Players had to content themselves with fewer games, for the ground could
only be reached on half-holidays. On the other hand, the season of 1876
gained a character of its own from the novelty of its matches against
Welsh teams. One of these was the eleven of Shrewsbury School. With
this ancient seat of learning our troubles brought us into genial
intercourse, and a few months later we met them again on the football-
field. Both matches were played at Shrewsbury; in the former we gained a
victory over our kind hosts, the latter was a drawn game.
The athletics were held on the straight reach of road beyond Old Borth;
the steeple-chases in the fields which border it. At the prize-giving,
the "champion" was hoisted as usual, and carried round the hotel, instead
of along the _via sacra_ of the Uppingham triumph, with the proper
tumultuary rites. For the make-believe of paper-chases we had the
realities of hare-hunting, of which we will speak again in its season.
Grounds for football were found when the autumn came; the best was a
meadow just below Old Borth, of excellent turf, which dries quickly after
rain; though the peaty soil, lately reclaimed from the marsh, would quake
under the outset of the players.
Pages:
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66