Old down box photo
Found this on the UniWatch blog. Does this mean the linesman never moved?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/...cc885882_b.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/...d7828c86_o.png |
Remember the dicker-rod?
http://home.cogeco.ca/~hfoa/HFOA%20W...cker%20rod.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicker-rod Quote:
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The book includes a section about the Linesman's assistants (chain crew) and how to instruct them not to move till instructed to do so. It then goes on to talk about the Linesman's stick (the item in the photo that HL in NC posted)...... "Why it is necessary for the Linesman to encumber himself with a useless piece of equipment such as a stick carried on the field is quite beyond my understanding. With the necessary points marked at all times on the sideline and the Linesman stationed at the point of the next down on every down, the only point to the entire procedure is the sharp point of the stick, this point being more in the nature of a menace to the safety of players than a help to officiating." This was illustrated with photos of a Linesman following a running play carrying his stick akin to a matador looking to stab a bull. :eek: My understanding is that the Lineman stuck the stick into the turf to hold the forward progress spot enabling him to relay in a ball, physically bring up the box man, etc. They clearly did not have the same grasp of Health and Safety legislation back then as we do today. It goes on to suggest that the only use for the stick was a weapon to discipline unruly players or for the Linesman's self protection. The final word by E C Krieger about the stick was this... "If the Linesman feels he needs protection, a small automatic is more effective and much easier to carry." |
His bow-tie is crooked. I kinda like his hat.
This must be the era when the wing would "punch" his arm towards the goal line to indicate the ball had crossed into the EZ and the R, seeing this, would give the TD signal. I've also seen films of wings literally jumping into the air as they raised their arms to signal a TD. |
I have a few videos from 1904 and they only had 2 officials. I'm not sure if they were set positions, but it looks basically like a R and an U. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the Umpire.
I would also venture to guess it is from the 20's - he isn't wearing a jacket and stove-top hat like in the videos I've seen. |
I haven't seen a photo of the dickerrod yet, and the description of it confuses the hell out of me.
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Wing officials, if they wanted to "sell" the call -- for instance, if the runner got the ball over and was thrown back -- would stand on the goal line and swing the arm overhead, sometimes with a body sway, slowly from the field of play to the end zone, rapidly back. They looked like cheerleaders doing that. The two hand TD signal was originally used only for field goals and successfully kicked tries. It simulates the goal posts. Robert |
Is it me, or does the linesman look like Colonel Sanders?
It's called a box because it actually was a box with 4 sides, numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. The number facing the field was the down. |
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