Post by Coach Campbell on Oct 13, 2002 16:21:23 GMT
It is believed that during this time frame when the Danes occupied England that the first known ball was invented and this was done by accident. After the English drove the Danes from its shores an Englishman, digging in an old battlefield, unearthed the skull of a Dane; muttering about unpleasant memories of the days of the occupation, proceeded to kick the skull around the pasture. Other Englishmen joined in the fun, and some youngsters, watching the new pastime, dug further until other Danish skulls were found. Soon everyone in the township was kicking a skull, and this sport continued until toes became more painful than the smoldering hatred of the Danes. It was not long before some inventive genius of the time produced the inflated bladder of a cow to take the place of the skulls; and thus the head of the unknown Dane, used to create the embryo of football, passed in disuse. (Treat, 1962) Coach CAmpbell