Funny football?-No,it's Rugby
By David Finch
Imagine a game like football. Take away all the padding, timeouts and substitutes. Have a team of 15 instead of 11, playing halves of 40 minutes each. There isn't such a game? Then you don't know rugby.
At one time Rugby threatened to replace football in the United States. In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt publicly denounced football as being lethal, following a season marred by a number of fatal injuries.
Columbia University immediately dropped the sport and the universities of Stanford and California replaced it with Rugby.
Football held onto its shaky position, though, and following rules modifications to remove some of the contact, football was re-adopted by Stanford and California and proceeded to regain its national popularity.
WHERE IS rugby played? In Britain, France, Rumania, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa—and KU. Yes, KU has a rugby team.
Rugby is a young sport on the campus, only a few years old. But the team has already established itself as one of the best in the area. Last semester the team went undefeated and knocked a strong University of Minnesota team from the ranks of the unbeaten.
THE KU rugby captain is Bill Pritchard, a graduate student from Wales, "the love of rugby." As a student at Exeter University, England, Pritchard was selected for the university's Athletic Union, the English equivalent of an All-America.
AAU selects 2 Jayhawks for tourney
Walter Wesley, "61'1" KU center and Al Lopes, 65" forward, have been invited to play for the May Builders of Kansas City in the Amateur Athletic Union basketball tournament at Denver, Colo.
Kelly Pete, high scorer from Wichita State, will also play on the Builders team in Denver.
The annual AAU tournament will draw 16 teams this year. Game play will begin on March 20.
The Jamaco Saints from Chicago and the Kansas City team were recently added to the tournament when a New York and New Jersey队 failed to be strong enough to compete, according to AAU officials.
Juco football star coming to Kansas
(UPI) — Kansas University football coach Jack Mitchell today announced that junior college All American Frank Richard Galles has signed a letter of intent to attend KU.
Galles, of Albuquerque, N.M., was a linebacker for the New Mexico Military Academy at Roswell. The 6-2, 205 pound grid star would be eligible for KU varsity play this fall.
He was the 30th player to sign at KU thus far.
Assistant coach Bernie Taylor said Galles can play either as a defensive linebacker or an offensive fullback.
Taylor said. "We're real pleased he has indicated he'd come to KU. He's the type of ballplayer to step in and play for us next fall, since he will be eligible."
But most of the KU players are Americans. There are graduates, undergraduates and former football players in the club, which has about 45 members. There are no NCAA qualifications to satisfy, so anyone is eligible to play.
As in other countries, the KU team is playing a full rugby season, from September till May. The schedule is complete and the first game this semester will be played March 19 at Rockhurst College.
DURING spring break the team will tour New England, playing Holy Cross, Princeton, Yale and Dartmouth; then, with only a day for traveling, the team will play in the national rugby tournament in St. Louis.
So you think the team is well financed? It is not supported by the Athletic Department, nor by any university body. Its funds come solely from subscriptions from players and from fundraising activities. In addition, the players must buy their own equipment, shirts and boots. These players are true amateurs, having no scholarships.
THE INJURY rate in rugby is high, but even so, this is not a game for just large monsters. Players of any size can, and do, take part. Skill is more important in rugby than size.
Once a player has been bitten with the rugby bug he is hooked for life. His whole weekend revolves around the sport. On the
day of the game, as he packs his kit bag, he is a little nervous and excited. Changing in the dressing room, his muscles are slightly tense. His teammates may crack a few jokes, but the atmosphere is serious. The game has to be played and won.
THEN the game—the line-outs, the scrums, the passing movements; the kicks, the bruises, the sweat in the eyes, the hair plastered over the forehead. Occasionally, the thrill of diving over the line with the ball clutched in his arms.
The final whistle, and enemies are now friends. The muddy knees and torn shirtts. The bruise on the cheekbone, the loose tooth. The crude songs in the steaming
hot plunge pool. The joking and laughing. And then the bar.
THE BAR, it often seems, is the prime objective of rugby. Some say the game is only to work up a thirst. In the bar come the pranks, the bawdy songs, more drinking, more songs. And more drinking...
The team spirit in rugby is high. Rugby is not just a game, it is a way of life. KU has a rugby team. If this article has aroused you at all, come along and find out more.
Daily Kansan Friday, March 18. 1966
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