Tolkien/Football Connections - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 06-21-2006, 04:08 AM

The World Cup Football* Championships, currently taking place in Germany, bring to light some connections, however unexpected or remote, between the professor and the ballgame. No, though golf is mentioned in one Middle-earth story, there is no mention of the game that now encompasses the enthusiasm of the world. We do read that Tolkien himself played rugby, but I'm not even sure if football had already been invented back in his sporting days. He did write one work about that sport, a poem called "The Battle of the Eastern Field".

However, I did find one bit of news that connects the two interests: TOR.n reports that the Spanish player Torres is a Tolkien fan and has his name "Fernando" tattooed on his arm in Tengwar. Here is the article, here is a picture.

*Americans, get used to the fact that what you call 'soccer' is 'football' to the rest of the world. And since there's more to the rest of the world, however astonishing, than to the USA

there's more reason for you to change terminology, not us!

06-21-2006, 04:08 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Tolkien/Football Connections The World Cup Football* Championships, currently taking place in Germany, bring to light some connections, however unexpected or remote, between the professor and the ballgame. No, though golf is mentioned in one Middle-earth story, there is no mention of the game that now encompasses the enthusiasm of the world. We do read that Tolkien himself played rugby, but I'm not even sure if football had already been invented back in his sporting days. He did write one work about that sport, a poem called "The Battle of the Eastern Field". However, I did find one bit of news that connects the two interests: TOR.n reports that the Spanish player Torres is a Tolkien fan and has his name "Fernando" tattooed on his arm in Tengwar. Here is the article, here is a picture. *Americans, get used to the fact that what you call 'soccer' is 'football' to the rest of the world. And since there's more to the rest of the world, however astonishing, than to the USA there's more reason for you to change terminology, not us! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'