On the night of April 8, the Quad was filled with the sounds of bagpipes, drums, and men at play as Galloway Residence held a special game of Thatcherball in tribute to the recently deceased leader.
“Soren [Geiger] and I heard Monday morning that Margaret Thatcher had passed away, and the first thought which came into our minds was that we needed to have one final game of Thatcherball in her honor,” said senior Richard Norris, one of the original creators of the game, along with Geiger.
The two spread word of the game that day throughout campus, and by nightfall, a sizable group of men had assembled to remember former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and to play a modified version of the Hillsdale winter pastime.
Norris and Geiger founded the sport in their sophomore year, and were inspired by stories of Eton College’s “wall game,” a contest similar to rugby and created in 1766. Convinced that Hillsdale needed a brutal sport to call its own, Norris spotted Thatcher across the quad and created the somewhat bizarre game around the statue. It has been played every winter since.
Traditionally played in the snow, a game of Thatcherball consists of two 10 to 12 minute halves. The players divide into two teams, and the team that draws offense first must try to hit the statue of Margaret Thatcher with a rugby ball, with the defensive team stopping them.
“The only written rule of conduct is that there is no murder allowed,” Norris said.
Each time an offensive player manages to hit Thatcher with the ball, he is awarded eight points for his team, with a caveat. The team loses one point for every article of clothing the scoring player is wearing.
“The more naked a player is when hitting the statue, the more he scores for his team.” Norris said.
After the round is over, teams switch positions and play another half. The game ends with a rousing chorus of the national anthem and the Galloway song around Thatcher.
Monday’s game was accompanied by drums and a flute, as well as junior Mason Stuard on the bagpipes.
“It was a fitting tribute to a great woman,” said freshman and Thatcherball player Dominic Restuccia. “My team, who lined up at Reagan, cremated the Thatcher team 36-18.”
