THE FIRST FOOTBALL MATCH IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18325, 16 August 1921, Page 6

THE FIRST FOOTBALL MATCH IN DUNEDIN.

TO TUB KDITOB. Sir, —Some remarks I made at the annual reunion of the Otago High School Old Boys’ Society on the early history of foqtball in Dunedin created u good deal of interest, and 1 have been urged to give greater publicity to the facts.

While it is extremely probable that ball games of some sort wore in existence before 1871, the first recorded game actually played ia Dunedin was that between the Boys’ High School and a University team. The University of Otago was founded in 1870, and the inaugural lectures were delivered in July. 1871. Professor Sale, newly arrived from England, happened to stay for a few days at the rectory, as the guest of Mr Stuart Hawthorne, the rector. The professor wa s an old boy of Rugby and a keen Rugby footballer. Mr G. M. Thomson, then a resident tutor at the rectory., was also a Rugby enthusiast, having previously played for two or three seasons with the Enfield Pirates of London. (It was from this club that the Pirates Club of Dunedin derived their name and their badge.) When these two gentlemen met, their talk naturally turned to football, and it was not long before they had arranged for a match between the High School and the University. The following account of the game is taken from the Otago High School Old Boys’ Register, published in 1907 by the Daily Times Company: — On September 9, 1871, a match was played between the University and the nigh School on the South Recreation Ground (the Oval), in the presence of a largo number of spectators, including many ladies. The Otago Daily Times reports the match, and the report is here given in full for obvious reasons: “The game started at 2.30 p.m. Professor M’Gregor umpired for the University and Mr Hawthorne (rector of the school) for the School. After a contest of about half an hour the ball was kicked through the goal of the University by Mr Reid (ex-pupil). The goal wan won mainly through the University men not having properly defended it. The parties then changed goals, after which the game was continued with increased energy on both sides till 6 o’clock. Although each side at times almost sent the ball into its opponents’ goal, yet the second game was left drawn. The game is to come on again on Saturday next at 2 p.m., and from the fact of its having been so closely contested, will no doubt be resumed and fought out with redoubled vigour.,” The above game lasted from 2.30 p.m. until 6 p.m.. and then was not considered finished. It was resumed the following Saturday, on which day at 5 p.m. (after nearly three hours’ play), the game ended in a draw, the University kicking a goal, which equalised the goal got by the School the previous Saturday. The Daily Times says: —“Wo hear that the match, which is at present a drawn one. will not be continued, and that a match between the University and High School on one side and the cricket clubs on the other, is the next to take place.” This match duly came off. The result is thus reported:—“The victory (of the Cricketers) was disputed by the other side, as not having been fairly won, but was declared bv the umpires to have been fairly won. , Notwithstanding this, however, there were many who still loudly disputed the accuracy of the umpires’ decision, though, of course, it was final.”

This concluded the afternoon’s sport. Professor Sale was captain of the University side in the first of these matches, and Mr G. M. Thomson captained the High School, but the names of the other players, with one exception are not recorded. The Dunedin Club was formed in 1871, and several members of the school seem to have been included in its ranks. We find in the following year that the school team, numbering 20, played the Dunedin Football Club (15), and on this occasion the rules of the game as played by the Dunedin Football Club we're strictly adhered to. The first game seems to have been more like association than Rugby—possibly more like the game as originally played at Rugby School, as recorded in “Tom Brown’s Schooldays.”—l am, etc., G. Stuart Thomson.