I have heard conflicting reports regarding the unofficial Christmas truce during WWI in 1914. One report said that soldiers played an impromptu game of soccer using a sack stuffed with clothing or other material. The other said that one of the soldiers had a soccer ball. Which is it? And if a soccer ball were used, why would a soldier carry a soccer ball into battle and the trenches of WWI? Best wishes to you and yours for the Holidays.
Seems to me I remembering hearing about this (a BBC documentary?) And reading about it somewhere within the past year. It was/is a true storyand I'll track down more details. And so what if it isn't exactly referee related. Its still a pretty kewl story.
Seems to me I remembering hearing about this (a BBC documentary?) And reading about it somewhere within the past year. It was/is a true storyand I'll track down more details. And so what if it isn't exactly referee related. Its still a pretty kewl story.
link for WW1 soccer truce http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:DBYWjS7yXC4J:www.mnyouthsoccer.org/coaches/articles/survivor.pdf+World+War+one+soccer+truce&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
link for WW1 soccer truce http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:DBYWjS7yXC4J:www.mnyouthsoccer.org/coaches/articles/survivor.pdf+World+War+one+soccer+truce&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Why this post? I thought it was a good mating of soccer and Xmas. Also, I had some questions about what happened, as I was interupted during a program concerning the event. I had to wonder where the ball came from. Also, I did hear a commentator in the show say that a German officer acted as the official. I am not sure that this pertained to the game in no-man's land or if it were for another pick-up game some other time. Many on this site have a good knowledge of not the just LOTG, but some of the history and tradition of the game. Just trying to better learn the LOTG and major events associated with the game. Perhaps refs need to try to help when asked. If a player asks how much time is left, I would hope that the referee would avoid biting the player's head off and spending valuable time telling the player he is not authorized by LOTG to ask how much time is left. Just a thought.
In the spirit of the holidays, I won't rip you a new arsehole for those comments in your last paragraph. Instead, I'll just say don't say anything like that after January 1st, cause then I WILL go ballistic.
There is an entire chapter to devoted to football and the Christmas Truce in Stanley Weintraub's "Silent NIght". Apparently, matches and kickabouts were a fairly common occurrence on Xmas day, 1914. It's an excellent book on the Christmas truce, I'd recommend it.