Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Downside Ball Game


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   no consensus. J04n(talk page) 18:59, 28 April 2013 (UTC)

The Downside Ball Game

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Unsourced and very likely copyright violating article which gives undue weight to a totally non-notable game played at one small school. Bob Re-born (talk) 17:20, 20 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Keep The sourcing of the information is from an article which appeared in the School's published history. This article has been referenced and permission obtained. The game is notable, since it predates the Eton and Rugby Ball Game - which themselves have a page on Wikipedia. Moreover, it is played by over half the school and evidence to suggest it is one of the earliest documented variations of a long-standing public school sport. Maltaboy101 (talk) 17:45, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of United Kingdom-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 18:16, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Sports-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 18:16, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Note: I have corrected Maltaboy101's posting time to match the timestamp in the edit history. Also, I have put 'keep' in front of Maltaboy101's statement to clarify for other editors what I think Maltaboy101's position is.--A bit iffy (talk) 18:52, 20 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Comment. This is interesting information, but at the moment there's no indication that the subject has received any attention other than at Downside.   The edit history shows a disagreement over whether this game should have its own page, or just a brief mention in the Downside School article.  To justify a separate article, I think we need to see some indication that the game has been discussed in independent reliable sources--for example, in news articles, or in books or other scholarly works about public school games, the evolution of handball or racquet sports, or some other appropriate subject.  I was unable to find any such independent coverage.  As it stands right now, we have a nice piece about a distinctive activity that was pursued historically at Downside, but nothing to indicate any independent context or other indication that it is separately notable.  --Arxiloxos (talk) 21:54, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Delete. For the reasons given by Arxiloxos. This is a huge and detailed article about something of minimal interest if you have no connection with the school.  So many schools have local traditions and variations on sports, they are not notable unless, as with the Eton example, there is significant discussion outside the school.  Peteinterpol (talk) 19:57, 21 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Keep -- If the game has been played since 1820, it deserves an article. The additional source material is likely to exist, even if not cited.  Downside is a leading Catholic public school, so that this is not about a "bog standard" school.  Peterkingiron (talk) 14:39, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
 * very Weak keep They are a well known school; comparing articles, I see the  Eton Wall Game. Eton Field Game, & Harrow football] have a very  few outside references, but [[Winchester Football does not. How thorough a search has be made?  The question of proportionality is important--a more modest article would be more readily accepted, but it is difficult to explain the peculiarities and compare to other games without detailed rules.    DGG ( talk ) 15:58, 26 April 2013 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.