OOPS Sorry…I see I was just a wee bit UK specific. Maybe you don’t have this
one in other countries, basicly shovetide football games are a local traditon in
a number of UK towns and vilages. On Shrove Tuesday teams from neighbouring pubs
/ villages compete to get posession of the “ball” ( sometimes a beer barrel or
hood ). The “rules” vary wildly game by game, some take place in one street
others over miles of open country, teams are gennerally large so hundreds may be
playing in one game with one ball.This often leads to blood and gore, still, we
have been playing these games for hundreds of years and havn’t banned them yet.
We have other shrovetide tradtions around the country, in Scarborough (where I
lived last Shrove tuesday) The Pancake Bell is rung at midday and every one goes
down to the beach to skip (jump-rope). Hope this clears the confusion. sarah