New Ideas for Work and Play: What a Girl Can Make and Do

by Lina Beard; Adelia B. Beard

The game calls for nine more girls; these do not take active part in the play, but hold positions as officials. The officials with a set of ten players necessitate nineteen girls for the usual game. The nine

Officials

are one referee, two umpires, a scorer, a time-keeper, and four linesmen. Always choose your

Referee

at least four days before the game. She must be absolutely neutral and perfectly impartial; to her belongs the honor of holding the most important office in the game. It is the referee’s duty to see that the regulations respecting the ball, goal, and grounds are adhered to.

By mutual agreement of the captains, the referee may allow alterations in the rules regarding time and grounds, but not as regards goal, ball, or team. Before the commencement of the game she must ascertain the time for beginning, or any other arrangements that have been made by the captains.

The referee must watch the ball constantly, following it wherever it goes. She must know at all times the whereabouts of the ball, as her office constitutes her judge of it, and she must decide when the ball is in play, to whom it belongs, and when a goal has been made. Every time the ball is put in play the referee tosses it up, she alone having the right to do so. The referee calls time, when necessary, by blowing a whistle, and she must always call a foul when any player addresses an officer. No player is allowed to talk to the officials, though anyone may speak to the captain and the captain can address the officers; in that way only are the players able to communicate with the officers.

The referee decides all questions not definitely falling to the umpires and linesmen, scorer and time-keeper, but is powerless to alter a decision of the umpire or linesmen regarding matters under their jurisdiction.

The referee instructs the team when to play, and either side refusing to begin the game within three minutes after the whistle sounds forfeits the game.

The referee’s term of office expires at the conclusion of the game, and her decision awarding the game must be given then, as she no longer has power to act as referee. The referee must disqualify members when they are guilty of shouldering, tripping, striking, kicking, hacking, or of intentional or unnecessary roughness of any kind. These constitute fouls, and the referee overlooks the first offence, but not the second. When a player is disqualified she must drop from the game and a substitute take her place. A foul is a violation of the rules, whether committed unintentionally, ignorantly, or otherwise; the only guide an officer has is the cold fact that a foul has been made.