Enthusiasts Participate In The Royal Shrovetide Football

ASHBOURNE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 13: A close up of the hand-painted ball, featuring local butcher Nigel Brown's shop, before rival teams the 'Up'ards and Down'ards' battle for it during the annual Ash Wednesday 'no rules' football match on February 13, 2013, in Ashbourne, England. First played in the 17th Century between teams from opposite ends of the Derbyshire town, hundreds of participants aim to get a ball into one of two goals that are positioned three miles apart at either end of Ashboune. The match starts on Shrove Tuesday and can last until 10 PM. If a goal is scored before 6 PM, then a new ball is 'turned up' again and a new game started. If the goal is after 6 PM then the game ends for that day and continues into the next day - known as Ash Wednesday. The local butcher "turned up" the ball today to begin play. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)