Why are field goals the width they are?

[mtridge]

I was told there is some story behind why field goal post are 23'4" apart. I could not find it on the interenet. Does anyone know the story and could share?

[goldsmi]

No explanation regarding origins, but this is from College Football Encyclopedia website:

Goal posts, originally placed on the goal line, were moved back 10 yards to the rear of the end zone in 1927 in an effort to avert injuries by ball carriers or other players running into the uprights. That move, of course, increased the distance for field goal tries by 10 yards. In 1959, in a successful attempt to bring the field goal back into college prominence, the distance between the goal posts was increased nearly 5 feet to a width of 23 feet, 4 inches. Because of a proliferation of successful field goals over the next three decades, the rule makers in 1988 disallowed the kicking tee for field goal and conversion attempts, and in 1991 returned the goal post width to 18 feet, 6 inches.

[voiceoflg]

My guess to mimic the rugby goalposts, which are 5.6 meters/220 inches/18feet 4 inches.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by voiceoflg

My guess to mimic the rugby goalposts, which are 5.6 meters/220 inches/18feet 4 inches.

When they were measured English style, they were 18'6". That's the mystery I've never found an answer to, i.e. how that came about. Apparently it arose on Rugby's campus, there being no standard width of goal previously.

The 23'4" version there's actually a story about. John Waldorf wrote that the committee had already adjourned after making it 24' even, but a lumberman asked what they were going to use for boards. Supposedly 24' was the maximum length, but they had to allow for overlap to nail them together. So they hastily reconvened a quorum to allow 4" overlap with the 4" wide boards on each post. I'm skeptical; how'd they make 25' wide soccer goals?