HISTORY

During the Middle Ages, a football-type game became very popular in England.  The modern history of the football took place in the early 19th century when it was played at English Public Schools such as Eton, Harrow, and Rugby.   At this point, there were two formats of football developed.  One was basically a kicking game, later called Association Football (soccer), the other was the game that was played at Rugby, called rugby-football, named after the school. 

According to legend, back on 1823, a Rugby student by the name William Webb Ellis, picked up the ball and began running with it, in opposition to the adopted rules.  This style of play changed the game entirely.  Later, an oval ball was introduced to the game since it was easier to carry than a round one.  On August 28, 1845, Rugby Public School put into effect 37 "Laws of Football".

Taken in part from: Morrow et al,. A Concise History of Sport in Canada. Toronto, 1989.

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