Shown in a Mahogany frame.
5 stamps, pen and ink, dark blue on burgundy matting
Soccer took most of its present form in 1863 in England when the “football” association of the country published standardized rules of the game purposely to differentiate “soccer” from “rugby”. The object is to advance the ball in to the opposing team’s goal by kicking only. Historically there are references to ancient Greek and Roman games where a ball was “propelled by any possible means across the opponent’s goal line.” There was also a form of soccer played in China in 112 Ad. And variation can be found in the Celtic, Teutionic, Eskimo, Aztec, and even Polynesian cultures, using balls made of skulls, inflated bladders, and moss-covered bags. Today the game is played world-wide and has a growing presence in the United States. Soccer!
