20.4.14

Patent Footballs


Richard Daft was a cricketer. His son, Harry Daft, played football for Notts County and was an FA Cup winner (1894). He was capped 5 times by England. He also enjoyed a good county cricket career. 
The heaviness of rain affected leather balls was a factor that not only affected the spectacle of the game but also the health and safety of the players. Interesting to see that measures to combat this problem were being taken as early as the 1870s.