mar.29.2009 Notes about foot-ball
IRB Hall of Fame - Induction No 2 - Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) France
Personal details
De Coubertin was 20 when he visited Rugby School for the first time in 1883. By that time de Coubertin had already read Thomas Hughes’ novel, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and was familiar with the philosophy and practice of Dr Thomas Arnold, Rugby’s famous headmaster. Arnold's methods and the fortunes of young Tom Brown made a great impression on the young French aristocrat, in search of educational models for his country, traumatised by defeat in the French-Prussian war. He visited the Rugby School several times and became a fine purveyor of rugby football (he called the game football-rugby), as his various subsequent commentaries suggest.
His biographers mention boxing, fencing, rowing and horse-riding as his main sporting interests. They however failed to underline his interest in rugby, which he played, refereed and promoted. His essay about “Foot-ball Rugby” is edifying in this respect. In 1894 he formed the International Olympic Committee and in 1896 the first Olympic Games were held in Athens. A year later (1897), Pierre de Coubertin wrote ‘Notes about Foot-ball’, a clear testimony of his enduring passion for and profound understanding of Rugby Football.
“….despite its early problems, foot-ball has survived and flourished. Why should this be? It must be put down to the intrinsic value of the game itself and the emotions it generates amongst the participants. If the foot-ball rules are complex, we nevertheless can retain four or five, which are basic and simple. What is the player looking for? To gain the ball and carry it to the opposing try-line and touch the ball down behind the try-line as near as possible to the goal, which is made of two big posts linked together at half height by a transverse bar. If he manages to do that, he scores a try which means a certain number of points for his team; the ball is then placed on the ground on a perpendicular line to the try-line starting from the place where the try was scored. The ball is placed at any point on this line and a player tries to place the ball between the two posts and above the transversal bar with an accurate kick. The try is then converted in goal, which adds more points to the team score, and the total of all these points will decide the winner. If either team scores no points, it’s a draw.
“This is the basic framework to which are added some more sophisticated rules, which are the true genius of the game…..So many decisions require an agile mind and self control, not the least of which is being able to pass to a team mate who is better positioned than oneself. Discipline is the key to success. No team can see the whole battle…..What is admirable in football, is the perpetual mix of individualism and discipline, the necessity for each man to think, anticipate, take a decision and at the same time subordinate one’s reasoning, thoughts and decisions to those of the captain. And even the referee’s whistle stopping a player for a ‘fault’ one team mate has made and he hasn’t seen, tests his character and patience. For all that, foot-ball is truly the reflection of life, a lesson experimenting in the real world, a first-rate educational tool.”
mar.29.2009 Notes about foot-ball
IRB Hall of Fame - Induction No 2 - Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) France
Personal details
De Coubertin was 20 when he visited Rugby School for the first time in 1883. By that time de Coubertin had already read Thomas Hughes’ novel, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and was familiar with the philosophy and practice of Dr Thomas Arnold, Rugby’s famous headmaster. Arnold's methods and the fortunes of young Tom Brown made a great impression on the young French aristocrat, in search of educational models for his country, traumatised by defeat in the French-Prussian war. He visited the Rugby School several times and became a fine purveyor of rugby football (he called the game football-rugby), as his various subsequent commentaries suggest.
His biographers mention boxing, fencing, rowing and horse-riding as his main sporting interests. They however failed to underline his interest in rugby, which he played, refereed and promoted. His essay about “Foot-ball Rugby” is edifying in this respect. In 1894 he formed the International Olympic Committee and in 1896 the first Olympic Games were held in Athens. A year later (1897), Pierre de Coubertin wrote ‘Notes about Foot-ball’, a clear testimony of his enduring passion for and profound understanding of Rugby Football.
“….despite its early problems, foot-ball has survived and flourished. Why should this be? It must be put down to the intrinsic value of the game itself and the emotions it generates amongst the participants. If the foot-ball rules are complex, we nevertheless can retain four or five, which are basic and simple. What is the player looking for? To gain the ball and carry it to the opposing try-line and touch the ball down behind the try-line as near as possible to the goal, which is made of two big posts linked together at half height by a transverse bar. If he manages to do that, he scores a try which means a certain number of points for his team; the ball is then placed on the ground on a perpendicular line to the try-line starting from the place where the try was scored. The ball is placed at any point on this line and a player tries to place the ball between the two posts and above the transversal bar with an accurate kick. The try is then converted in goal, which adds more points to the team score, and the total of all these points will decide the winner. If either team scores no points, it’s a draw.
“This is the basic framework to which are added some more sophisticated rules, which are the true genius of the game…..So many decisions require an agile mind and self control, not the least of which is being able to pass to a team mate who is better positioned than oneself. Discipline is the key to success. No team can see the whole battle…..What is admirable in football, is the perpetual mix of individualism and discipline, the necessity for each man to think, anticipate, take a decision and at the same time subordinate one’s reasoning, thoughts and decisions to those of the captain. And even the referee’s whistle stopping a player for a ‘fault’ one team mate has made and he hasn’t seen, tests his character and patience. For all that, foot-ball is truly the reflection of life, a lesson experimenting in the real world, a first-rate educational tool.”