The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-29
CHANGES IN RULES.
Some Of the Suggested Reforms
in Football.
TO MAKE a MORE OPEN GAME.
A Prtneetee Msa Diseases Schemes 90
DO Away with the Bsssesing Ram
Athlete CIah Notes

Daring this season Of inserregnum OF
athletics. 30 20 speak, few words on the
subject Of the proposed changes in the.
rules Of football that are expected TO
eliminate the few Questionable features IN
the game and make the sport less danger
Gus TO the participant and more interest
ing to the spectator should be arropos. Ii
the game was confined to the schools and
colleges there would rea.iybe little cause
for change for the simple reason that in
contests between. skilled elsvens in good
physical condition there have been no
serious casualties. Football. however.
has become . national pastime, and shous-
ands upon Thousands Of young men who
are not in the best OF condition play the
noble game every fall. For such it is, rs
played at present, rather rough. More
over the spectator, who furnishes the
finances OF the various teams, should be
consulted and his Wishes gratified If they
are reasonable. The popular cry at pre-
sent Is to make the game more open, and
to do away with the gathering ran"
style of play that Was used so extensively
last fall. especially in the East We viii
first mention the various changes in the
rules that have been suggested, and then
discuss each one separately with reference
to its advantages and Disadvantages.
Capt. Mackay, of the University OF
Pennsylvania eleven, proposes either to
force the side holding the ball to kick on
every third down or TO make the ruling
that the bail shall change hands on the
third or fourth down no matter who may
have possession of it. A year ago Mr..
Walter Camp. who needs no introduction
to football enthusiasts, suggested that the
field should be divided by fveyard lines
perpendicular to the goal lines IS well as
those parallel to them--the field would
then resemble q checker board-and allow
the side holding the bail to make either
five yards in advance or twenty yards to
one side or the other In the four downs.
Many propose to do away with the massed
plays by forcing every man to keep his
place until the ball is put in play; others
favor the abolition of interference OF all
kinds--that Is of returning to the old rul-
ing that man 10 off side unless he is be-
tween the ball and his own goal line.
All Of these suggestions have their value.
and oil have their faults. In our humble
opinion both suggestions Of the Psnnsyi-
vania captain are without value A. far as
an improvement in the game Is concerned.
Holding the ball has become . vital part
of the American game. and II . team knew
that they were going to lose 1t on the third
down they would undoubtedly use the
surest ground gaining plays. namely. the
battering ram. for the FIRST two plays and
then kick. Neither do we believe in fore
ing an eleven to any particular play at any
point of the game by ruling that they shall
"A ~ 70 . . hat ho sr,xA
legislation would be to put premium on
end runs, long passes and kicking. the
plays that We wish to promuigate, and
render less effective those features that We
wish to do away with. II seems to US that
while the twenty yard to the side ruling
would undoubtedly make more end run
ming and in consequences more open
game. 1t would put premium on bad run
ming and bring Us back to the old block
game of tho early SOS. style Of play that
we must avoid At oil hazards. Forcing
the men to retain their positions until the
ball is rut in play would undoubtedly do
away IN . great measure with the massed
plays, but 1t would also eliminate from the
game many very pretty, scientific and
non-dangerous features. We 40 not be-
lieve 1t practicable to do away with inter
ference for two reasons. In the first place
in the old non-interference game the
blocking rush line held" their opponents.
practically by putting their arms around
them aud hanging on, thus preventing
breaking through and giving the runner
much more chance: in the second place
there was then nothing like the hard low
tackling now in vogue. and we do not be-
lieve that an unprotected runner could
make Roadway against the fierce tackling
of the present generation Of players.
We believe making the distance to be
gained in the four downs ten instead OF
five yards would have the best results OF
any of the many changes that have been
proposed. In . game between evenly
matched teams IL 10 hard enough now,
with only five yards to gain to make the
required distance in the four downs, with
massed plays. with ten yards TO make Il
would be so exceedingly difficult that other
plays would be tried. We think the result
would be that there would he more long
passes, kicking and end running.
One Of our fellow townsmen, O Yale
graduate, prominent IN athletic circles.
after carefully considering tina matter in
hand and talking IL over with other foot
ball plyyers on the S. A. c. team, has ar
rived a. the conclusion that the change of
one rule would work all the desired re-
suits, and that in as simple q manner as
possible. That change Is TO make the dis
lance TO be gained five yards in one down.
When We first look At this proposition 1t
is decidedly startling, 10 say the least
put the more We study il. trying to i'm
agine what the results of such arule would
be. the more feasible il appears. At the
time Of writing We have not had the time
TO 90 into the matter as thoroughly as We
would wish, nor to consult any of the old
players in the city. but in our humble
opinion this suggestion strikes the key
note of the problem as nearly IS il is posi-
bic TO DO so in . simple way. without a
complete changing OF the rules and con-
seouent entire change in the game, q re-
suit " hich We do not desire.
Let u. try and look ahead with the eyes
of a prophet and see what sort Of a game
we would have if this rule were in force
There would undoubtedly be more kick
ing. which would make the game more ex-
citing for the spectators, II that be posi-
bic. than it as at present, the ball would
change hands oftener. there would be
more end running and long passing. ana
consequently more open formation. The
reason that such plays have not been in
vogue ba, few years 10 that they are not a.
sure ground gamers as the massed plays
through the line, and an eleven prefers a
tao or three-yArd gain. with the certainty
Of holding the bs!i, 10 possibly much
greater gain with the attending risks. We.
do not believe that the proposed ruling
would do away entirely With Undertaking
II