The sun., 1896-03-11
FOR NEW FOOTBALL RULES.
Principal Points to BE Discussed by tho
New Committee.


The conference of football rule makers will
be held at the University Athletic Club Friday
afternoon at 4 O'Clock. Yale will probably DO
represented by Walter Camp and Capt Muir
ply; Harvard's delegates may be DIR. w. A.
Brooks, Jr, and Lorin F. Dcland. who may also
be accompanied by Capt. Wrightngton: Prince
tons interests will possibly bo looked out FOR by
Alexander Mo!fatt; Cornell may send Dean
White or Capt. Breacham, AMI Pennsylvania
will post IDLY have John &. Bell on hand. Paul
J. Dashiel of Lehigh will also attend the con-
ference advisor. for he Is an expert on
rule making and is ono of the best authorities
on football law in America,
AS THE Sun stated some time ago, the object
OF this meeting is to make the rules governing
intercol egiatc football uniform and satisfactory
to all. Last the big games were played
under various codes, SO that the utmost confu-
sion prevailed There We're the Yale-Prncoton
rules. which prohibited momentum plays; the
Harvard -pcnMsyl ylvanip Cornell code. which nl-
lowed mass and wedge formations. and the
Harvard Princeton code. which was mado up
from the other two sets OF regulations.
The principal rules that now conflict seriously
are those that cover )" fair catch" number OF
cordmc to- to the the Yalo. Princeton % code, a man
makes a " fair catch" by putting his heel on the
I If he Is w
or thrown he receives fifteen yards as a penalty
for tho otrenaiGs players side; The Harvard,
making a fair catch cannot be tnterfrred with,
and he cannot run with the ball. but must pass
It to one his owl! side. who can run kick it.
II the bal! is muffcd It j. anyhodys property.
A8 regards officials in control of games. tho
Yale-Prnceton rules provide for an umpire,
qualify player subject to tho umlircS ap
proval. The other CUtc, governing Harvard.
PENNSYLVANIA, and Cornell, sLipulalc- that there
shall be two GnIiirrS, l. referee, and lihcHnan.
Tho umrireS alone have tie power 10 disQGalifv
players Tor TONI tactics.
The momentum mas; play. are practically
prohibited by the Nn!e-Pr!nceton rules, which
allow not more tAaa one man to start forward
before tHU ball ~ IN pay, rld not more tAbn
three men 10 group thcnstl lNna NJ u point NE
hind the line before the oval is ssnapned buG
Seven men Iaust lie In IA" rush line while tie
ball Is down In the Harvard code however.
three men can start before Tie ball is ~ play,
and any number can group back %! thc line,
provided thay are not more than hNe yards be-
hind the ball.
Those Who saw all Of the pig football games
last fan wero almost unaninUus in the opinion
1 that tho Yule-P Princeton rules gave more salts
| faction. iu that tney provided more open play
and more sensational runs than the other set Of
| rules. Thorne's magnificent dash through the
| whole Princeton team at Manhattan Field last
November could not have been accomplished
| had the game been played under the Harvard
| Pennsylvania code Thorne's efforts would have
| been confined 10 mass plays and wedges,
and the public would have been deprived
OF witnessing one OF the most remarkable plays
| on record. The Yale and Princeton delegates
| TO the conference will strongly ADVOCATE tho
adoption OF their, rules, but they will not be
gestions. The conferencemay be the beginning
| o.a reign of peace among the colleges, which
| will be welcomed by everybody Interested in
intercollegiate sports.