Off Topic And Now for Something Completely Different

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Ebenezer Cobb Morley was born 187 years ago today.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ebenezer-cobb-morley-facts-football-13089083

Next time your football team is awarded a penalty, spare a thought for Ebenezer Cobb Morley .

Before he set down the rules of football in 1863, the game was much more chaotic than the version we know today.

Morley was born in Hull on August 16, 1831, 187 years ago today as marked with a Google Doodle.

The son of a minister, Morley grew up a sports enthusiast and went on to study law before he left East Yorkshire for London aged 27.

After joining Barnes Football Club in London, he realised that the game would be benefit from more structure and regulation.

He wrote to the sports newspaper Bell’s Life to make the case for a more organised game.

A meeting followed at Freeman’s Tavern where Morley was joined by members of football clubs across England, who all had input into the rulemaking before Morley drafted his list of 13 rules, which became the standard of play in England.

Morley’s laws helped reduce violence on the field — his 13th rule gives some indication of how unruly football used to be: 'No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots.'

However he did think players should be able to “hack the front leg".

Morley later helped establish the Football Association , which is still the governing body for football in Great Britain.

In 1863 he was elected the Honorary Secretary of the FA, holding the post until 1866 and president of the FA from 1867 to 1874.

Other groups from various countries made crucial developments to football as well, but thanks to Morley “the beautiful game” became less brutal, the action more spread out across the field, and is played the way it is today.
 
Ebenezer Cobb Morley was born 187 years ago today.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ebenezer-cobb-morley-facts-football-13089083

Next time your football team is awarded a penalty, spare a thought for Ebenezer Cobb Morley .

Before he set down the rules of football in 1863, the game was much more chaotic than the version we know today.

Morley was born in Hull on August 16, 1831, 187 years ago today as marked with a Google Doodle.

The son of a minister, Morley grew up a sports enthusiast and went on to study law before he left East Yorkshire for London aged 27.

After joining Barnes Football Club in London, he realised that the game would be benefit from more structure and regulation.

He wrote to the sports newspaper Bell’s Life to make the case for a more organised game.

A meeting followed at Freeman’s Tavern where Morley was joined by members of football clubs across England, who all had input into the rulemaking before Morley drafted his list of 13 rules, which became the standard of play in England.

Morley’s laws helped reduce violence on the field — his 13th rule gives some indication of how unruly football used to be: 'No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots.'

However he did think players should be able to “hack the front leg".

Morley later helped establish the Football Association , which is still the governing body for football in Great Britain.

In 1863 he was elected the Honorary Secretary of the FA, holding the post until 1866 and president of the FA from 1867 to 1874.

Other groups from various countries made crucial developments to football as well, but thanks to Morley “the beautiful game” became less brutal, the action more spread out across the field, and is played the way it is today.

Gutta-percha: predominantly used in root canal work.

Who knew?


Dentists obviously but apart from them...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gutta-percha
 
Re Berlin: I recommend reading 'Stasiland' by Anna Funder for a flavour of East Germany. One of the interviewees, Klaus Renft, was a rock star of the 70s and described as the Mick Jagger of the DDR. You can listen to his music on YouTube (Klaus Renft Combo and Karussell).

Re WW2: I have just read 'Blitzed' by Norman Ohler. It describes the use of drugs by the German leadership and army. The invasion of France via the Ardennes was only possible because Rommel and his tank crews took a form of crystal meth and did not sleep for four days. Hitler himself was on an opioid and, later, cocaine for much of the war.

I crossed Checkpoint Charlie in 1975 and collected my 35 East German Marks. The tip I was given was to go to the restaurant at the Friedrichstrasse underground station and splurge them on lunch, which we did. Returning to the checkpoint, there was a tin for the East German Red Cross, where we deposited our remaining coins.

I recently discovered there is a walk/ cycle path following the whole of the Berlin wall, 95 miles. I fancy doing it next year.
 
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Re Berlin: I recommend reading 'Stasiland' by Anna Funder for a flavour of East Germany. One of the interviewees, Klaus Renft, was a rock star of the 70s and described as the Mick Jagger of the DDR. You can listen to his music on YouTube (Klaus Renft Combo and Karussell).

Re WW2: I have just read 'Blitzed' by Norman Ohler. It describes the use of drugs by the German leadership and army. The invasion of France via the Ardennes was only possible because Rommel and his tank crews took a form of crystal meth and did not sleep for four days. Hitler himself was on an opioid and, later, cocaine for much of the war.

I crossed Checkpoint Charlie in 1975 and collected my 35 East German Marks. The tip I was given was to go to the restaurant at the Friedrichstrasse underground station and splurge them on lunch, which we did. Returning to the checkpoint, there was a tin for the East German Red Cross, where we deposited our remaining coins.

I recently discovered there is a walk/ cycle path following the whole of the Berlin wall, 95 miles. I fancy doing it next year.

So, you had a good holiday, Monsieur Hulot?
 
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