The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-11
REEN TONED DOWN A
LITTLE.
PLAYING is MORE SCIENTIFIC
SOME OF THE CHANGES AND HOW
THEY AFFECT THE
PLAY,
HE RULES OF THE TACKLE.
Momentum and Mass Plays Are Out
of Date-Protectfon of the
snapper Back,

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
NEW YORK, Oct. S.-The American
code of rules governing the game Of
football established last year by the
intercollegiate committee appointed for
that purpose is in general use this fall,
and, as a consequence, the contests are
dOubly interesting. Last year three
sets of rules prevailed. The Yale
Princeton rules were used by the sons
of Eli'' and the boys of ''old Nassau"
The Observation-Disclosures Cornell code
governed games among those colleges,
and the Harvard-Princeton set was a
compromise makeshift adopted for a
setto between the teams of those insti-
tutions. In addition to these it was
also left optional with other institu-
tions to play under the intercollegiate
rules Of the previous year, so that the
confusion in all places where the game
f1ourished was complete. Now, how
ever, all is different The new code
has been adopted by the principal col
leges Of the country and will undoubt-
edly be accepted as the national au-
thority on football
In the work of establishing new rules
the old regulations were taken for a
basis. 1t was found necessary to
change the wording of many rules
which were ambiguous, but their orig
1nal conditions remain the same The
most important changes in the new
code are those relating to the flair
catch" and the 'scrimmage." The flair
catch rule is plainly put, and if strict
ly enforced prevents the old roughing
which caused so much trouble.
In order to make a fair catch the
man who takes the ball must now put
his heel In the ground where he catches
1t. If he is interfered with in any way
BY an opponent who is "off side" or is
thrown after receiving the ball and
heeling down, he will receive an ad-
vance Of Is yards for the offense. But
If after the ball and heeling he begins
to make ground he will be open to a
tackle from the other side. After max.
Ing fair catch" in accordance with
the rule the opponents must retire ten
yards from the catcher's heel mark in
order that he may have no trouble in
putting the ball in play again. either
by bunt, drop or place kick, from any
point behind his heel mark This rule
Is practically the same as the one In
force three years ago except that the
penalty is heavier.
Another wise bit Of legislation was
the practical abolition of the old mo-
1aentum plays. The restriction of mass
Llays Is accomplished i'll two ways
Ihe rule that no player shall take
more than a single step, except one
man who may be in motion before the
ball is put in play. has stopped almost
all kinds Of momentum plays. The
further stipulation that five men must
be in The rush line at all times when
Ci6Q hn 0f
also restricts the former mass plays
such as the flying wedge composed of
nearly every player on the team
Another change that is watched close
ly is the rule that protects the snap
Eer back from interference and an
noyance. Although formerly an oppo-
nent could not touch the ball while
the snapper held it, he invariably an
noyed the center by jostling and push
ing him about, so that when he did
manage to send the ball back to the
quarter back it's course was anything
hut accurate, and in many cases fun
BILE followed. Under the new rule, If
the snapper Is interfered with in the
slightest, 1T costs the offenders side
five yards In each instance
For the further protection of life and
limb 1T is provided by the rules that
when player who Is tackled cries
Down" the referee must blow his
whistle Immediately as a signal that
the ball is dead" This rule Is more
rigidly enforced this year; also the
infection of the fifteen-yard penalty
for piling on top of a player Alto
gether the rules work without trouble
but the main point is the strictness of
the officials who have the power to
prevent brutality and roughness In
stead OF Gripping the game, these
notifications have largely added to
its interest, for under the regulations
row enforced there are more opportu-
mites for scientific playing.