The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-20
SPORTING TALK.
FOOTBALL RULE s COMMITTEE MEET
ING SET FOR FEE. 70.

the various universities and the University A.
c., President C.. G. Cuyler Of the latter orRani-
cation sent out an official letter last night call
Ing for u meeting Of the Football Rules Com
mittee at the U. A. &. on the evening Of Feb. 10.
Cuyler, on behalf OF the club, would not have
taken this action had 1t not been for urgent re-
quests from Yale, Harvard, Princeton. Cornell
and the University OF Pennsylvania. These In.
stitutions have always been represented ON the
committee from its inception, Paul Dashiell Of
the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis
being also a member. At the three meetings
held by the rule makers In the past Harvard's
interests have bcen looked out for by Joseph II.
Sears, Yale's by Walter Camp, Princeton's By
Alexander Moffatt, University Of Pennsyl-
vania's by John G. Bell, Cornolls by L. NJ.
Dennis, with Dashiell as the sixth deliberator.
while the universities In question can send
ether delegates to tho coming meeting, IL they
see ft, they will probably leave the making Of
new reforms to the same old experts. The
committee has been called together again more
because the members did not meet at all in
1897 than for any other reason. The howl
raised last fall by persons who imagined.that
football was moro brutal than other sports,
has not been the cause Of this meeting, although
such q claim. will undoubtedly be made II the
rule makers still further modify mass plays.
III " u .hitthu1 utit III = bbO
fact that the heavy formations back of the rush
line can be done away with by compelling seven
men TO remain in the line until after the ball
has been snapped back. In that way the four
backs alone would be able to mass themselves
for attack, instead Of receiving assistance from
the guards or tackles. The rule makers will
get an excellent opportunity to abolish the
meaningless rule, which does not allow tho
quarter back to run with the ball as soon as he
receives II from the centre. This reform, also
suggested by The Sun, will do a great deal to.
ward establishing open play, which is generally
desired by players and the public.
Beyond attending TO- several conflicting
the committee will not experience much hard
work. 1t is expected, however. that the University
the abolition of mass plays because of the effec.
tiveness of the Quakers' noted guards back"
tnSeei suppoEt from rn ' GoSp ii bur utf IL is 'I ESSow WHINE thae
Yale, Harvard, and Cornell are u unit on this
mueh.talked-of reform.
The footbal reforms just passed by some Of the
Western colleges md which were fathercd by a.
A. stagg. win not cut much Of a figure in the
points. A goal kicked from a touchdown viii
Held will DO worth four points instead Of i've,
o goal from u place kick after a fair catch had
been made will net only three points. and q
S'aoty u.s. ~ u9ah1 SobAA ioi tWo
points. The regular touchdown remains the
same., four points. Seven men will not be re.
Is put in play, but two rushers will DO permitted
to stand behind the line, so that they will be
outside an imaginary line surrounding the
and his, fellow rulemakers TO prevent the old
mass plays and. encourage long passes. The
holding" in the line or the use Of the arms In
tackles is a good ono and worthy OF
the consideration of the Eastern Committee.
StaRY has alHn made N rlle that gives the right
of a team that has been scored against to Kick
Of or make the opponents do so. The other
or the colleges in making new rules Is thought
to be a move in the direction of securing repre-
and perhaps the latter might bring about her.
mony by extending an invitation to Stagg to at
tend the coming meeting here.
Stories to the effect that plans are under way
for a big four-cornered boat race at Pough-
kesspsie continue to create merriment In The
enter a race with Cornell. Columbia, and the
on sound Judgment. The indio a. @s' st iHn point
to a Cornell Yale Harvard 'yarsity and fresh
% Between eeee Cornell ms S1" Columbia; " and t she un,v eyehts
Of Pennsylvania. Cornell's invitation to other
colleges to form o rowing association" has lit.
of the lthacans to smooth out existing tangles.
More facts are becoming known in regard to
the proposed transfer of the League meeting
st. Louis. The mail vote that has been
taken win not be announced for some days.
York. Boston, Philadelphia, and probably the
Chicago clubs have notified President Young
that a. ,S they r fsS in A tSnS5 of S ionyeni Fee the LSsSSS u.
in the metropolis will serve to boom the game
Club has voted in favor of the change is re-
garded in the nature Of a sacrifice, for 1t
have tho meetinU. and as that rity haa MAYER
moguis, the action of Messrs. Soden and Co.
s ssns sieRV to Il The sPNS New York daffcs Cub. a fTlSs e See o.
ing having been held at baltimore once, IL is
vote in favor of the transfer. This may be the
with the Washington Club; 1t is doubt
iSl howsyer, whether the hed LS4GisEilles' st; Louis,
vote against st. Louis. Pittsburg is thought to
he on the fence. so that after looking the situa-
z to 5 in favor OF the t~ranfser. In the event OF
siding with the West. a deadlock may
snsss, ana sns m az abs I hands Ss fS or fb to r enbnr,
rassed Won der Abe.
President Young of the National League will, |
in all probability, pa. little or no attention this
year to the protests OF club managers who want
forcing the rules. 1t is said on the best Of
authority, that Magnates soden, Reach. spal.
Young to throw ali protests against umpires in
the waste basket. and TO run the umpire staff
20 his own Judgment. 1t Is fur
ther stated that when the playing schedule Is
announced II will be found that two umpires
have been assigned to each game for the entire
season. In this way, 1t is hoped that the man.
ayers who are inclined to find fault with every
umpire who comes their way will realize that
the assignment of umpires by schedule will be
. barrier TO further protests. James L. sulli-
van, President Of the Metropolitan -Associa-
ton Of the A. A. T., who Is a stakeholder In the
New York Club, said last night:
,..The fight THE SUN is maEingagainst rowdy
ball playing is being commented by all lovers
of the sport and fair play. The kicking that
on League iamonds last year was a
disgrace TO the men who control the clubs, If
the New York Club will suppress Joyce in his
disgusting tactics toward al umpires and visit
ing teams, a suffering public will give thanks"
:, Doyle OF the Washington Club, whose con-
duct on the field has been condemned, Is out
with "A sarcastic criticism of those magnales
who arc trying to rid the game OF just such
methods as no employs. lie sneers at the pro
posed blacklist" rule and says tho magnates
do mot dare, TO deprive any ball player OF
his bread and butter. He also declares that II
kicking is abolished. baseball viii be lady.
Ike" DOyle's unwnrranted assault of Umpire
Lynch In Boston last TALL merited suspension
At the hands OF tho League.
A. J. Reach, President of the PHILADELPHIA
AN.U.h. 10 Il. - mn