No one knows exactly when "Calcio Storico" - historic football - was first played here, but its pitch, the piazza of Santa Croce, dates from the 14th Century and the rules of the game - in so far as there are any - were written down in the late 1500s. The four quarters of the city - Santa Spiritu, San Giovanni, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce, named for their great local churches - each put up a team of 27 men. The aim, over two heats and a final, is for players to get the ball over the 4ft (1.2m) fence at either end of the pitch. To achieve this, players can use both hands and feet, as well as every other part of the body when it comes to wrestling, punching and generally immobilising their opponents on the way. In other words - sport as muted warfare.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 15:21:08 +0000
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