Crossroads and Characters
66. THE HIGH-KICK TRADITION.
Small Scottish villages like Dunning were often avid about sports, and sometimes unexpectedly successful. A history of football recounts that as early as 1750 Dunning was a popular place for the game and local teams, which at one time played on a field close to St. Serf's church, were famous for their mighty kicking. It is said that David Cunningham who lived in the Dragon could kick the ball over the kirk roof, then even higher than today. This was an extraordinary feat with the heavy leather footballs used at the time. Later local teams may not have kicked as high, but they also reached certain heights: this Duncrub Park team of 1909-10 was obviously a trophy winner and in the 1890's Duncrub Park teams from Dunning did well in Scottish Cup play: it took Dundee Wanderers and next year Edinburgh's famous Hibs to eliminate them.
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