MONTREAL – This week marks the 150th anniversary of the first intercollegiate rugby-football game played in Canada, a contest featuring visiting Harvard at McGill University which took place on Oct. 23, 1874 at the Montreal Cricket Club Grounds, located on Ste. Catherine Street, between Bishop and Crescent.

Also unique about this game was that touchdowns (or tries) were counted in the scoring for the first time. Previously, a team did not earn any points for a try or touchdown but earned the right to score a single point via a conversion. If the conversion failed, then there were no points awarded at all. The first team to score three times won the game. 

The event was advertised in the Montreal newspapers as a "carrying game" with 10 players aside. Kickoff was scheduled for a Friday matinee at  2:30 p.m. Admission was 25 cents and the Victoria Silver Cornet Band played throughout the contest.

Harvard won the matchup by three TDs, which was reported then as a 3-0 result.  The Montreal Gazette article described the contest as follows:

FOOTBALL: Harvard vs. McGill

Had yesterday been manufactured for the purpose it could not have better suited the occasion than it did, although entirely in the hands of that fickle clerk of the weather, who so often seems to take a delight in upsetting "the best laid schemes of mice and men". Of late, however, he has behaved in a highly exemplary manner, having given up splendid weather in all our late public matches and sports.

The grand international football match yesterday was played according to the Rugby Rules, which is a far more scientific mode of playing the game than that in vogue some years ago. Fully 1,500 spectators, a large number of whom were ladies, were present to witness the contest, and seemed well pleased with the game, if the frequent bursts of applause which greeted the players whenever a cleverly executed tumble was performed, was any criterion.

About three o'clock the game was commenced, the ball being kicked off by D. Rodger, Jr., captain of the McGill team, who sent it spinning through the air towards the Harvard goal, only to be returned as swiftly from the energetic toe of a Harvardite.

Now up and down the field, backward and forward shot the ball, the Harvard men doing the most carrying, while the Montrealers showed an aptitude for kicking the ball that would have made a New York interviewer or a sewing-machine agent tremble.

After some 50 minutes brisk play the Harvards succeeded in scoring a "touch down", which was made by Faucon in splendid style.

At the end of each half hour, the teams exchanged positions on the field, this being agreed to at the start. After a magnificent run and numerous hair-breadth escapes, Wetherby of the Harvards managed to secure a second touch down, but failed to make a "goal" in the free kick (i.e. conversion).

During the third half hour some vigorous play was exhibited, each side evidently determined to win at any cost, which the Harvards did. To be particular, the exact cost of that game to the Harvards was two shirts (i.e. damaged jerseys).

What seemed to amuse the spectators most were the scrimmages, which would have done credit to Rugby itself. A surging mass of heads, legs, arms, and other anatomical specimens wriggling and knotting themselves up in a most extraordinary manner, while every now and then, a smothered "oh" led the bystanders to believe that someone had engaged in the game who was not prepared to be totally dismembered without some slight exclamation of remonstrance or surprise.

The last "touch down", which was also secured by Wetherby, decided the match, for, although the Harvards failed to ame a goal (i.e. convert) by it, the three "touches" counted equal to a game.

During the game, the Victoria Cornet Band played some fine selections, concluding with "God Save the Queen" and "Yankee Doodle". Three cheers having been given for the Harvard team by the McGill boys, the Harvard team responding with their peculiar College cheer. We hope this will not be the last friendly contest between the two clubs, and that better fortune may attend the McGill boys in the future.

This was the third meeting between the two teams in 1874 as they had earlier hooked up for a historic two-game series at Cambridge, Mass., May 14 and 15, 1874, with the latter being the first organized game of North American-style football. Harvard had won that first "scrimmage game" 3-0, with the first half played under their soccer-like rules (i.e. no hands allowed) and the second half played under McGill "rugby-style" rules, which allowed players to carry the ball. 

The next day (May 15, 1874), they played to a 0-0 draw using McGill's rules only and this was considered the first official intercollegiate game of rugby-style football in North America.

These contests were preceded by a Princeton-Rutgers "football" game in 1869 but that event was actually played with a round ball under England's "Football Association" rules, better known in North America as soccer. McGill's game – which featured an oval ball and a rugby scrum to initiate each phase, or series of plays – permitted kicking the ball, but the participants could also pick the ball up and run with it whenever they pleased.

Harvard's style of play incorporated a round ball, an open formation (i.e. no scrum) and a kicking style of play known as "the Boston game" and was also closely related to what we today call "soccer". However, a curious feature of that game was that a player could run and throw or pass the ball only if he were being pursued by an opponent. When the opposing player gave up pursuit, he called out to the runner, who was forced to kick, pass or even throw away the ball.

The first game of the 1874 McGill-Harvard series featured 11 men per side as McGill showed up with four players short. It was played with a round ball and "Boston" rules. The next day, they played with 11 aside under McGill rules, with an oval ball and the ability to pick up the ball and run with it. For the third game, played in Montreal on Oct. 23, 1874, Harvard had with only eight men available as two had been injured in practice. Fortunately, a Harvard freshman had shown up on the day of the game and was inserted into the lineup. McGill agreed to drop two men and both teams played with nine aside.

In that era, teams were generally composed of 15 men per side, but some games were played with as few as 10 aside and as many as 20. The game was far from uniform.  Each locality introduced unique rulings of its own that had to be agreed to by the opposing team captains. 

The Canadians remained loyal to the sport as it had been imported from England.  The Americans had already begun to effect certain changes, including a line of scrimmage and a series of downs, both of which were implemented in 1880. Canada did not adopt the line of scrimmage and series of downs until between 1903 and 1906. The forward pass was first used in Canada when Syracuse played at McGill in 1921 but the rule was not formally adopted across the country until 1931.

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FOOTBALL: Harvard vs. McGill

By J.B. Millett (Harvard '77)

(Reprinted from The Boston Advertiser, Oct. 24, 1874)

MONTREAL, Oct. 23 -- The Harvard foot-ball eleven arrived here yesterday and at once took up their quarters at St. Lawrence Hall, where they met many of the McGill students. The committee presented the visiting eleven with appropriate badges and invitations and invited their attention to the sports which took place yesterday, on the McGill grounds.

The international foot-ball match, which has been so thoroughly advertised throughout this city, was played on the grounds of the Montreal Cricket Club this afternoon.

The Harvards won the toss and took the side which had the wind, the McGills having the send-off [kickoff]. Every inch of ground was desperately fought for and the elevens seemed to be very evenly matched. At the begionning of the game, things looked ominous for the Harvards, for two of their men Cole [Cate] and Watson, were disabled yesterday in a practice game and did not play, and besides this, their opponents were in all respects, better acquainted with the rules of their own game.

The game began at half-past three and finished at five, as at that time, the Harvards had won three touchdowns, which is the equivalent of a goal.

During the first half hour there were many good struggles and one touch-down was won by Wetherbee, who ran splendidly for it and who also secured a second [TD] in the next half hour. It was not until the middle of the game that the McGills got well down to work. This time they were kept well down to their goal by the steady work and sharp play of the Harvards, the latter club securing their ground by sharp nursing and final rushes.

As the McGills got the kick-off, they had a slight advantage which was offset by the winning of the toss and wind by the visitors.

Faucon got the touch-out [touchdown] in the third half-hour, by quickly dodging his pursuers, and Ellis came within two feet of getting a fourth [TD]. All this time the McGills had won no touches but in all their attempts, they were met by the bone and muscle of the other side. Every man of the Harvard eleven worked as though life depended on the result and the manner in which they backed up the brilliant running of their men secured for them the game.

The umpires were F.C. Henderson [Henshaw] and H Williams of '75.

The attendance was very large and the excitement and enthusiasm great. Every good play of the part of the home club was loudly applauded and the men friends of the Harvards cheered their men in a like manner. The Victoria band was present and enlivened the scene by playing inspiring airs, which seemed to give the players extra nerve. The match was very exciting from beginning to end, and was pronounced to be the best ever played on the grounds. The McGills have invited the visitors to a supper given in their honor. No one was injured during the game although there were many hard falls. The club leaves for home tomorrow afternoon and expects to play a match according to their own rules in the morning.

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FOOTBALL: Harvard vs. McGill
(Reprinted from The Montreal Gazette, Oct. 24, 1874)

Had yesterday been manufactured for the purpose, it could not have better suited the occasion than it did, although entirely in the hands of that fickle clerk of the weather, who so often seems to take a delight in the upsetting "the best laid schemes of mice and men."

Of late, however, he has behaved in a highly exemplary manner, having given us splendid weather in all our late public matches and sports.

The grand International Foot Ball Match yesterday was played according to the Rugby Rules, which is a far more scientific mode of playing the game than that in vogue some years ago. Fully 1,500 spectators, a large number of whom were ladies, were present to witness the contest, and seemed well pleased with the game, if the frequent bursts of applause which greeted the players whenever a cleverly executed tumble was performed, was any criterion.

About three o'clock the game was commenced, the ball being kicked off by D. Rodger, Jr, the Captain of the McGill team, who sent it spinning through the air towards the Harvard goal, only to be returned as swiftly from the energetic toe of a Harvardite.

Now up and now down the field, backward and forward shot the ball, the Harvard men doing the most carrying, while the Montrealers showed an aptitude for kicking that would have made a New York interviewer or a sewing-machine agent tremble.

After some fifty minutes' brisk play, the Harvards succeeded in scoring a "touch down," which was made by Faucon in splendid style. At the end of each half hour the teams exchanged positions on the field, this being agreed to at the start.

After a magnificent run and numerous hair-breadth escapes, Wetherby of the Harvards managed to secure a second touch down, but failed to make a "goal" in the free kick.

During the third half hour some vigorous play was exhibited, each side evidently determined to win at any cost, which the Harvards did. To be particular, the exact cost of that game to the Harvards was two shirts. What seemed to amuse the spectators most were the scrimmages, which would have done credit to Rugby itself. A surging mass of heads, legs, arms, and other anatomical specimens wriggling and knotting themselves in a most extraordinary manner, while every now and then a smothered "oh" led the bystanders to believe that some one had engaged in the game who were not prepared to be totally dismembered without some slight exclamation of remonstrance or surprise.

The last "touch down," which was also secured by Wtherby, decided the match, for, although the Harvards failed to make a goal by it, the three "touches" counted equal to a game.

During the game the Victoria Cornet Band played some fine selections, coinciding with "God Save the Queen" and "Yankee Doodle." Three cheers having been given for the Harvard team by the McGill boys and the Harvard team responidng with their peculiar College cheer. We hope this will not be the last friendly contest between the two clubs, and that better fortune may attend the McGill boys in the future.


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Playing Rules of the McGill University Football Club

(reprinted from the McGill University Gazette,  April 1874)

Until a few years ago, the methods of playing football were varied and numerous, but the game has finally settled into two distinct styles – the Rugby rules and the Association rules. 

The object of the Association code is to encourage "dribbling", and simplicity has also been carefully studied by the abolition of all clauses and technicalities calculated to prevent the easy comprehension of the rules;  the Rugby laws are much more extensive and elaborate, and the main idea is to encourage speed of foot with a minimum of kicking, besides, there being an atmosphere of danger in the "hacking" and "mauls" so dear to every player more Rugbeinsi.

We today publish a copy of the College rules, revised and amended up to April, 1874, and these will make the chief features of our game apparent to everyone.  They disagree very materially with the rules of the Canadian Association, and while we regret our exclusion from playing for the Champion Cup, yet we feel bound, both by honour and inclination, to stick to our own game, which seems always to have suited our men peculiarly well.

i.     Each goal shall consist of two upright posts, 16 feet high and 15 feet apart, with a cross-bar at a distance of 10 feet from the ground.  The maximum length of the ground shall be 150 yards; the maximum breadth shall be 75 yards.

ii.     The number of players on each side shall be not more than 20, or less than 10.  The definite number too be settled by the Captains before each match.

iii.    The winners of the toss shall have  the option of kick off or choice of goals.  The game shall be commenced by a place kick from the centre of the ground, and the opposite side shall not come within 10 yards of the ball.

iv.     The ball shall be kicked off (i.) at the commencement of the game, (ii.) after a goal has been obtained, or (iii.) at the end of each half hour.

v.     After a goal is won, ends  shall be changed, and the losing side shall kickoff.  In  the event, however, of no goal having fallen to either side at the lapse of half an hour, ends shall then be changed.

vi.     The ball may be caught on the bounce and carried; the player so carrying the ball may be "tackled" or "shouldered", but not hacked, throttled, or pommelled.  No player may be held unless in actual possession of the ball.

vii.     In the event of any player holding or running with the ball being tackled, and the ball fairly held, he may at once cry "have it down"; but he need not do so until his own side comes up.

viii.    A goal can only be obtained by kicking the ball from the field of play direct (i.e. without touching the dress or person of any player of either side) over the cross-bar of the opponent's goal, whether it touch such cross-bar, or the posts, or not: but if the ball goes directly over either of the goal posts it is called a poster, and is not a goal.  A goal may be obtained by any kind of kick except a punt.

ix.     A match shall last for three half hours -- it shall be decided by the majority of goals, or in the event of no goals being obtained by the majority of touch-downs;  three touchdowns counting as one goal.

x.     Every player is on side but is put off side if he enters a scrummage from his opponents' side, or being in a scrummage, gets in front of the ball, or when the ball has been kicked, touched, or is being run with by one of his own side behind him (i.e. between himself and his goal line).  Every player when off side is out of the game, and shall not touch the ball in any case whatever, or in any way interrupt or obstruct any player, until he is again on side.

xi.     A player being off side is put on side when the ball has been kicked by or has touched the dress or person of any player of the opposite side, or when one of his own side has run in front of him either with the ball or having kicked it when behind him.

xii.    It is lawful for any player who has the ball to throw it back towards his own goal, or pass it back to any player of his own side who is at the time behind him, in accordance with the rules of on side.

xiii.    If a ball goes into touch, the first player, on his side, who touches it down must bring it to the spot where it crossed the touch line; or if a player, when running with the ball, cross or put any part of either foot across the touch line, he must return with the ball to the spot where the line was so crossed, and then either (i.) bound the ball in the field of play, and then run with it, kick it, or throw it back to his own side, or (ii.) throw it out at right angles to the touch line.

xiv.    The goal line is in goal, and the touch line is in touch.

xv.      If the ball be sent beyond the side-bounds and put behind the goal line, it shall be touched down and thrown in from the corner in a diagonal direction by whoever touches it down.

xvi.    It is not lawful to take the ball from off the ground for any purpose whatever, unless it be in touch.

xvii.    No hacking or hacking over, or tripping up, shall be allowed under any circumstances.  No one wearing projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on any part of his boots or shoes, shall be allowed to play in a match.

xviii.    In case of any distinct and wilful violation of these Rules of Play, a free kick shall be forfeited to the opposite side from the spot where the infringement took place, but in no case shall a goal be scored from such free kick.

xix.     Continued transgressions of Rules by any player, the side to which he belongs shall lose him.

xx.     All disputes to be settled by the Umpire, whose decision shall be final.

Definition of terms
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1.     A "drop kick" is made by letting the ball fall from the hands and kicking it the very instant it rises.

2.     A "place kick" is made by kicking the ball after it has been placed in a nick made in the ground for the purpose of keeping it at rest.

3.     A "punt" is made by letting the ball fall from the hands and kicking it before it touches the ground.

SOURCE :

Earl Zukerman

Sports Information Officer

McGill Athletics & Recreation

514-398-7012