Hundreds Of Players Take Part In The Annual Game Of Haxey Hood

DONCASTER, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 06: The Haxey Fool, Dale Smith, is smoked as he starts the Haxey Hood at Haxey Village on January 6, 2015 in Doncaster, England. The origins of the ancient game of Haxey Hood goes back hundreds of years to the 14th century. Lady de Mowbray was out riding towards Westwoodside on the hill that separates it from the village of Haxey, when her silk riding hood was blown away by the wind, farm workers in the field rushed to help and chased the hood eventually it was caught by one of the men, but being too shy to hand it back to the lady, he gave it to one of the others to hand back to her. She thanked the farm worker who had returned the hood and said that he had acted like a Lord, whereas the worker who had actually caught the hood was a Fool. The act of chivalry and the resulting chase amused her so much she donated 13 acres of land on condition that the chase for the hood would be re-enacted each year. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)