The Word Football In 1820

An interesting discovery

The Word Football In 1820

Long before football rules were even codified, the word “football” was used in English much the way it was used today.

I was surprised to discover multiple uses of the word “football” in English newspapers way back in 1820. It seems to have chiefly been used in a figurative sense. Here are a few examples:

From The Morning Post (London), July 12, 1820, page 3

Note that figurative phrase here: “that the difference should become the foot-ball of Party, or a sort of rallying point for a discontented Democracy.”

Interestingly, you can see the exact same usage of the same word in early United States newspapers:

From The Richmond Enquirer, February 1, 1820, page 3

Note the idea here that a “football” was something to be torn apart by competing parties and interests.

You see that here as well:

From The York Gazette (Pennsylvania), August 29, 1820, page 3

And here’s a different image — one of small children throwing a ball back and forth:

From The Rhode-Island Republican, September 27, 1820, page 2

Finally, I was able to find two examples of the word “football” being used in a literal sense.

From Hampshire Telegraph And Naval Chronicle, November 20, 1820, page 4

Stories of mob action connected with “football” are surprisingly common in English newspapers from this period.

From The Morning Post (London), January 10, 1820, page 3

Finally, I’m kind of having a hard time picturing what happened in this example in my mind. I’m guessing that the “ragged crew” was getting in the face of the skaters with their football, until Mr. Greenlaw managed to throw it into the water. I kind of wonder why Greenlaw was portrayed as a hero here: in my mind, tossing the ball around would bring some life to the otherwise predictable act of ice skating.