Metropolitan New York
Rugby Football Union Est. 1967
"Come Play the Game"

A Short History of Rugby Football in America

Did you know that Rugby in America started in the 1874 when on May 14 Harvard University hosted a Canadian side from McGill University. The game of Rugby Football became the forerunner of American football. It was called Rugby Football since its origins are credited - as many of you know - to William Webb Ellis who in 1823 "...who with a fine disregard for the game of Football (soccer), as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive features of the Rugby game." This happened in the town of Rugby, England at The Rugby School where Mr. Ellis was a student. Thus this new version of Football was renamed for the school as Rugby Football.

* Source: http://www.usarugby.org/about/history.html

By 1876, both Yale and Princeton joined the rugby movement. Shortly afterwards the University of Pennsylvania joined in on the action. More information on the University of Pennsylvania's Program is available at: http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/sports/football/1800s/origins.html .

An interesting read (written in 2003) about the early days of rugby, along with some significant dates to the present, can be found at: http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s61/st22216.htm. Also check out this website for lots of other related info and trivia: http://www.uidaho.edu/clubs/womens_rugby/RugbyRoot/rugby/FAQ/faq.shtml .

In other words, both Rugby and American football are variations (or codes) of football. More info on this is at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football.

The attached photo is the oldest known photo of an American rugby club (not the oldest club - Harvard is). It shows the Yale University Rugby Club in the Fall of 1876. The player in the back center "W. Camp" is Walter Camp, who along with Amos Alonzo Stagg and "Pop" Warner is credited with turning rugby into American Football. To be chosen a Walter Camp All-American is just about the highest honor a college footballer can achieve short of the Heisman Trophy.
You can go to http://www.waltercamp.org/history5.htm for his full story.

More related rugby and football history can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football .

In 1976, I changed engineering jobs from General Electric to Bechtel Power Corporation and thus moved from Schenectady (NY) to Ann Arbor (MI). I started playing rugby in the summer of 1969 in Schenectady with a bunch of mostly Irish and English engineers working at GE. Upon arrival in Ann Arbor, I joined the University of Michigan RFC (a club for both students and non-students - this is before collegiate rugby competition was solely between students). The Michigan club was in its second life. It had been re-founded in 1959 as the Ann Arbor Rugby and Cricket Club (no cricket was played) by Bert Sugar and Mike Burrows. Bert is an interesting character and a well-know boxing writer. Details on him are at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Randolph_Sugar .

Second life I said, "Rugby was first played at the University of Michigan in 1876, when the juniors challenged the seniors to a game of British rugby union rules. In following years, this event replaced the giant class against class ball games. Michigan played the first intercollegiate rugby match west of Pennsylvania in May of 1879, defeating Racine College of Chicago. Unfortunately, by the time ten years had passed, rugby was contaminated by and eventually gave way to gridiron football."  If you look into the history of American Football you will find it used a rugby ball and did not allow forward passing for a long time before changes were made.

Why Play Rugby? A well-written perspective comes my friend Dale Tuttle (Michigan RFC) who earlier this year wrote:
"I particularly loved the notion that you could compete fiercely against another college or club and then shake hands with their whole team afterward before proceeding to a party hosted by the home team.  In rugby, memories of the battle far outweigh memories of the conflict...throughout the years it was almost never personal.

I kept playing rugby because of the sheer greatness of the sport, its complexity, and the continuous battle the individual faces as he or she attempts to improve his or her game relative to last week's performance.  After leaving Miami University (Ohio), I played in the Washington DC area for NOVA because it provided me with a great recreational activity while simultaneously introducing me to an established network of professionals.  As recreational sports go, the rugby community is well above average in terms of educational level achieved as well as the intensity and diversity of the individual characteristics encountered.  Exposure to risk takers, pride, and commitment to endurance and team are all positive attributes that kept me coming back.

My rugby participation took me to Luxembourg...provided me with several job opportunities and has left me with enduring friendships over the decades.  Just a few minutes ago I spoke with three former Miami ruggers while they drove in a car looking for investment opportunities in North Carolina.

I love rugby because it is one of the three great sports on earth....hockey, rugby and golf...all of which provide a challenge that never dissipates whatever the age of the participant.

Rugby accepts everyone that is willing to put effort into it as exemplified by the same spirit being exhibited in matches regardless of whether they are A, B, C or D-side games."

 

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Rugby Football Union, Inc.
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