| Foosball is one of my all time favorite games. I | | | | opposing goals. Each 'team' consists of 4 rows of |
| actually learned to play foosball (as a college | | | | players, a goalie, two defensemen, 5 midfielders and |
| freshman); before I learned to play soccer (I grew | | | | 3 strikers. Only the goalie and defensemen are on |
| up playing baseball and football). I would spend hours, | | | | adjacent rods. The midfielders and strikers are |
| and many quarters, playing and practicing not only | | | | located between the opposing player's midfielders |
| because it was so much fun, but because you could | | | | and strikers, so they can compete for the ball. |
| score in so many ways that just weren't possible in | | | | The game can be played by individuals or 'doubles', |
| regular soccer (like bank shots off of the walls). | | | | where one player controls the defense (goalie and |
| It should come as no surprise that the game of | | | | defenseman) and his team mate controls the offense |
| foosball, or table soccer, was invented by an | | | | (mid fielders and strikers). Games are played to a |
| Englishman. In 1922, Harold S. Thornton conceived the | | | | pre-determined number of goals, which can be 5, 7, |
| game after a football match (the North London | | | | 10 or 11, depending on the table or the competition. |
| Spurs), which he wanted to be able to duplicate at | | | | Although organized competitions date back to the |
| home. With additional inspiration from a book of | | | | 1940's, professional tours and big money events did |
| matches, the basic concept for the foosball table | | | | not start until 1975. Today, the International Table |
| was born. | | | | Soccer Federation (ITSF) regulates both annual World |
| The game itself is quite simple, a soccer pitch is | | | | Championships and every four years a World Cup, |
| duplicated in miniature on the bottom of a table and | | | | scheduled to coincide with the FIFA World Cup. |
| the players are suspended above the surface on a | | | | The foosball tables used in the world tours and |
| series of 8 rotating rods. The rod allows the players | | | | official ITSF tournaments are Bonzini, Tornado, |
| to move back and forth across the field, and also to | | | | Roberto Sport, Garlando and Tecball. Other major |
| kick the ball by swinging the rod. The ball is served | | | | brands include Kicker, Rosengart, Jupiter Goldstar, |
| into play through a hole in the side wall at mid field. | | | | Eurosoccer, Löwen-Soccer, Warrior, Lehmacher, |
| The players then attempt to kick the ball into | | | | Leonhart, and Smoby. |