in 1860, beers began to codify the first written rules of the modern game. prior to this, all rules of the game needed to be decided prior to each game. some of the rules established by beers were the size of, and the use of a rubber lacrosse ball, that the lacrosse stick could be any length, but the pocket needed to be flat in the absence of a ball, length of the field to , size of the goal and goal crease, twelve members of a team on the field at a time, and the length of a match to first to reach five goals, or lead by three.