Who To Thank For Rugby.
Like Christopher Columbus we believe he sailed across the
sea and became the first to discovered America. In history books we read of
accomplishment about people, but is it in fact true. In recent discoveries many
other generations previously set sail and discovered America before Christopher
Columbus did. Some in fact walked from Asia to America and settled. Empires had
already existed and passed before the claimed first foot to reach these
American grounds.
As all the rugby world has heard the crediting story to who
first created rugby. A young English school boy playing on ground of a boarding
school in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. In 1923, a 17 year old boy by the name
of Webb Ellis. The rugby world credits Webb Ellis with his action of playing a
soccer-like game and catches the ball in his arms and then continued to run
forward.
It took scholars years to figure the credit to who invented
this game. Crediting to Webb after he passed in 1872 did Old Rugbeian Society
in 1895 investigate. May the truth be unknown?
It is also unknown when the Olympic Games first started.
It is estimated that the game ended near 400 A.D. when the Roman gained power
and influence in Greece. Governments and religions dampened sport gathering in
Europe.
Many sports across the world involved carrying a ball and
running around and through people. Many countries commonly played an individual
rough game of keep away with a ball with no goals but to only bring the ball
home. Some in entire towns in United
Kingdom played Shrovetide. A game of one-half town versus the other one-half
town fighting over a large ball to two points of town over a 3 mile distance.
This has been known to go on for days with thousands of people participating
all over town. On Shrove Day the town shuts down till the game is over. But
Religions and governments discouraged the Shrovetide game to be played. Except
for one town of Ashbourne in the United Kingdom.
It was known Webb Ellis’s father was in the military on
campaigns to many countries to hold the peace in the UK when Webb was a school
boy.
Did Webb Ellis’s father teach him to run with the ball? The
like traits of today’s rugby.
On a school ground Webb Ellis picks up a ball and runs.
Confined into the yards of a playground sets limits of boundaries a ball
carrier can be chased to. Adopting a new idea of a game from Shrovetide but a
game with closer goals and a shorter distance and can be played every day.
Surrounding schools yards practiced the trend of play and
accepted competition each other. Wide spread of ability of a physical
competition among school caused popularity. With gained interest thousands of
spectators came to witness a school sanctioned sport. By popular demand
communities of rugby players came together for form a union of mens clubs all
across England to form a league of rugby competition.
War and conflict spread many European countries military
into Australia and New Zealand. As well as immigration to the United States.
In 1963 The Football Association formed. An unconnection
game of playing with the ball with hands using feet only. Using rugby
football’s network of union competition clubs.
In 1981 Basket was invented by James Naismith, a sports
coach, college professor and innovator. Designed a game for rugby players to
practice in the off-season. Also invented the football helmet.
In 1896 International Olympic Committee (IOC) forms to
coordinate an international competition of games.
In 1906 Theodore Roosevelt changes the rugby football game rules America to modern football more seen today because of his son was enrolling freshman into college joining the rugby team and the violence was averaging 8 deaths and 180 serious injuries
per year. Roosevelt’s committee eventually formed what is known today as the
NCAA.
In 1920 and 1924 United States wins gold in rugby, the last
time rugby is an Olympic game.
Today Australia, New Zealand, England and France dominate
the International rugby board rankings as the best rugby countries in the world
including. Republic of Africa that credits Nelson Mandela and the game of rugby
that made a nation.
Who Do We Give The Greatest Appreciation To For Giving Us
All Of This?
Twitter: @hawkeyerugby
Google+ MichaelKlostermannIowa
Twitter: @hawkeyerugby
Google+ MichaelKlostermannIowa
