The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-02
|yE TRICKS FOR
The GRIDlR0N.
More Kicking in Game Of Football.
Than Formerly.
s1RATEGIcAL COMBINATIONS.
Complicated Evolutions Arc Now
Barred by the Lending Coaches.
Changes in Rules and Nov
cities in Harness.
sIRATEGICAL COMBINATIONS.


cities in Harness.
Now that the football season is here
again, and the air once more resounds
with the thud of the trampling mass
play as lit hurtles over the gridiron ana
with the sharp crack of the punter.s poot
as it buries itself deep in the tight oval
leather, the football enthusiast begins
to ask what new wrinkle the season OF
1900 will introduce.
Both the kicking and rushing games
have been pretty thoroughly developed
in the past few seasons. Indeed. the
tendency has been to revert to the old
style OF open playing which. with its
abundance OF picturesque plays, sensa-
tonal tackles in the b ack field and long.
ziG-zag running in of punts, Is much
superior from a spectacular point of view,
| if in nothing else, to the huge mass roll
| ing it's ponedrous length yard or two at
!, a time down the field. pilinS and unpll-.
! ing with slow, monotonous regularity
! Like every step In human evolution,
| the return of the kicking game was
! brought about less by legislation than
| by the discovery that it paid 1t was
realized that an exchange of punts, which
| sent the ball sailing high overhead. to
! be booted back again. and which broke
F! ZIP the field and scattered opponents,
! might gain or lose twenty yards in the
J same time that Il 1ine-bucking policy
| would gain or lose five.
| The indications for the present sea-
| son are that progress on the sridiron
| may be looked for not in the develop
| I -, ns} L,a,s
| the rushing or kicking game, but rather
! IN the strategical combination Of those
two departments. added to the improve
! rent in each of what had already been
| discovered TO possess value
In the rushing game coTpiicatc evolu-
| tions are now strictly barred by the lead
ing coaches. y simple dive at the
| tackles or a reliable formation play well
executed is a much surer bid for the nee
essary five yards in three downs, than a
complicated and unusual formation which
mas or may not fool the enemy and gain
zen or fifteen.
! While the game, as whole, VIII be
kept more open by the abundance of
kicking. line-bucking proper vii! de-
velop more and more into e concentrated
style of play resembling the old wedges
in appearance but vastly more effective.
The moment a man hits the line, he will
efforts to make his distance, but he will
be part of an organized piece of team
work
A LEW END RUN
| An end run which should be extern
sivcy used this year, FOR the reason that
no adequate method of defense has been
discovered to pit against it after ii
Il starts, is worthy OF note.
The runner, going around the end. runs
| l.
er, and at the instant of being tackled.
| passes the ball to one of his interferers,
who is Il little to the rear. but is nearer
the side line. The latter, if he receives
the ball all right. is beyond the OPP
ponents' left wing OF defense with a clear
field ahead.
The field of kicking will be strenuously
explored this year. The direct pass
from centre will be generally used Drop
kicking will occupy an even more impor-
tant place than it did a year ago. Two
styles of punting are employed, The
first one is the more common punt with
side step Mcbride of Yale. was the
chief exponent last year of this form o.
getting the ball off. This great full
back often stepped several yards to the
side after receiving the oval
KICK STRAIGHT OUT
The second and less commonly used
method OF the kick is made straight out
in front. after the manner of Il drop
kick. The advantage of this is that
there is less chance of having the kick
blocked. The time spent in handling the
ball is shorter. The bail is sent straight
back over the heads of ule centre trio.
where the chances are least for an oppo-
ncnt to break through i'll time to block
the ball. When a man does break through
the line and huris himself at the kicker in
an cndeavor to block the punt. he I'M
| consciously allows Tor the side swing
and jumps little to the side of the kick
er's foot Thus, with a man right on
top Of him. the kicker by straight kick
directly from his tracks, can send the ball
| safely off, when Il sidc-step punt might
be surely blocked.
| BY far the most interesting part of the
seasons outlook is that concerned with
the strategicaI combination of rushing
! and kicking. Numerous plays, improve
ments evolved out of the old fake kick,
are being tried in the practice of The big
teams, and something is sure TO make
| its appearance i'll the coming contests.
! The underlying principle is strategy. II
! resembles in this regard the style of
| boxing upheld by the worthy Mr.. Fitz-
simmons. II may be outlined as follows:
Make the enem; think YOU are going tc
kick and carry the hall forward by Il
rush: or. vice versa. line up for q rush
let the encmy'S defense be prepared for
it. and after the play has started kick
the ball down the field to an unprepared
| catcher.
j NEW RULES
The changes III the rules for 1900. while
unimpcrtant to any one but the expert
are worth mentioning Their effect will
be mainly tlrcefold. First. only five
men will be allowed TO stand on each
side line and follow UP the play: second
the gaining of first down by d voluntar.
less OF twenty yards cannot be attempt
ed twice III succession. unless the ball
has meanwhile changed hands: third
the penalty for off-sidc play in {; scrim-
mage, which often depends merely or
whether the umpire IS looking in the
right direction is to be distance in all
cases, and never loss Of the bail.
In the matter of costume and general
LaruaSS the foot -b;i list of 1000 has Sof.ls