1.12 



THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



the practice of the players is confined to the impelling of 

 the ball by kicks alone, and the more closely the kicks are con- 

 fined to the ball, and not distributed among the players, the 

 more perfect is the game itself, and the more likely to retain 

 and increase its popularity. It is the barbarous custom (we 

 can use no other term), in some celebrated modes of play, to 

 allow the practice of hacking, or kicking freely at the shins or 

 legs of an opponent, in certain positions of the game, in order 

 to disable him from carrying on the ball. From this custom 

 serious consequences have occasionally resulted. Accidents will 

 occasionally happen, from the nature of the game, under any 

 circumstances ; and that it requires courage to make an efficient 

 player, and a disregard of the chance of a little danger, will 

 not be considered a drawback by high-spirited youths who 

 engage in it. But there is no occasion to add to the probability 

 of personal injury by rules and practices which seem to invite it. 

 The following are the laws of the game, as determined in 

 February, 1867, by a general meeting of representatives of 

 clubs forming the Football Association. These laws, however, 

 it is understood, are subject to such modifications as future j 

 experience may suggest : 



1. The maximum length of ground shall be 200 yards, the 

 maximum breadth shall be 100 yards ; the length and breadth 

 shall be marked off with flags ; and the goals shall be upright 

 posts, eight yards apart, with a tape across them eight feet from 

 the ground. 



2. The winners of the toss shall have the choice of goals. 

 The game shall be commenced by a place kick from the centre 

 of the ground by the side losing the toss. The other side shall 

 not approach within ten yards of the ball until it is kicked off. 



3. After a goal is won, the losing side shall kick off, and goals 

 shall be changed. 



4. A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the | 

 goal posts, under the tape, not being thrown, knocked on, or | 

 carried. 



5. When the ball is in touch, the first player who touches it : 

 shall throw it from the point on the boundary line where it left ; 



the ground, in a direction at right angles with the boundary 

 line, and it shall not be in play until it has touched the ground ; 

 and the player throwing it shall not play it until it has been 

 played by another player. 



6. When a player has kicked the ball, any one of the same 

 side who is nearer to the opponent's goal line is out of play, and 

 may not touch the ball himself, nor in any way whatever 

 prevent any other player from doing so until the ball has been 

 played, unless there are at least three of his opponents between 

 him and their own goal ; but no player is out of play when the 

 ball is kicked from behind the goal line. 



7. When the ball is kicked behind the goal line, it must bo 

 kicked off by the side behind whose goal it went, within sis 

 yards from the limit of their goal. The side who thus kick the 

 ball are entitled to a fair kick off in whatever way they please, 

 without any obstruction, the opposite side not being able to 

 approach within six yards of the ball. 



8. No player shall carry or knock on the ball. 



9. Neither tripping nor hacking shall be allowed, and no 

 player shall use his hands to hold or push his adversary. 



10. A player shall not throw the ball, or pass it to another. 



11. No player shall take the ball from the ground with his 

 hands while it is in play, under any pretence whatever. 



12. No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or 

 gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots. 



The following is a definition of the terms used in the above 

 rules : 



A place kick is a kick at the ball while it is on the ground, in> 

 any position in which the kicker may choose to place it. 



Hacking is kicking an adversary intentionally. 



Tripping is throwing an adversary by the use of the legs. 



Knocking on is when a player strikes or propels the ball with 

 his hands or arms. 



Holding includes the obstruction of a player by the hand or 

 any part of the arm below the elbow. 



Touch is that part of the field, on either side of th-j ground, 

 which is beyond the line of flags. 



