Today's Tidbit… 1876 IFA Rule #2: Place Kick

This is #2 in a series covering football’s original 61 rules adopted by the Intercollegiate Football Association in 1876. One rule is reviewed each Friday.

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Rule #1 defined the dropkick, and Rule #2 gave us the place kick, which came after placing the ball in a nick, the precursor of the tee.

Rule 2: A place kick, or place, 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.

I assume kids playing football in the backyard or park still learn to "heel in." That is, they know how to strike the ground with the heel of their foot to create a dent or nick in the turf deep enough to hold the ball upright. ("Heeling in" will appear again when discussing the fair catch in a few weeks.)

An example of a ball placed in a nick with the ball tilted toward downfield as often occurs in rugby. (1908 West Point yearbook)