Boston game
The Boston game, also known as the Boston rules, was an early code of football developed by the Oneida Football Club, formed in 1862 and considered by some historians as the first formal "football" club in the United States. Rules allowed carrying and kicking and is considered the first step to the codification of rules for association football, rugby football, or American football. After Oneida disbanded, former members established the Harvard University Football Club, which continued to play football under those rules.
| First played | 1862 in Boston |
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| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Type | Team sport Outdoor |
| Equipment | Football ball |
| Venue | Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | United States |
| Olympic | No |
| World Championships | No |
| Paralympic | No |
| Obsolete | Yes |
| Part of the American football series on the |
| History of American football |
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| Origins of American football |
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| Close relations to other codes |
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| Topics |
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The rules were also the code used in the first (of two) 1874 games between Harvard and McGill Universities.
Nevertheless, after the series vs McGill, the Harvard players were so enthusiastic about rugby football that they decided to embrace the game, leaving the Boston Game behind. The establishment of the Intercollegiate Football Association in 1876 would be a further step in the transition from rugby to American football.