Royal Shrovetide Football
R
PLAYERS
Hundreds, split into two sides
DIFFICULTY
SETTING
Outdoor
MATERIALS
- A specially made leather ball
- Two millstone goals set roughly 3 miles apart
MEASUREMENTS
The goals stand about 3 miles (5km) apart, and play spreads across the whole town and surrounding fields.
HOW TO PLAY
1
Players are divided by birthplace into the Up'ards and Down'ards, and the ball is "turned up" into the crowd to begin play.
2
The mass of players, called the hug, wrestles for the ball through streets, fields, and even rivers, carrying or throwing it toward their goal.
3
The ball may not be transported in a motor vehicle, and violent striking of other players is against the customary rules.
4
A goal is scored when a player hits the ball against their own goal's millstone three times in a row.
5
Play resumes with a fresh turn-up after each goal, and the game continues across two long days until time runs out.