Janaye Asher
American football (known simply as football in America) has grown to be America's most popular sport. The sport is distinctively American in style and pace. (General History of Rugby, 2010) Yet American football gets its roots from a very popular game in the United Kingdom, rugby. Interestingly the games really started developing at nearly the same time. Rugby started being played in the early 19th century in Britain and it wasn't long before it was being played in America. “Rugby developed through an infraction of the rules by a Rugby School boy, William Webb Ellis, during a soccer (or association football, as it is known outside the United States) match in 1823. The ball-carrying play by Ellis spread to a number of other English public schools, and in 1839 students at Cambridge University gave it a trial during an intramural game, which they called "Rugby's game."” (Hay, 1997) The two games separated from there and developed into very different games.
Rugby is performed with a ball shaped in an oval and leather covered, similar to a traditional American football. It is a tad bit fatter, more rounded, and less pointy to be exact. The sport is played on a field that extends no more than a 100 meters from goal like to goal line. Rugby has several different sets of rules depending on the organization but for the most part the spirit of the game is the same. In rugby you may only advance the ball by running forward or kicking the ball forward. Any passes must be made backwards. (Hickey) In rugby after a tackle the ball stays in play usually in the possession of the team with the ball (rules vary on this) and play is very fast paced similar to soccer. According to Definition of Rugby, “The object of the game is for each side to attempt to ground the ball beyond their opponent's goal line and score the greater number of points within two 40-minute periods of play.” (1997) When rugby came to America Walter Camp began making some rule changes. Most notably the line of scrimmage and down and distance rules now seen. Play stops after a tackle and team line up again for another play. Amos Stagg, Knute Rockne and Glenn "Pop" Warner further developed the game by helping the forward pass gain popularity.(Hickey)
Whereas rugby still has several leagues with a wide range of different rules American football developed with primarily one set of rules. Traditionally the ball is more easily drop-kicked in rugby verses American football. According to Definition of Rugby, “The action in Rugby is more continuous than in American football. Rugby has no scrimmage and no series of downs. Play is uninterrupted except when scores, penalties, or out-of-bounds ("in touch") plays occur.” (1997) Modern day rugby players wear little protection while football players wear a tremendous amount of pads. The games are very different today despite sharing the same orgin.
References
General History of Rugby. (2010). William Webb Ellis and the Origins of Rugby. Retrieved from http://guide.rugbyrugby.com/Rugby%20Sections/History/General%20History.asp
Hay, T. (1997). Definition of rugby. Retrieved from http://wesclark.com/rrr/define.html
Hickey, D. (n.d.). In the beginning. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pacificcoastrugby.com/
template.php?sid=10
Rugby is performed with a ball shaped in an oval and leather covered, similar to a traditional American football. It is a tad bit fatter, more rounded, and less pointy to be exact. The sport is played on a field that extends no more than a 100 meters from goal like to goal line. Rugby has several different sets of rules depending on the organization but for the most part the spirit of the game is the same. In rugby you may only advance the ball by running forward or kicking the ball forward. Any passes must be made backwards. (Hickey) In rugby after a tackle the ball stays in play usually in the possession of the team with the ball (rules vary on this) and play is very fast paced similar to soccer. According to Definition of Rugby, “The object of the game is for each side to attempt to ground the ball beyond their opponent's goal line and score the greater number of points within two 40-minute periods of play.” (1997) When rugby came to America Walter Camp began making some rule changes. Most notably the line of scrimmage and down and distance rules now seen. Play stops after a tackle and team line up again for another play. Amos Stagg, Knute Rockne and Glenn "Pop" Warner further developed the game by helping the forward pass gain popularity.(Hickey)
Whereas rugby still has several leagues with a wide range of different rules American football developed with primarily one set of rules. Traditionally the ball is more easily drop-kicked in rugby verses American football. According to Definition of Rugby, “The action in Rugby is more continuous than in American football. Rugby has no scrimmage and no series of downs. Play is uninterrupted except when scores, penalties, or out-of-bounds ("in touch") plays occur.” (1997) Modern day rugby players wear little protection while football players wear a tremendous amount of pads. The games are very different today despite sharing the same orgin.
References
General History of Rugby. (2010). William Webb Ellis and the Origins of Rugby. Retrieved from http://guide.rugbyrugby.com/Rugby%20Sections/History/General%20History.asp
Hay, T. (1997). Definition of rugby. Retrieved from http://wesclark.com/rrr/define.html
Hickey, D. (n.d.). In the beginning. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pacificcoastrugby.com/
template.php?sid=10
Sandy Navarro
Influential Sport from England to America
The origin of football and soccer started to develop and grow in England. It started in 1863 in England, when two football association split off their different associations. Therefore the association of football started in England (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). On October 1963, eleven clubs from London and schools sent their representatives to the Freemason’s Tavern. Here is where the representatives were able to clarify and set rules that were going to pertain to the game. Throughout this meeting shin kicking, tripping, carrying the ball or not was discussed among them (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). Eight years after the football foundation, the Football Association already had 50 club members and the first football competition in the world was started in that same year, the FA Cup (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010).
The first international game was played in 1872 and was contested by England and Scotland. Then it wasn’t until 1885 when the Football Association determined that the players needed to practice enough to reach professionalism and build their own talents in football (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). The spread of football started to be known all over the world outside of England, mainly due to the British influence abroad. The next countries to form football associations after the Netherlands and Denmark in 1889 were New Zealand (1891), Argentina (1893), Chile (1895), Switzerland, Belgium (1895), Italy (1898), Germany, Uruguay (both in 1900), Hungary (1901) and Finland (1907). When FIFA was founded in Paris in May 1904 it had seven founder members: France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain (represented by the Madrid FC), Sweden and Switzerland (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010).
As the international football community grew, the first World Cup game started in 1930 and soon FIFA was known all over the world, with 204 members in every part of the world as well (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). One football team that is very famous and successful is Manchester United, with over 330 million supporters worldwide, they have won 19 league titles, 11 FA cups, and three UEFA champions league (Manchester United History, 2011). In 130 years of football, the team has able to be successful and continue to be successful throughout history, with being the richest club worth of 1.5 billion value (Champions, 2011). This team is very influential to America because the former players that played for this team are Cristiano Rolando and David Beckham.
Since these two successful players played for the best football team in the world, everyone wanted to become fans of Manchester United and fans of the players. When football grew very popular, then it started to grow in America and many children and adults wanted to start there own football team. England influenced America and the population within this sport that became very popular for children to play. Although football is not the most popular sport in America because American football is, it is still a very popular sport that is played. Football started to be played by kids and college teams in the United States and soon became popular to play. England’s rise of football influenced the entire world and football, also known as soccer is known all over the world.
References
Champions, 2011. Manchester United Official Website. Retrieved from
http://www.manutd.com/en/Visit-Old-Trafford/Museum-And-Stadium-
Tour/Museum.aspx.
Manchester United History, 2011. Club Facts and History, photos, stats, and legends.
Retrieved from
http://www.oleole.com/premier-league/manchester-united/history/thij.html.
Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010. Retrieved from http://www.all-soccer-
info.com/.
US Soccer History, 2004-2008. Retrieved from http://www.soccer-for-parents.com/us-
soccer-history.html
The origin of football and soccer started to develop and grow in England. It started in 1863 in England, when two football association split off their different associations. Therefore the association of football started in England (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). On October 1963, eleven clubs from London and schools sent their representatives to the Freemason’s Tavern. Here is where the representatives were able to clarify and set rules that were going to pertain to the game. Throughout this meeting shin kicking, tripping, carrying the ball or not was discussed among them (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). Eight years after the football foundation, the Football Association already had 50 club members and the first football competition in the world was started in that same year, the FA Cup (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010).
The first international game was played in 1872 and was contested by England and Scotland. Then it wasn’t until 1885 when the Football Association determined that the players needed to practice enough to reach professionalism and build their own talents in football (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). The spread of football started to be known all over the world outside of England, mainly due to the British influence abroad. The next countries to form football associations after the Netherlands and Denmark in 1889 were New Zealand (1891), Argentina (1893), Chile (1895), Switzerland, Belgium (1895), Italy (1898), Germany, Uruguay (both in 1900), Hungary (1901) and Finland (1907). When FIFA was founded in Paris in May 1904 it had seven founder members: France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain (represented by the Madrid FC), Sweden and Switzerland (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010).
As the international football community grew, the first World Cup game started in 1930 and soon FIFA was known all over the world, with 204 members in every part of the world as well (Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010). One football team that is very famous and successful is Manchester United, with over 330 million supporters worldwide, they have won 19 league titles, 11 FA cups, and three UEFA champions league (Manchester United History, 2011). In 130 years of football, the team has able to be successful and continue to be successful throughout history, with being the richest club worth of 1.5 billion value (Champions, 2011). This team is very influential to America because the former players that played for this team are Cristiano Rolando and David Beckham.
Since these two successful players played for the best football team in the world, everyone wanted to become fans of Manchester United and fans of the players. When football grew very popular, then it started to grow in America and many children and adults wanted to start there own football team. England influenced America and the population within this sport that became very popular for children to play. Although football is not the most popular sport in America because American football is, it is still a very popular sport that is played. Football started to be played by kids and college teams in the United States and soon became popular to play. England’s rise of football influenced the entire world and football, also known as soccer is known all over the world.
References
Champions, 2011. Manchester United Official Website. Retrieved from
http://www.manutd.com/en/Visit-Old-Trafford/Museum-And-Stadium-
Tour/Museum.aspx.
Manchester United History, 2011. Club Facts and History, photos, stats, and legends.
Retrieved from
http://www.oleole.com/premier-league/manchester-united/history/thij.html.
Soccer History and Information, 2005-2010. Retrieved from http://www.all-soccer-
info.com/.
US Soccer History, 2004-2008. Retrieved from http://www.soccer-for-parents.com/us-
soccer-history.html
Karen Montero
Football (Soccer)
The origin of football can be found in every part of geography and history. The Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Ancient Greek, Persian, Viking, and many more played a ball game long before our era (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). But it was in England that football began to take shape establishing many football clubs around England. By the time the working class and immigrant eras came around the new arrivals brought football traditions along with them (Litterer, 2010). The traditions grew rapidly in the Northeastern industrial cities of America (Litterer, 2010). According to a 2010 poll by Harris Interactive showed that 35 percent of people who follow sports in America choose American football as their favorite, while only 4 percent rate football (soccer) as their favorite sport (pewresearch.org, 2006).
The popular sport of football started in 1863 in England, when two football associations (football and rugby football) split off on their different course (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). Only eight years after its foundation, the football association already had 50 member clubs (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). The representatives of these clubs came in agreement on establishing a set of fundamental rules that was acceptable to all parties to govern the matches played amongst them (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). When the meeting adjourned that became the birth of the football association. With the very first international match against Scotland which was played in 1872 had the crowds attention.
The notion of football rose among the Americans during 1875- 1894, although at the time the states were in Great Britain’s possession (Litterer, 2010). As immigrants were adapting to a new lifestyle in America many individuals remained with the tradition of football which was beginning to take a toll in many of the states. The growth first took place in the West Hudson region of New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City, soon spreading by the late 1870’s to Fall River, and New Bredford, Massachusetts. As the 1880’s came around the sport spread to Boston, Rhode Island, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, and St. Louis, and finally Pittsburgh. Football grew at a moderate pace during the 1890’s spreading to Denver, Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. It was not until 1921 that the first truly successful pro league in America was established. (Litterer, 2010).
In the 21st century the sport of football had many positive developments for the game. The women’s united soccer association was launched in 2001 (Litterer, 2010). As well as the national youth teams seemed to be doing well. There is even indoor football that have been established whether it be a past time thing to do or playing in a league. Football is even played at the Olympics game. Finally, there has been an increasing number of American players that were finding success with major European teams.
Overall, football is not much of a popular sport in America as it is in Europe, but there are many individuals involved in the sport. Whether it is a middle school, high school, college or major league team, there are many individuals who still appreciate the sport. Personally, I have learned to appreciate the sport given I have been to a few football club stadiums during my stay in England and the locals here seem to be very passionate about this sport which has opened my enhancement to trying something new.
References
Soccer history and Information (2010). Retrieved from www.all-soccer-info.com.
Literrer, D. (2010). An Overview of American Soccer History. Retrieved from
Homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/overview.html.
Pew Research Center (2006). Americans to Rest of World: Soccer Not Really Our Thing.
Retrieved from pewresearch.org/pubs/315/Americans-to-rest-of-world-soccer-not- really-our-thing.
The origin of football can be found in every part of geography and history. The Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Ancient Greek, Persian, Viking, and many more played a ball game long before our era (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). But it was in England that football began to take shape establishing many football clubs around England. By the time the working class and immigrant eras came around the new arrivals brought football traditions along with them (Litterer, 2010). The traditions grew rapidly in the Northeastern industrial cities of America (Litterer, 2010). According to a 2010 poll by Harris Interactive showed that 35 percent of people who follow sports in America choose American football as their favorite, while only 4 percent rate football (soccer) as their favorite sport (pewresearch.org, 2006).
The popular sport of football started in 1863 in England, when two football associations (football and rugby football) split off on their different course (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). Only eight years after its foundation, the football association already had 50 member clubs (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). The representatives of these clubs came in agreement on establishing a set of fundamental rules that was acceptable to all parties to govern the matches played amongst them (all-soccer-info.com, 2010). When the meeting adjourned that became the birth of the football association. With the very first international match against Scotland which was played in 1872 had the crowds attention.
The notion of football rose among the Americans during 1875- 1894, although at the time the states were in Great Britain’s possession (Litterer, 2010). As immigrants were adapting to a new lifestyle in America many individuals remained with the tradition of football which was beginning to take a toll in many of the states. The growth first took place in the West Hudson region of New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City, soon spreading by the late 1870’s to Fall River, and New Bredford, Massachusetts. As the 1880’s came around the sport spread to Boston, Rhode Island, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, and St. Louis, and finally Pittsburgh. Football grew at a moderate pace during the 1890’s spreading to Denver, Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. It was not until 1921 that the first truly successful pro league in America was established. (Litterer, 2010).
In the 21st century the sport of football had many positive developments for the game. The women’s united soccer association was launched in 2001 (Litterer, 2010). As well as the national youth teams seemed to be doing well. There is even indoor football that have been established whether it be a past time thing to do or playing in a league. Football is even played at the Olympics game. Finally, there has been an increasing number of American players that were finding success with major European teams.
Overall, football is not much of a popular sport in America as it is in Europe, but there are many individuals involved in the sport. Whether it is a middle school, high school, college or major league team, there are many individuals who still appreciate the sport. Personally, I have learned to appreciate the sport given I have been to a few football club stadiums during my stay in England and the locals here seem to be very passionate about this sport which has opened my enhancement to trying something new.
References
Soccer history and Information (2010). Retrieved from www.all-soccer-info.com.
Literrer, D. (2010). An Overview of American Soccer History. Retrieved from
Homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/overview.html.
Pew Research Center (2006). Americans to Rest of World: Soccer Not Really Our Thing.
Retrieved from pewresearch.org/pubs/315/Americans-to-rest-of-world-soccer-not- really-our-thing.
Sean Pinckard
American Football
Football was created in the 1823 when a British guy by the name of Ellis picked up the ball during a soccer match; it’s changed quite a bit since then. Football started as its own game in the US as a derivation of British Rugby (Bellis). It started out being played in universities and the first official rules didn’t get written down until 1876 at the Massosoit convention. In the late 1800s and early 1900s a man by the name of Walter Camp began to change the rules of American football away from that of rugby and soccer (Bellis). The NFL was founded in 1920. Football started out as an American way of rebelling against British traditional games. It was a way that American’s could go out and have fun in a pretty unorganized manner. As was stated earlier it wasn’t until the late 1800s that it really started becoming organized. It’s strange to imagine that it came from one unruly guy who really just decided he didn’t want to play by the rules and picked up a soccer ball. I doubt he could have even realized the door that he opened with just his one simple move. Football started among colleges in 1869 with the first Intercollegiate match, it wasn’t until 1873 that an Intercollegiate Football Association was founded between Ivy League Schools. Football was banned by many colleges in the 1890s because of its very violent nature which caused many deaths; it was this reason that Teddy Roosevelt created a rule committee. Teddy Roosevelt helped to create what is now the NCAA which was started as a seven member rules committee in 1905 (Carter, 2011). Football came from the humblest of beginnings first a desire to not play by the rules, a violent ragtag game with little to no rules, through being banned in Universities around the country to becoming one of the most popular games in all of the US.
Works Cited Bellis, M. (n.d.). History of Football. About.com, 1-2.
Carter, S. (2011). History of American Football: Past and Present. Travel Guide, 1.
Football was created in the 1823 when a British guy by the name of Ellis picked up the ball during a soccer match; it’s changed quite a bit since then. Football started as its own game in the US as a derivation of British Rugby (Bellis). It started out being played in universities and the first official rules didn’t get written down until 1876 at the Massosoit convention. In the late 1800s and early 1900s a man by the name of Walter Camp began to change the rules of American football away from that of rugby and soccer (Bellis). The NFL was founded in 1920. Football started out as an American way of rebelling against British traditional games. It was a way that American’s could go out and have fun in a pretty unorganized manner. As was stated earlier it wasn’t until the late 1800s that it really started becoming organized. It’s strange to imagine that it came from one unruly guy who really just decided he didn’t want to play by the rules and picked up a soccer ball. I doubt he could have even realized the door that he opened with just his one simple move. Football started among colleges in 1869 with the first Intercollegiate match, it wasn’t until 1873 that an Intercollegiate Football Association was founded between Ivy League Schools. Football was banned by many colleges in the 1890s because of its very violent nature which caused many deaths; it was this reason that Teddy Roosevelt created a rule committee. Teddy Roosevelt helped to create what is now the NCAA which was started as a seven member rules committee in 1905 (Carter, 2011). Football came from the humblest of beginnings first a desire to not play by the rules, a violent ragtag game with little to no rules, through being banned in Universities around the country to becoming one of the most popular games in all of the US.
Works Cited Bellis, M. (n.d.). History of Football. About.com, 1-2.
Carter, S. (2011). History of American Football: Past and Present. Travel Guide, 1.
Bruce Morgan
In the early days of sport in England, man and horse were paired once with one another
which only reinforced a continued partnership of man and this great and honorable animal. Men
had been using horses for waging war, agriculture production and other various uses such as
hunting and gathering. Horses were part of the English culture for centuries before they were
saddled for sport.
We in the United States are familiar with the game of polo which is still widely played in
the United Kingdom. Modern day British Royalty are still very active participants in the game of
Polo. It is said that the most famous polo player in England today is Prince William.
It was only after the horse was removed from the field and teams of twelve men began to
participate against one another on foot rather than on horseback that the seed for our modern day
football had been planted. This innovation also gave birth to the modern day game of football in
the British Isles. Even though it is still considered a hazardous to one’s health to participate in
the sport today because of broken bones and concussions, football was once far more dangerous
for other reasons. At its earliest beginning, football was a very unorganized and chaotic sport to
play. With no set standards or rules to prevent dangerous and violent actions, the mob ruled on
the field. However, as time progressed and the sport’s popularity began to take hold and garner
more and more people’s interest, organizers, players and fans all seen the need for a standard set
of rules and regulations in order to provide some uniformity to this much unorganized and
dangerous activity.
A rise in interscholastic interest of play for football came about during the second half of
Morgan 2
the nineteenth century. Football in both England and the United States at this time period was a
game were no hands are used during play. Fans in America know football to be a very different
structure of rules and regulations today because the sport that football reflected at that time
period actually reflected a game that we in the United States today call soccer. Football
teams like the Chicago Bears did not come along until the early 1920’s (Taylor, 2005). So even
though a metamorphosis was taking place, it took several decades.
In Britain it was in the early 1860’s that English men interested in the sport created the
first Football Association and their rules laid the ground work for what is still widely known as
in England as modern day Football today (Morris, 2004). Popular football teams in England
today are Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal and fans support for each range into the
millions (Skyscraper City, 2011). Football is so popular in England today that the fan support
for this game far out numbers fan support for England nation Sport of Cricket and names and
faces of English football players like David Beckham are recognized across the world. Britain
fell in love with the no hands method of football and to this day the love and support for these
teams have been sewn into the fabric of British heritage. One Arsenal fan famously stated that
“over the years my dad had done a lot of great things for me but without a doubt the best thing he
has done is raise me as and Arsenal fan” and this gesture of dedication, love and support is even
written on the wall of Arsenals’ new state of the art facility.
In American however, things were seen a bit differently. The use of only your feet to
move the ball toward the opponents’ goal was seen less than masculine and Americans decided
to play a newer and more physically demanding version of football in which men used their
hands to carry the ball toward the opponents’ goal. Tackling also became integrated on the field
of play in order to stop that man carrying the ball. The objective of turning England’s version of
Morgan 3
football into a manlier and rougher American type of activity had begun. However this version
did not reflect the game the Chicago Bears or Dallas Cowboys will begin to play this fall.
There was another step and that step was and is still called Rugby. The largest and best know
Ruby team that represents England in the Rugby Union is the Union team and early players like
William Webb Ellis have made the run for Rugby World Cup the third most followed sport in
the world today ( Rugby Union, 2011). It was only after both positions of Quarterback and
Center were designed and implemented into rugby that a line of scrimmage was added to the
American rulebook and those implementations finally molded English Football and Rugby into
the American fan favorite game that we know as American Football today.
Today we do find modern day versions of English Polo, Soccer and Rugby in the United
States but the primary and most recognized fan supported version of all of these games can be
found between the stripes on the grid-iron. It is true that our modern day version of American
football was originally born across the Atlantic by men on horses but there is absolutely no doubt
that what began in the Britain many decades ago has become a unique and widely supported
American original.
Work Cited
Morris, Peter S. (November, 2004). Football in the U.S.A. American Culture and the Worlds
Game. Retrieved: August 4, 2011. From the web at:
http://homepage.smc.edu/morris_pete/papersandpresentations/main/footballinusa.html
Rugby Union Official Homepage. (2011) Official Site of RFU Governing Body of Rugby Union
in England. Retrieved: August 4, 2011. From the web at: http://www.rfu.com/TheGame
Skyscraper. (2011) Britain’s Top 20 Most Famous Football Clubs. Retrieved: August 4, 2011.
From the web at: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=601026
Taylor, Roy. (2005). Chicago Bears History Chicago Bears Season by Era. Retrieved: August 4,
2011. From the web at: http://www.bearshistory.com/seasons/index.aspx
which only reinforced a continued partnership of man and this great and honorable animal. Men
had been using horses for waging war, agriculture production and other various uses such as
hunting and gathering. Horses were part of the English culture for centuries before they were
saddled for sport.
We in the United States are familiar with the game of polo which is still widely played in
the United Kingdom. Modern day British Royalty are still very active participants in the game of
Polo. It is said that the most famous polo player in England today is Prince William.
It was only after the horse was removed from the field and teams of twelve men began to
participate against one another on foot rather than on horseback that the seed for our modern day
football had been planted. This innovation also gave birth to the modern day game of football in
the British Isles. Even though it is still considered a hazardous to one’s health to participate in
the sport today because of broken bones and concussions, football was once far more dangerous
for other reasons. At its earliest beginning, football was a very unorganized and chaotic sport to
play. With no set standards or rules to prevent dangerous and violent actions, the mob ruled on
the field. However, as time progressed and the sport’s popularity began to take hold and garner
more and more people’s interest, organizers, players and fans all seen the need for a standard set
of rules and regulations in order to provide some uniformity to this much unorganized and
dangerous activity.
A rise in interscholastic interest of play for football came about during the second half of
Morgan 2
the nineteenth century. Football in both England and the United States at this time period was a
game were no hands are used during play. Fans in America know football to be a very different
structure of rules and regulations today because the sport that football reflected at that time
period actually reflected a game that we in the United States today call soccer. Football
teams like the Chicago Bears did not come along until the early 1920’s (Taylor, 2005). So even
though a metamorphosis was taking place, it took several decades.
In Britain it was in the early 1860’s that English men interested in the sport created the
first Football Association and their rules laid the ground work for what is still widely known as
in England as modern day Football today (Morris, 2004). Popular football teams in England
today are Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal and fans support for each range into the
millions (Skyscraper City, 2011). Football is so popular in England today that the fan support
for this game far out numbers fan support for England nation Sport of Cricket and names and
faces of English football players like David Beckham are recognized across the world. Britain
fell in love with the no hands method of football and to this day the love and support for these
teams have been sewn into the fabric of British heritage. One Arsenal fan famously stated that
“over the years my dad had done a lot of great things for me but without a doubt the best thing he
has done is raise me as and Arsenal fan” and this gesture of dedication, love and support is even
written on the wall of Arsenals’ new state of the art facility.
In American however, things were seen a bit differently. The use of only your feet to
move the ball toward the opponents’ goal was seen less than masculine and Americans decided
to play a newer and more physically demanding version of football in which men used their
hands to carry the ball toward the opponents’ goal. Tackling also became integrated on the field
of play in order to stop that man carrying the ball. The objective of turning England’s version of
Morgan 3
football into a manlier and rougher American type of activity had begun. However this version
did not reflect the game the Chicago Bears or Dallas Cowboys will begin to play this fall.
There was another step and that step was and is still called Rugby. The largest and best know
Ruby team that represents England in the Rugby Union is the Union team and early players like
William Webb Ellis have made the run for Rugby World Cup the third most followed sport in
the world today ( Rugby Union, 2011). It was only after both positions of Quarterback and
Center were designed and implemented into rugby that a line of scrimmage was added to the
American rulebook and those implementations finally molded English Football and Rugby into
the American fan favorite game that we know as American Football today.
Today we do find modern day versions of English Polo, Soccer and Rugby in the United
States but the primary and most recognized fan supported version of all of these games can be
found between the stripes on the grid-iron. It is true that our modern day version of American
football was originally born across the Atlantic by men on horses but there is absolutely no doubt
that what began in the Britain many decades ago has become a unique and widely supported
American original.
Work Cited
Morris, Peter S. (November, 2004). Football in the U.S.A. American Culture and the Worlds
Game. Retrieved: August 4, 2011. From the web at:
http://homepage.smc.edu/morris_pete/papersandpresentations/main/footballinusa.html
Rugby Union Official Homepage. (2011) Official Site of RFU Governing Body of Rugby Union
in England. Retrieved: August 4, 2011. From the web at: http://www.rfu.com/TheGame
Skyscraper. (2011) Britain’s Top 20 Most Famous Football Clubs. Retrieved: August 4, 2011.
From the web at: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=601026
Taylor, Roy. (2005). Chicago Bears History Chicago Bears Season by Era. Retrieved: August 4,
2011. From the web at: http://www.bearshistory.com/seasons/index.aspx
Terrance Lewis
Badminton was a game that was created over two thousand years ago. It was played by children from ancient Greece and Egypt (Athletic Scholarships). It origin of the badminton came from the two games that was played by young children called battledore and shuttlecock (n.d.). In these games two players used tiny handmade rackets to hit back and forth a feathered shuttlecock. During the eighteenth century, British Army Officers were stationed in India and took the game, which was called “POONA” in India, back with them to England where they introduced the game to their friends (n.d.). In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort presented a party at his place, “Badminton” in Gloucestershire, where he announced the new hit game. According to (n.d.) during the eighteenth century the game didn’t have an official name to stick to it so it became referred as “The Game of Badminton.” Thus, giving the sport the proper name of badminton.
Up until 1887, badminton was played in England under the rules hailed from India. With the rules being stated in an English viewpoint, it became confusing and was controverted (n.d.). The Bath Badminton Club was a group that formed itself out of a small army of recruited badminton players. The club standardized the rules of the game and mad it more appropriate to English ideas and procedures that were made up in 1887. In 1895 The Bath Badminton Club had had its authorities taking over by the Badminton Association of England. The Badminton Association had modified the rules to be followed by everyone who played the game throughout the world (n.d.). England held its first men’s championship tournament in 1899, followed by a nationwide tournament for men and women in 1900. Interest in the sport quickly spread across the world including United States to Canada to Australia (n.d.).
Matches before held before 1904 were ruled unofficial and the start of the official All- England matches began after this year. The growth and popularity of badminton had sky rocketed. With over 300 badminton clubs in England growing form 500 in 10 years it was apparent that the sport was becoming one of the fastest growing sports of its time.(Terry,2011) states that it later grew to at least 9,000 clubs in England a little after World War II. 1934 was the start of the International Badminton Federation. It started with nine members; Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. The United States did not enter into the organization until four years later (Athletic Scholarships, 2001).
Two different tournaments were held for the men and the woman. The men’s world cup was named the Thomas Cup and the women’s world cup was named the Uber Cup (Athletic Scholarships, 2001). There were 7 additional world events that were added to badminton after the start of the International Badminton Federation. When the Uber cup was first announced back on 1956, the United States started crowning themselves victors at three events (Athletic Scholarships, 2001). The interest of the sport faded a bit as it started to just become a sport where people would play in their back yard or on the beach for fun and entertainment. Not for once what it was played for, as a competitive sport. With the feeling that the United States was surely slipping away from the excitement of badminton, the IBF introduced a new tournament in California. The Hong Ta Shan Cup was a man’s invitational tournament that brought the best players out for a big winner’s prize. The Atlanta Olympic Games also started to raise the sports profile in the United States by drawing interest from, President at the time Jimmy Carter, and other high priced celebrities. With the IBF and the Atlantic Olympic Games having interest in the US, it became a landmark for badminton in 1996 (Athletic Scholarships,2001).
Reference Page
(N.d.). The history of badminton. Retrieved from http://www.usm.edu/badminton/History.htm#_top
Athletic Scholarships. (2001-2011). Origins and history of badminton. Retrieved from http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-badminton.htm
Terry, Sarah. (2011). The history of the game badminton. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/338413-the-history-of-the-game-badminton/
Up until 1887, badminton was played in England under the rules hailed from India. With the rules being stated in an English viewpoint, it became confusing and was controverted (n.d.). The Bath Badminton Club was a group that formed itself out of a small army of recruited badminton players. The club standardized the rules of the game and mad it more appropriate to English ideas and procedures that were made up in 1887. In 1895 The Bath Badminton Club had had its authorities taking over by the Badminton Association of England. The Badminton Association had modified the rules to be followed by everyone who played the game throughout the world (n.d.). England held its first men’s championship tournament in 1899, followed by a nationwide tournament for men and women in 1900. Interest in the sport quickly spread across the world including United States to Canada to Australia (n.d.).
Matches before held before 1904 were ruled unofficial and the start of the official All- England matches began after this year. The growth and popularity of badminton had sky rocketed. With over 300 badminton clubs in England growing form 500 in 10 years it was apparent that the sport was becoming one of the fastest growing sports of its time.(Terry,2011) states that it later grew to at least 9,000 clubs in England a little after World War II. 1934 was the start of the International Badminton Federation. It started with nine members; Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. The United States did not enter into the organization until four years later (Athletic Scholarships, 2001).
Two different tournaments were held for the men and the woman. The men’s world cup was named the Thomas Cup and the women’s world cup was named the Uber Cup (Athletic Scholarships, 2001). There were 7 additional world events that were added to badminton after the start of the International Badminton Federation. When the Uber cup was first announced back on 1956, the United States started crowning themselves victors at three events (Athletic Scholarships, 2001). The interest of the sport faded a bit as it started to just become a sport where people would play in their back yard or on the beach for fun and entertainment. Not for once what it was played for, as a competitive sport. With the feeling that the United States was surely slipping away from the excitement of badminton, the IBF introduced a new tournament in California. The Hong Ta Shan Cup was a man’s invitational tournament that brought the best players out for a big winner’s prize. The Atlanta Olympic Games also started to raise the sports profile in the United States by drawing interest from, President at the time Jimmy Carter, and other high priced celebrities. With the IBF and the Atlantic Olympic Games having interest in the US, it became a landmark for badminton in 1996 (Athletic Scholarships,2001).
Reference Page
(N.d.). The history of badminton. Retrieved from http://www.usm.edu/badminton/History.htm#_top
Athletic Scholarships. (2001-2011). Origins and history of badminton. Retrieved from http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-badminton.htm
Terry, Sarah. (2011). The history of the game badminton. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/338413-the-history-of-the-game-badminton/
Chelsey Laurito
Growing up In a small town, I have not had the chance to play or watch any sports outside of football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. My high school team did not even have a soccer team. I knew of a bunch of sports, such as lacrosse and rugby but never got the chance to experience it first hand. When I got to college I watched my first live soccer game and lacrosse match. However, for this paper I decided to research up on the game of rugby hoping it would give me a little insight on the sport I’ve never seen played.
Rugby is a game similar to the sport football, and passing of the ball is the main feature. There are 15 men on each team in the Rugby union with the object of the game to be to ground the ball beyond the opponent’s goal line. The team with the most points within forty minutes wins! This sounds somewhat similar to American football, except in rugby they do not use equipment. This game was originated in England from William Webb Ellis. He was in the middle of a “football game” and an infraction of rules occurred, where he carried the ball through play. This spread throughout the English public schools, which influenced Cambridge University to have a trial intramural game to see what it was like. In 1848, the first code of the game was created and soon after Rugby became a big sport. This sport developed over the years to become popular, and in the end of the 19th century players were getting paid. In 1871, the Rugby Football Union was created which is still around today!
In America, the sport was brought over from former British citizens who brought the game to remind them of their home. Northern California is where several games started. November 3, 1877 freshman at Berkeley challenged sophomores to the game. Games like that continued for many years until Dec 2, 1882 when a team was formed and played its first outside opponent. Several other universities built off that and started creating their own teams. This sport was seen to be brutal and President Roosevelt was close to banning it.
The game was continued to spread across the country and in 1920 they had the chance to go to the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. It took a lot to convince the Committee to let them in but finally it was settled, however they received no financial aid because California was the only state playing Rugby in the U.S. Many countries did not want to play the U.S. team because they thought they were inexperienced. For example, Czechoslovakia and Rumania withdrawn from the game and France was second guessing playing them. However, a big surprise happened with the U.S. ended up winning the championship.
The struggle between American football and rugby occurred for many years which is why rugby is not as popular in the states. However, due to many countries challenging the U.S. rugby team, they kept bringing it back. Yet, rugby is still more popular in the European countries especially England since it was founded here. One popular team is the London Irish. They recently just added a Canadian player named Jebb Sinclair. He was excited for the opportunity because he has the chance to play against the best players in the northern hemisphere!
Works Cited
Hay, T. (1997). Definition of rugby. Retrieved from http://wesclark.com/rrr/define.html
Hickey, D. (n.d.). In the beginning. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pacificcoastrugby.com/
template.php?sid=10
London irish sign canada's jebb sinclair. (2011, July 27). Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/london_irish/9549613.stm
Rugby is a game similar to the sport football, and passing of the ball is the main feature. There are 15 men on each team in the Rugby union with the object of the game to be to ground the ball beyond the opponent’s goal line. The team with the most points within forty minutes wins! This sounds somewhat similar to American football, except in rugby they do not use equipment. This game was originated in England from William Webb Ellis. He was in the middle of a “football game” and an infraction of rules occurred, where he carried the ball through play. This spread throughout the English public schools, which influenced Cambridge University to have a trial intramural game to see what it was like. In 1848, the first code of the game was created and soon after Rugby became a big sport. This sport developed over the years to become popular, and in the end of the 19th century players were getting paid. In 1871, the Rugby Football Union was created which is still around today!
In America, the sport was brought over from former British citizens who brought the game to remind them of their home. Northern California is where several games started. November 3, 1877 freshman at Berkeley challenged sophomores to the game. Games like that continued for many years until Dec 2, 1882 when a team was formed and played its first outside opponent. Several other universities built off that and started creating their own teams. This sport was seen to be brutal and President Roosevelt was close to banning it.
The game was continued to spread across the country and in 1920 they had the chance to go to the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. It took a lot to convince the Committee to let them in but finally it was settled, however they received no financial aid because California was the only state playing Rugby in the U.S. Many countries did not want to play the U.S. team because they thought they were inexperienced. For example, Czechoslovakia and Rumania withdrawn from the game and France was second guessing playing them. However, a big surprise happened with the U.S. ended up winning the championship.
The struggle between American football and rugby occurred for many years which is why rugby is not as popular in the states. However, due to many countries challenging the U.S. rugby team, they kept bringing it back. Yet, rugby is still more popular in the European countries especially England since it was founded here. One popular team is the London Irish. They recently just added a Canadian player named Jebb Sinclair. He was excited for the opportunity because he has the chance to play against the best players in the northern hemisphere!
Works Cited
Hay, T. (1997). Definition of rugby. Retrieved from http://wesclark.com/rrr/define.html
Hickey, D. (n.d.). In the beginning. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pacificcoastrugby.com/
template.php?sid=10
London irish sign canada's jebb sinclair. (2011, July 27). Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/london_irish/9549613.stm
Laura Mulloy
At a pub while I was waiting in line to order some water, I noticed a game of cricket on the TV screen above me. I then proceeded to go outside and ask the man that I had been talking to about cricket. He told me it is “our baseball here.” I don’t know much about baseball myself except for my grandfather being a diehard Cubs fan. I decided cricket would be the perfect sport for me to write about since I don’t know much about it or have a biased toward baseball since the two sports are similar I’d been told. Like baseball, cricket is played with a bat and a ball between two teams of 11 players on an oval shaped field. The batter hits the pitch from the pitcher and tries to run to the opposite side of the pitch and touch the crease. The crease in cricket, is drawn on the field by chalk or paint and there are four different creases in a game. Four creases (one popping crease, one bowling crease, and two return creases) are drawn at each end of the pitch, around the two sets of stumps. The batter plays in and runs in between the creases at each end of the pitch. These creases make cricket different from baseball. In baseball, the field is shaped like a diamond and the batter must run to four bases to score a home run and to the nearest base to be “safe.” When I first read that the object of cricket was to run to creases in the middle of the field instead of around the field like baseball, I automatically assumed that baseball must require more running. When I kept reading, I discovered that the average Major League Baseball parks range from 110,000 to 120,000 square feet and the average cricket field covers an area of 140,500 square feet. In cricket, the pitch is in the middle of the field instead of closer to the front as in baseball so, the ball can travel much further away from the pitcher in baseball than in cricket. In both sports, the players each cover different amounts of ground and in both sports the outfielders have to cover much more ground than the infielders requiring them to do more running.
The main difference between the two sports is that the fielders in cricket cannot use any sort of protection for their hands even though the ball in cricket is larger and harder. The legal weight for the ball in baseball must weigh between 5 to 5.25 ounces. The ball in cricket must weigh between 5.5 to 5.8 ounces. Early baseball was also played bare handed. Gloves were added in the 19th century. In baseball, catchers and first basemen normally wear mitts, which have no fingers. The outfielders have gloves with fingers. The wicket keeper is the one exception to the no protection wearing, in cricket. A wicket keeper wears padded gloves, leg guards and a box. As you can imagine, the risk of injury happens much more often in cricket than baseball.
Another difference is that baseball games have much lower scores than cricket matches. The cricket bat is wide and flat, while the baseball bat is narrow and round. Cricket batsmen find it easier to hit and direct the ball than baseball batters. This means there are a much greater number of runs being scored in a cricket match than a baseball game. The largest combined runs total in a single game in the history of Major League Baseball is 49, whereas first-class cricket matches, including Tests, have produced combined totals from both innings of over a thousand runs. In cricket, there is much more of an incentive for an outfielder to dive and catch a ball because after the ball because the ball is called dead when a dismissal occurs. In baseball, the incentive is usual to throw the ball as soon as it is caught and the ball isn’t dead but the play only stops when the pitcher decides or if the hits a homerun. Cricket bowlers, which are the equivalent to baseball pitchers, are not restricted to a small strike zone as their target, so they can have a variety of throw approaches they can use that baseball pitchers cannot.
Both games have a long history of using stats. The scorers are directed by the hand signals of an umpire. Every play or delivery is logged , and from the log also called a scoresheet, comes from a summary report .Baseball commonly uses times at bat, base hits, stolen bases, etc. These are then often used to rate the player. Although cricket uses detailed statistics as a guide, owing to the variety of situations in cricket, they are not always considered a true reflection of the player.
The sportsmanship between these two sports differs greatly. In the last few decades, cricket has become even more face paced and competitive and the use of sledging has increased in the game. Sledging is a term used in cricket to describe the practice whereby some players seek to gain an advantage by insulting or verbally intimidating the opposing player. In contrast to this bad sportsmanship toward the other team, cricket players have been known to “walk” even if the umpire incorrectly doesn’t call them out. This shows a high level of sportsmanship because most players in sports take advantage of miss calls. In baseball, I always remember when I watched my brother’s little league games, players would “steal” bases where they would attempt to run to the next base while the pitcher had a ball, hoping they could reach the next base before the baseman could catch the ball, attempting to “steal” the base. I always saw this as a little unfair even though it is not against the rules. I don’t know if I would call it bad sportsmanship though. But in baseball, a player correcting an umpire's call to his own team's detriment pretty much never happens.
A few of the differences in terms are as follows. The player who delivers the ball to start the play is called a bowler in cricket and pitcher in baseball. Each teams batting turn in cricket is called innings (either singular or plural) and in baseball it is called a half-inning or side, innings is a plural term. The player who strikes at the ball is called a batsman in cricket and batter in baseball, in women’s cricket the term batter is used. The batting order in cricket is flexible while in baseball it is predetermined. The fielder behind the player batting is called a wicket-keeper in cricket and a catcher in baseball. Hitting the ball in cricket is called a shot or stroke while in baseball the terms shot and stroke have rarely been used but the most common term now used is hit. Scoring over the boundary or fence in cricket gives you six runs if it is well over the boundary line and if it bounces on the line or runs over it on the ground, it gives you four runs. In baseball, if the ball flies over the fence, it is automatically a homerun and 2, 3 or 4 more runs may occur depending on how many people are on base. Hitting the ball in a specific area is called placement in cricket and place hitting in baseball. Some names of dismissal types in cricket are: run out, caught, bowled, leg before wicket, stumped, hit wicket, handled the ball, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, timed out. In baseball some names are: tag out, fly out, force out, strike out, interference. Interference is similar to obstructing the field in cricket. The dismissal procedures are pretty different. In cricket, a dismissal usually has an appeal to an umpire. An out cannot be given without an appeal from the fielding side, unless the batsman leaves the field on his own, this is under Cricket Law 27. In baseball most outs are automatic and always called by umpires. Some outs require an appeal play to be called.
Both sports are very important in culture to their most popular countries. In America, baseball has been named “the national pastime.” It is one of the oldest nationally played sports in America’s history and it was brought over by it’s father sport, cricket, by English settlers into America. These two sports are unlike most other popular sports being that they use a bat and a ball and for both England and America, many people invest much of their time, money and attentiveness into these sports. The players and coaches and team owners devote their lives to these sports. It is easy for me to predict that these two bat and ball sports will be around for generations to come for the same entertainment and enjoyment that they have provided from their start.
References
"Comparison of Cricket and Baseball." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 30 June 2011. Web. 04 Aug. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_cricket_and_baseball>.
"Official Rules | MLB.com: Official Info." The Official Site of Major League Baseball | MLB.com: Homepage. MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 2011. Web. 04 Aug. 2011. <http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/objectives_1.jsp>.
The main difference between the two sports is that the fielders in cricket cannot use any sort of protection for their hands even though the ball in cricket is larger and harder. The legal weight for the ball in baseball must weigh between 5 to 5.25 ounces. The ball in cricket must weigh between 5.5 to 5.8 ounces. Early baseball was also played bare handed. Gloves were added in the 19th century. In baseball, catchers and first basemen normally wear mitts, which have no fingers. The outfielders have gloves with fingers. The wicket keeper is the one exception to the no protection wearing, in cricket. A wicket keeper wears padded gloves, leg guards and a box. As you can imagine, the risk of injury happens much more often in cricket than baseball.
Another difference is that baseball games have much lower scores than cricket matches. The cricket bat is wide and flat, while the baseball bat is narrow and round. Cricket batsmen find it easier to hit and direct the ball than baseball batters. This means there are a much greater number of runs being scored in a cricket match than a baseball game. The largest combined runs total in a single game in the history of Major League Baseball is 49, whereas first-class cricket matches, including Tests, have produced combined totals from both innings of over a thousand runs. In cricket, there is much more of an incentive for an outfielder to dive and catch a ball because after the ball because the ball is called dead when a dismissal occurs. In baseball, the incentive is usual to throw the ball as soon as it is caught and the ball isn’t dead but the play only stops when the pitcher decides or if the hits a homerun. Cricket bowlers, which are the equivalent to baseball pitchers, are not restricted to a small strike zone as their target, so they can have a variety of throw approaches they can use that baseball pitchers cannot.
Both games have a long history of using stats. The scorers are directed by the hand signals of an umpire. Every play or delivery is logged , and from the log also called a scoresheet, comes from a summary report .Baseball commonly uses times at bat, base hits, stolen bases, etc. These are then often used to rate the player. Although cricket uses detailed statistics as a guide, owing to the variety of situations in cricket, they are not always considered a true reflection of the player.
The sportsmanship between these two sports differs greatly. In the last few decades, cricket has become even more face paced and competitive and the use of sledging has increased in the game. Sledging is a term used in cricket to describe the practice whereby some players seek to gain an advantage by insulting or verbally intimidating the opposing player. In contrast to this bad sportsmanship toward the other team, cricket players have been known to “walk” even if the umpire incorrectly doesn’t call them out. This shows a high level of sportsmanship because most players in sports take advantage of miss calls. In baseball, I always remember when I watched my brother’s little league games, players would “steal” bases where they would attempt to run to the next base while the pitcher had a ball, hoping they could reach the next base before the baseman could catch the ball, attempting to “steal” the base. I always saw this as a little unfair even though it is not against the rules. I don’t know if I would call it bad sportsmanship though. But in baseball, a player correcting an umpire's call to his own team's detriment pretty much never happens.
A few of the differences in terms are as follows. The player who delivers the ball to start the play is called a bowler in cricket and pitcher in baseball. Each teams batting turn in cricket is called innings (either singular or plural) and in baseball it is called a half-inning or side, innings is a plural term. The player who strikes at the ball is called a batsman in cricket and batter in baseball, in women’s cricket the term batter is used. The batting order in cricket is flexible while in baseball it is predetermined. The fielder behind the player batting is called a wicket-keeper in cricket and a catcher in baseball. Hitting the ball in cricket is called a shot or stroke while in baseball the terms shot and stroke have rarely been used but the most common term now used is hit. Scoring over the boundary or fence in cricket gives you six runs if it is well over the boundary line and if it bounces on the line or runs over it on the ground, it gives you four runs. In baseball, if the ball flies over the fence, it is automatically a homerun and 2, 3 or 4 more runs may occur depending on how many people are on base. Hitting the ball in a specific area is called placement in cricket and place hitting in baseball. Some names of dismissal types in cricket are: run out, caught, bowled, leg before wicket, stumped, hit wicket, handled the ball, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, timed out. In baseball some names are: tag out, fly out, force out, strike out, interference. Interference is similar to obstructing the field in cricket. The dismissal procedures are pretty different. In cricket, a dismissal usually has an appeal to an umpire. An out cannot be given without an appeal from the fielding side, unless the batsman leaves the field on his own, this is under Cricket Law 27. In baseball most outs are automatic and always called by umpires. Some outs require an appeal play to be called.
Both sports are very important in culture to their most popular countries. In America, baseball has been named “the national pastime.” It is one of the oldest nationally played sports in America’s history and it was brought over by it’s father sport, cricket, by English settlers into America. These two sports are unlike most other popular sports being that they use a bat and a ball and for both England and America, many people invest much of their time, money and attentiveness into these sports. The players and coaches and team owners devote their lives to these sports. It is easy for me to predict that these two bat and ball sports will be around for generations to come for the same entertainment and enjoyment that they have provided from their start.
References
"Comparison of Cricket and Baseball." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 30 June 2011. Web. 04 Aug. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_cricket_and_baseball>.
"Official Rules | MLB.com: Official Info." The Official Site of Major League Baseball | MLB.com: Homepage. MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 2011. Web. 04 Aug. 2011. <http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/objectives_1.jsp>.
Natalie Papini
The Development of Cross Country Running
Long distance running is a recurring topic in the modern world, and every culture thinks of and utilizes distance running in unique ways. Because it is such a popular activity, there are disputative perspectives of the sport cross country. Despite these countless opinions of running as an activity, it is understood that cross country running originated in the United Kingdom sometime in the 1800s where it was titled “Hare and Hounds,” or “The Paper Chase” (Sheryl, 2009).
At this time period, cross country came about from the idea of a game where runners ran a certain route and would leave behind a paper trail for following runners to attempt to follow (Sheryl, 2009). This arrangement eventually evolved from a fun game to a competition. “In 1837, the first competition was held at Rugby School, which later turned into the sport having a course pre set over open country land. The sport became so popular in England in the later 1800s and finally, in 1876 the English National Cross-Country Championship took place” (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). “The Paper Chase” and “Hare and Hounds” are the same game aforementioned; the title “Hare and Hounds” comes from the notion that the “hares,” or second group to follow the paper trail, are chasing the “hounds,” the first group to leave the paper trail. Another game from the United Kingdom in the early 1800s was called “foot grind.” This game involved the runners racing from one point to the next, but had no clear cut route for them to follow. “Participants could choose to cut through streams and jump over fences instead of going around them” (Tiefenthaler, 2008).
It was not until the late 1800s that the United States picked up on the British sport. Also at this time in the late 1800s, the sport began to model a typical cross country competition of the present time: the course was predetermined and consistently logged anywhere from two to six miles, and were run on trails of dirt or grass (Tiefenthaler, 2008). At first, cross country running was implemented into U.S. track and field athlete’s training as a way of building stamina (Sheryl, 2009). Eventually, the United States created the National Cross-Country Association and the Amateur Athletic Association (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). The sport continued to grow as many colleges and universities across the United States added cross country to their athletic arsenal, the first of which to do so was Harvard.
In the early 1900s, only a few years after the United States had developed cross country as a competitive sport, the first international races were held between England and France. Scotland, Whales, and Ireland also competed on the international level at this time (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). Cross country expansion continued as the early 20th century welcomed the sport as an Olympic event. However, the sport did not last long at the summer Olympic games because of the weather conditions, and was removed years later (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). At the same time cross country was eliminated from the Olympic games, it flourished within the NCAA in the United States, which began having national cross country events in 1938 (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001).
“People have been running for as long as they have existed, whether it be while hunting or fleeing or having a little bit of fun” ( BBC Sport,2003). While it is true that running has been a leisure activity since the existence of human beings, competitive cross country stems from the United Kingdom and is one of the many things the United States has adopted. Exceptional runners like Pat Porter who won eight titles in the 1980s, or University of Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine who holds three NCAA cross country titles in three consecutive years (1970-73) have all been influenced by the British sport culture (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). Had it not been for the “Hare and the Hounds,” the talented runners representing all nations today would be missing critical foundations of cross country.
BBC Sport, Initials. (2003, August 13). Cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1132417
NCSA Athletic Recruiting, Initials. (2001, January). The history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-cross-country-running.htm
Sheryl, R. (2009, September 11). A look at the history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/health/fitness/articles/47909.aspx
Tiefenthaler, D. (2008). The history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.tips4running.com/History-Of-Cross-Country.html
Long distance running is a recurring topic in the modern world, and every culture thinks of and utilizes distance running in unique ways. Because it is such a popular activity, there are disputative perspectives of the sport cross country. Despite these countless opinions of running as an activity, it is understood that cross country running originated in the United Kingdom sometime in the 1800s where it was titled “Hare and Hounds,” or “The Paper Chase” (Sheryl, 2009).
At this time period, cross country came about from the idea of a game where runners ran a certain route and would leave behind a paper trail for following runners to attempt to follow (Sheryl, 2009). This arrangement eventually evolved from a fun game to a competition. “In 1837, the first competition was held at Rugby School, which later turned into the sport having a course pre set over open country land. The sport became so popular in England in the later 1800s and finally, in 1876 the English National Cross-Country Championship took place” (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). “The Paper Chase” and “Hare and Hounds” are the same game aforementioned; the title “Hare and Hounds” comes from the notion that the “hares,” or second group to follow the paper trail, are chasing the “hounds,” the first group to leave the paper trail. Another game from the United Kingdom in the early 1800s was called “foot grind.” This game involved the runners racing from one point to the next, but had no clear cut route for them to follow. “Participants could choose to cut through streams and jump over fences instead of going around them” (Tiefenthaler, 2008).
It was not until the late 1800s that the United States picked up on the British sport. Also at this time in the late 1800s, the sport began to model a typical cross country competition of the present time: the course was predetermined and consistently logged anywhere from two to six miles, and were run on trails of dirt or grass (Tiefenthaler, 2008). At first, cross country running was implemented into U.S. track and field athlete’s training as a way of building stamina (Sheryl, 2009). Eventually, the United States created the National Cross-Country Association and the Amateur Athletic Association (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). The sport continued to grow as many colleges and universities across the United States added cross country to their athletic arsenal, the first of which to do so was Harvard.
In the early 1900s, only a few years after the United States had developed cross country as a competitive sport, the first international races were held between England and France. Scotland, Whales, and Ireland also competed on the international level at this time (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). Cross country expansion continued as the early 20th century welcomed the sport as an Olympic event. However, the sport did not last long at the summer Olympic games because of the weather conditions, and was removed years later (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). At the same time cross country was eliminated from the Olympic games, it flourished within the NCAA in the United States, which began having national cross country events in 1938 (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001).
“People have been running for as long as they have existed, whether it be while hunting or fleeing or having a little bit of fun” ( BBC Sport,2003). While it is true that running has been a leisure activity since the existence of human beings, competitive cross country stems from the United Kingdom and is one of the many things the United States has adopted. Exceptional runners like Pat Porter who won eight titles in the 1980s, or University of Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine who holds three NCAA cross country titles in three consecutive years (1970-73) have all been influenced by the British sport culture (NCSA Athletic Recruiting, 2001). Had it not been for the “Hare and the Hounds,” the talented runners representing all nations today would be missing critical foundations of cross country.
BBC Sport, Initials. (2003, August 13). Cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1132417
NCSA Athletic Recruiting, Initials. (2001, January). The history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-cross-country-running.htm
Sheryl, R. (2009, September 11). A look at the history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/health/fitness/articles/47909.aspx
Tiefenthaler, D. (2008). The history of cross country running. Retrieved from http://www.tips4running.com/History-Of-Cross-Country.html
Lauren Lyons
Tennis
“Lawn Tennis” originated in Birmingham, England in the late 19th century. “Lawn Tennis” was the modern game of Tennis (2011, Wikipedia). “Most historians believe that tennis originated in France in the 12th century (2011, Wikipedia).” This is when the ball was struck with the palm of the hand. The game was called “Paume” (palm) (2009, History of Tennis). Rackets did not come into use until the 16th century (2011, Wikipedia). This is when the game began to be called tennis (2011, Wikipedia).
Tennis is a sport that consists of two players or four players when playing doubles. “Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent’s court (2011, Wikipedia).” Tennis is played at all levels of society and ages, and is an Olympic sport (2011, Wikipedia). In 1870 All England Croquet Club was established in the Wimbledon district of London. Tennis was still played indoors at this time. In 1873 is when the version of Real Tennis started to be played outdoors on a lawn.
The first lawn tennis “In America in 1874 Mary Ewing Outerbridge, a young socialite, returned from Bermuda where she met Major Wingfield. She laid out a tennis court at the Staten Island Cricket Club in New Brighton Staten Island, New York (2011, Wikipedia).” The first American National tournament was played there in 1880. The United States National Lawn Tennis Association was formed on May 21, 1881, it is now the United States Tennis Association (2011, Wikipedia). In 1881 in Newport, Rhode Island, the U.S. National Men’s Singles Championship now the US Open, was first held. The women’s was first held in 1887 (2011, Wikipedia).
“In 1926, promoter C.C. Pyle established the first professional tennis tour with a group of American and French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. The most notable of these professionals were the American Vinnie Richards and the Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen (2011, Wikipedia).” There are many famous tennis players, one of them is Andre Agassi, he was a winner of the career Grand Slam. Another tennis player is Boris Becker, he is a Wimbledon Champion. Bjorn Borg, “this man flat out dominated the French and Wimbledon in the late 70s, (2011, Wikipedia).” Fred Perry is still the last British winner of the Wimbledon Men’s Singles (2011,Wikipedia). Serena Williams from the USA won Wimbledon in 2010, her and her sister Venus Williams both play Tennis.
Works Cited
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