Boston game

Boston game
An illustration of an Oneida Football Club game played at Boston Common in Boston, c. 1862-1865
First played1862; 162 years ago (1862) in Boston
Characteristics
ContactYes
TypeTeam sport
Outdoor
EquipmentFootball ball
VenueBoston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Presence
Country or regionUnited States
OlympicNo
World ChampionshipsNo
ParalympicNo
ObsoleteYes

The Boston game, also known as the Boston rules, was an early code of football developed by the Oneida Football Club,[1] formed in 1862 and considered by some historians as the first formal "football" club in the United States.[2][3][4][5] Rules allowed carrying and kicking and is considered the first step to the codification of rules for association football, rugby football, or American football.[6] After Oneida disbanded, former members established the Harvard University Football Club, which continued to play football under those rules.[2][7]

The rules were also the code used in the first (of two) 1874 games between Harvard and McGill Universities.[1][8][9][2]

Nevertheless, after the series vs McGill, the Harvard players were so enthusiastic about rugby football that they decided to embrace the game, leaving the Boston Game behind.[2][10] The establishment of the Intercollegiate Football Association in 1876 would be a further step in the transition from rugby to American football.[7][2]

  1. ^ a b No Christian End! The Beginnings of Football in America By PFRA Research (Originally Published in The Journey to Camp: The Origins of American Football to 1889 (PFRA Books)
  2. ^ a b c d e THE BOSTON GAME article by Michael T. Geary at academia.edu
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference allaway was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ An Historical Sketch of the Oneida Football Club of Boston: 1862-1865 by Winthrop S. Scudder - Library of the University of Wisconsin
  5. ^ Remembering the first high school football games By Bob Holmes on The Boston Globe, November 21, 2012
  6. ^ The Boston Game: Origins of Football
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference harvbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Foot Ball", clipping from The Boston Post, May 16, 1874, p. 3
  9. ^ Harvard Yearly Results: 1873-1874 at cfbdatawarehouse.com (archived, 2014)
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference athl was invoked but never defined (see the help page).