why is a referee needed?

[Browner]

I found myself smiling when reading, some interesting origins .....well done to SARefs for publishing this

http://www.sareferees.com/News/from-noone-to-sole-judge/2830287/

....... Because without us, its a riot !

 

[Phil E]

Interesting, if slightly incorrect in places.

 

[SimonSmith]

What, SARefs get something wrong?

I'm shocked to discover this.

 

[Blackberry]

I didn't realise Blackheath et al started it all as recently as 1971.

 

[tim White]

Whilst waiting for a match to start earlier this season I idly gazed at the game of soccer already underway on a nearby pitch -after 5minutes I noticed there was no referee on the pitch? Play was carrying on quite nicely, I never saw one disputed 'decision' -even offside. There were no fights, no play-acting, all very civilised. Well done all (at least for the 10 minutes I was watching) :shrug:

 

[crossref]

the frisbee game 'Ultimate' is well known for being played - by design - without a referee
http://www.ukultimate.com/about_ultimate/spirit_of_the_game

 

[Browner]

Whilst waiting for a match to start earlier this season I idly gazed at the game of soccer already underway on a nearby pitch -after 5minutes I noticed there was no referee on the pitch? Play was carrying on quite nicely, I never saw one disputed 'decision' -even offside. There were no fights, no play-acting, all very civilised. Well done all (at least for the 10 minutes I was watching) :shrug:

Nor did we when using our 'jerseys for goalposts'

it would be an interesting 'experiment' to leave two rugby sides to self referee during a competitive fixture,

or maybe players only brawl with each other 'because' a referee is there :sarc:

 

[OB..]

Interesting, if slightly incorrect in places.

Apart from the “1971” typo?

1871 Laws[Laws]59. The captains of the respective sides shall be the sole arbiters of all disputes.[/Laws]

The two umpire system was almost certainly borrowed from cricket, which had been formally organised in the previous century. Cricket still requires appeals to the umpire, whereas rugby did away with them.

Although the referee became “sole judge of fact and of Law during a match”, until 1969 you could appeal to your Union on a point of law (but not of fact) . If the Union agreed the referee was wrong, the result of a score or match could be changed.

 

[Phil E]

New Zealand is sheep country. Dogs are used to control the sheep and the dogs are in turn controlled by the shepherd's whistle. It is not surprising, therefore, that the referee's whistle was developed in New Zealand.

He actually used a sheep dog whistle in a game, and was the first to do so, but he didn't develop the referees whistle.

The "referees" whistle was invented in Birmingham by Joshua Hudson, who also invented the Police whistle.
The whistle itself was invented (like many things) thousands of years before this in China.

 

[crossref]

New Zealand is sheep country. Dogs are used to control the sheep and the dogs are in turn controlled by the shepherd's whistle. It is not surprising, therefore, that the referee's whistle was developed in New Zealand.

He actually used a sheep dog whistle in a game, and was the first to do so, but he didn't develop the referees whistle.

The "referees" whistle was invented in Birmingham by Joshua Hudson, who also invented the Police whistle.
The whistle itself was invented (like many things) thousands of years before this in China.

I would hazard a guess that the whistle was invented independtly more than once.

 

[Phil E]

I would hazard a guess that the whistle was invented independtly more than once.

Referees should never guess :nono: