Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
ROUGHNEss OF FOOT BALL.
Walter Camp Recommends Two I'm
pOrtant Changes in Rule,.

Fso"t SnuhSC nuIcSs
The board of trustees of Harvard Univer-
sity have begun an Investigation into the
alleged unnecessary roughness of foot ball
and the regulations needed for its suppress
sion. Walter Camp. the foot ball expert.
incllnes to the view that the game should
be modified He recommends a return to
the old Rugby Union rule which made in
reference plays "off side" play and conse-
quently Illegal. He also favors more of a
kicking game. He saws:
In the first place this mass playing is
the direct result Of the growth Of the inter-
ference principle. The Rugby Union rules
do not admit of anything of the kind be-
cause the interferers are off side. and have,
according to that code. no right to run in
10, interrupt or obstruct an opponent I'M
I'll again on side-that is. until between the
runner and his goal Theoretically be-
hind him.
1t was the Rugby Union rules that the
American colleges originally adopted, and
II was not for dozen or more years that
the question of interference arose. Then it
came very gradually, beginning by merely
sending one man ahead of the runner
through the line. but not in the open field.
From this grew a greater laxitv about the
principle of off-side interference, and al
most before the players knew 1t the in
IrIngement of the rule was very common.
1t seemed to the legislators necessary 10
make this legal or insure its immediate
prevention, and they determined upon the
former. Thus interference has become the
great feature of the present play. Last
year this interference BEGAN to take on
more and more of the nature of running
mass of men sent against a special point in
the enemSS line.
The ABOVE brief history of the growth of
interference suggests a remedy. and that
is an immediate return to the old rule that
no man, when off side shall interfere with,
interrupt or obstruct his opponents. This
would be a most radical change. and, while
ii would surely kill the evil. would also
eliminate many of the present brilliant
features of the play.
Another remedy is that of reducing the
at present too great value of possession of
the ball. A side can. and often does carry
the ball from the center of the field to a
touchdown without the opponents having
a chance to show anything but their de-
fenSive play. Every captain fears the loss
of the ball, and the games of this season
have not diminished that fear in the least
but rather increased ii. For this reason
the punting and drop kicking. which ought
to be a great feature of every game, have
but tenth part of the Importance they de-
serve.
A rule. therefore. which made the ball
change hands more freely would undoubt-
edly result in far more open style of play.
Foot ball is too good a sport to be al
lowed to retrograde. but press and public
are right in demanding that a game that
draws into IL the very pick of our school
and college men shall not be allowed to be-
come unnecessarily dangerous. Accidents
will happen. English foot ball has gone on,
and so has our American game. gathering
strength, favor and popularity. in spite OF
the occasional accident. But We all of us
want to see these accidents reduced rather
than increased. and good legislation among
the loot ball enthusiasts can insure this.