Early American & Canadian 'Football': Beginnings Through 1883/84 [Paperback]

Melvin I. Smith (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Authorhouse (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410728005
• ISBN-13: 978-1410728005
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,974,277 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Football for the serious researcher, February 15, 2004

By 

Loren Maxwell (OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Early American & Canadian 'Football': Beginnings Through 1883/84 (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent source for the true sports historian. Please note this book is of serious academic nature - there are no lionized descriptions of teams, coaches, or players, but instead a thoughtful and thorough analysis of the early origins of football, soccer, and rugby in the United States and Canada. Smith has broken down football into the components which he considers essential (carrying the ball and the system of downs) and explains how convention has held us from correctly identifying early field games as soccer/rugby/football. I myself have researched college football for nearly 20 years and I have long thought considering 1869 as the 'first' season was never fully correct since more than one sport can be traced to that game (and even before). Smith has done an excellent job of allowing me to see the picture more clearly. Very much looking forward to his follow up on football after 1883!