The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-20
NEW FOOTBALL RULES.
JOHN Q. BELL COMMENTS ON LAWs
10 GOTERN CANES.
All Strategy l. Eliminated Thinks the
Yalo-rrinceton Amendment to the Mo-
mensnm Clause Destroys science.


COMMUNICATION. Camp. OF Yale: Moi
fat, of Princeton; DR. Brooks, OF Bar-
ward, Or. Dashicl OF Johns Hopkins,
end Tho writer-had all been players
upon their university teams. and had
closely followed the course OF football
since the carly eighties. They were as
sisted In their deliberations by the Views
admonitons and suggestions contained
In numerous communication from play
ers, spectators, reporters, teachers and
professors generally. Plainly. therefore,
the football rules of 1894 must have OK
pressed the mature. dispass. onatc ana
conservative judgment Of many minds.
The rule which received more cOnsidera-
tion than any other was the following.
No moucntum-mass plays sh'h be
allowed. a moincntum-ndss play i3 one
where moe tnaa three men start before
The BAN is pat lu play. Nor SHAH more
than three men group for that purpose
more than five yards back OF inc point
where che ball Is put in play.
The purpose OF this rule was t"oloil'
nrat. 20 forbid dangerous plays. ana
second. 10 preserve strategic plays. Nlih
the fret end in view, the RUE accord
inEiy. forbade those plays 800 "n1ch more
than three men group at greater as
lance than five yards back OF the Inc
and then start before the BAN is put I'D
play But. secondly. subject TO the above
limitation, the ruie distinctly recoeul~e1
and preserved strategic plays that u.s.
plays in which several members or the
Team start from inherent points mot
snoro than three however before the
bal is put ion pias) ana move "a different
directions. with t1e aim and intent OF
confusing and misleading opponents as
10 which one shall receive the BAN.
Herein the rule allowed an opportunity
Tor those manocuyres, which are tine
lie and spirit of the game. IL IS scar0e-
Is necessary 90 ada that believing 10 10
be tho best general RUE that could be
franed-au things considored-the same
was unanimously adopted aitnonsh, by
its Enactment as general rule. Iennsy-
lyanlass dying Interference play, in
vented "a year previous by Mr. Wood
ruff. as well as some Of NJ. Deland's
best conceptions. were practically inter-
dicted From what has been SAID IL IS
clear that al strategic plays are pfacu-
cally impossible 81 rule requires the
players to invariably occupy certain de-
fined positions. anu that all bat one
must remain stationary until the bail
IN put I'm play.
II was with much regret that ! learned
Of the repeal Of the above rule by TWO
such leaders in football as Yale ana
Princeton. and the substitution by them
of the following.
man shall start forward before the ball
is I'm play Not more than three men
shall rr0lD themselves at point behind
the line of scr.mmase before the BAH is
fn pinv. Seven men or more shall be on
tho line of scrimmaPe until the ball Is I'm
play. except that The man playing the
position of either end rushcr may drop
back. provided DE does not pass inside
the position occupied by the man playing
d. fnnlIl iafIrD fine ball is
play
Plainly such a rule for reasons above
indicated cffcctually eliminates an sira-
tegy and tactics in football IL pract~
emily prevents the simplest Of strategic
nlays-the Old-tme "criss-crOss.' 20,
too. the substituted rule must jeopardHe
the successful execution. If not practi-
cally prevent many OF those familiar
ANA fundamental plays which have been
permissible since the beginning Of our
game of Bugby football. Moreover,
literal compliance with the requirement
that seven forwards shall always stand
in the hxed positions specified In the
rule until the ball is in play, viii be
found practically impossible when the
ball is down for "a scrmmagc near the
touch line
The rule was PROBABLY meant 10 th-
courage long passes; but these can rare
u.s.. n ever, Doe successful under the con-
dftions required They must DE the rare
surprises. not the regular plays OF tne
game The rule would seem 90 DE espe-
caily adapted only for 'llne-nuckins hy
the player receiving the bali ln TINS
and kindred play. dashes by the runner
assisted and pulled by the olner Two
backs go some point in the line, usually
al tackle. Yale and Princeton, have all
Nyavs been at their best. IL might seem
TO af, outsider that in The adoption OF
the foreloing rule Meesrs. Mohat ana
HartWen were Influenced. consciously or
uns0nsci0usly. By O. desire Co restore ana
conAne the game TO That simple system
OF play ln which Yale and fi-'"eto"
were always at their best, and ir which
they were 40 one time easy Visitors
Rule OF tae rules of 1924, commonly
known as the "Fair CATCH rule. has
been amended hy both Yale and Prince
ton and hy Harvard, Pennsylvania ana
Cornell
For several years there has been an
almost universal demand for inc amend
moat of the old rule on this subject SO
a. TO protect lhe catcher from being tack
lea ana d0wnc8 by an opponent the
reason urged being that the player
whose gaze is thus fixed on oescenaiAe
ball. and who stands with uphlled arms
ready 10 catch 30, is practically defense
less. The difficulty has bcca TO ahoId
This protection Goo thc catcher and AT the
same time c.vc him or bis side the right
off running back with the ban towards
che opponents goal. such return runs
when the bah is caught from KICK, are
among the moss beautiful plays 20 Wiz
ness. Last year 1t was sought 10 solve
The difficulty by providing that III The
catcher held up his hand before rece-v-
sn,- line BAH. this act would indicate that
sNe ala not purpose running with 80. ou'
Nrndcd 20 return 10 by a KICK IN the
manner prescribed by the rules. Inus
A. was thought there would be no Ioa-
con for tacklng the catcher
Unfortunately. however, the rule mis-
carried. Tho feeling became prevalent
maj the holding up of the hand by the
catcher was the act of a baby, and not
~ "a football warrior. and really indi-
Gated. not that he thought IL best TO re-
turn the ball by kick. but that he was
afraid of being tackled while catching
IA Pulling thus !n IT'S intendment Yale
and Princeton have repealed this proVi-
SION of last years rule and restored the
old rule.
The Harvard PennsyNan rule
OF th,s year, however seeks still 10 ac-
comQIsh the intendment OF last years
amendment Their substituted rule pro-
vidos that "after having caught the bail
he the catcher cannot run with IT thus
removing an incentive TO tackng HIM
but may pass u 20 one OF his own side,
who can run with il Ohus ahordng an
opuortunity for a return rum or kick H.
otherwise IL must be put IN play al the
spot where the fair cA-ch Is made, either
al o. oil