Hard to believe it was ever called "football." The feet have little to do with the game. Seriously, we should call this game soccer, and call soccer football.
Well "soccer" was a term for "AsSOCiation football" in the same way "Rugger" was short for "Rugby Football" , and contrary to popular belief was actually a British term. A more accurate description for the US version would be "Handball"
I agree, but unfortunately there is already a sport by that name, wherein the players strike a rubber ball against a wall with their hands. It's much like racquetball but without the racquet. I suppose, though, we could rename it "palm ball."
I've had two fist fights over a game of flag football and I think I've only played it five times or so in my life. In high school they need to have the girls play flag football and the boys play kickbox football.
There are lots of types of football which use mostly the hands: Gaelic football, Australian foootball, etc. 'American rugby' might be a better name, but it's just as easy to simply carry on calling it 'American football'. Alternatively, 'gridiron' can be used, which would eliminate cross-pond confusion over the word 'football'.
Apparently this game was a few years before the forward pass was introduced. Suddenly it all makes sense. Not a revolutionary advance, but a necessary addition to prevent all matches from being insufferable unimaginative slugfests like this. It looks almost identical to a 3rd Division Welsh rugby game played in the driving rain and mud.
There's a Marx Brothers fim called Horse Feathers about Varsity Football and the games look a lot like old Rugby League games.