the ground being very much on a sideland, whereby the running down hill is half as fast again as it would be on the level ground, and  fall when collard so much the heavier for both men; and, secondly, the game is badly played now-a-days by the backs, who always run till collared, instead of running close up to the leading opponent and then taking a drop kick. I remember well playing against Sydney College when L Stokes (probably the best players the world ever produced) was half-back for the College, and in the course of that game as ‘first of my side’ I probably ran up to him within two or three yards as many as 20 times. He always took his drop, and I never touched him once. Let the ground be level and let the backs run for a drop instead of till collared, and the game is vastly improved and danger reduced to a minimum. For myself (knowing the danger) I refuse to play on a sideland ground.”

22^nd January 1884. Signed DROP KICK.

The letter refers to a fatality in a match between Oldfield Park and Bristol University College clubs.

George William Herman, aged 19 of Widcombe Crescent was seen to lie down and rest his head in his hand. He got up and walked to the nearby farmhouse and after complaining of a pain in the head, suddenly became unconscious and remained so, until his death at 6 o’clock on the Monday morning. It had been a very rough game:Several other players were severely cut about the face, and one or two had to be surgically treated.Keenes Bath Journal 1^st March 1884

FOOTBALL CASUALTIES

 “The faculty of Harvard University has forbidden its students to play football until the rules have been modified, so as to diminish the, at present, large number of injuries in nearly every public match.”

In a local context, this announcement comes hard on, a fatality which followed a game between Oldfield Park and University Club, from Bristol. he victim was rendered almost insensible after a collision, and it was noticeable that several other members of both teams received slight injuries. “Neither the playing of Bath nor Bristol was designedly rough.