In 1888, the University of North Carolina, Trinity College (Duke University), and the University of Virginia introduced Rugby football as a Southern sport...
In 1888, the University of North Carolina, Trinity College (Duke University), and the University of Virginia introduced Rugby football as a Southern sport.
Prior to 1888, students at the University played a game known as "American" football, which was somewhat like our present day football. The enrollment at the University was less than 200 students. Each year a subscription for football was passed around and when enough money had been raised to purchase a football, the season began.
The football field was about the same as a present day field, however there were no side-lines, only imaginary ones. At each end of the field was a goal, each goal consisted of two poles about ten feet apart and ten feet high, without crossbars, and to make a touchdown the ball had to pass between these posts and placed on the ground behind them.
The ball was kicked from the center of the field. There was no such thing as a line-up, every man played as an individual. The minimum number of players per side was fifteen, and as soon as thirty students showed up, two captains were chosen and then they resorted to the old country school method of choosing up sides. After the game began and as fast as more students came out, they were chosen on the respective sides, until each side was often composed of as many as a hundred players.
During the game if a difficulty arose, in order that all might get the benefit of it, the game was discontinued, a circle was made in the middle of the field, the contending parties placed therein and made to settle their dispute in a free-for-all and fist-for-fist scrap. As soon as the dispute was settled, the game continued. Such was the beginning of football at the greater University.
Here is a list of years when the different sports started at the University of North Carolina: Athletic Association 1876; football 1888; baseball 1891; track 1900; Gymnasium 1907; tennis 1908; basketball 1911; wrestling 1923; boxing 1926.
Thought for the day: There is no satisfaction in hanging a man who does not object to it.