The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-25

The changes In the football rules Tor
the season OF 1901 Will not prove serious
In the way OF their effect upon the play
They are more after the order OF render
ing moro explicit the existing rules and
placing sufficient power in the hands OF
the officials 10 insure the enforcement OF
those rules.
The exact alterations which have been
made In the rules this season by the com
mittee are as follows:
In rule 4 OF the guide. section (d)' there
is a further definition OF a safety. namely
that a safety Is made when the ball, Kick
ed by a man behind his goal line. crosse
the extension of the side line behind u
goal line.
II was generally supposed that the rui'
did not provide for such a contingent
hut. as a matter of fact, they did. Nh'
a man standing behind his own goal,
tempted 20 kick the ball out ana MAJ
such "A poor kick OF u that the pail d'a
not cross his goal line at all. but crossed
what would be the extension OF the side
line and thus went into touch, by the
existing rules the ball was dead as soon as
81 crossed the side line.
But also by another rule, when Dali
was kicked out OF bounds. II did not go 10
the man who first obtained possession Oh
1T, hut to the opponents.
,rhe result would be that they would
bring II down behind the kicker's goal,
and Immediately upon putting IL In play
there they would hold II on the ground,
and thus secure a touchdown. In other
words. a ball which. kicked by man
behind his own goal line, did not cross
the goal line, but crossed the side llne'
meant IL the rules were followed OUT
for
This seemed rather SEVERE penalty for
the misplay and II was determined by the
rules committee that such play should
he ruled a safety instead OF TOUCHDOWN
for the opponents. Hence the new rule.
The Egcon0 alteration Is under rule 10 or
the guide, note. This formerly defined
''ahead OF the ball" as between the OPP
ponents' goal and line parallel 10 the
goal line and passing through the center
OF the ball"
AS matter OF fact. this was inconsist-
ent with some OF the other rules. where
the forward point OF the ball Is taken as
tn. line. The rule was therefore altered
so that instead OF reading as IL did in the
former edition. II reads. passing through
the point OF the ball nearest the goal line
OF the side not I'm possession of the ball :
The next alteration occurs In rule II
of the guide, section (e). The difncuity
that caused the alteration I'm this rule has
not been appreciated very much i'm the
hig games i'm the east. but there have been
occasions even there where the delay of
the game was prolonged unreasonably.
III was found that although the rules
committee intended that no delay should
result over two minutes. an abstrepercus
team would make II more nearly four
minutes in this way: Acting under rule
- (e) that no delay arising from any
cause whatsoever should continue more
than two minutes. they would delay SUP
pose6Iy Cor injured player. for the fun
two minutes. Then the referee would
tell them time was UP and they must
play.
But they would manage 70 occupy near
~ two minutes longer by refusing To play.
claiming under rule 2s section te) that
the referee could not give the game Tor
felt TO the Other side until fully two min
utes after he had ordered them 20 play.
Just before the expiration OF the fourih
minute they would play
With this contention In mind. the rules
committee added 20 rule -. section te)
the following: ANY delay thereafter
shall be pcnaized under rule = te) -
(el ~ means that after the conSump-
tion Of two minutes five yards shall ho
given for further delay Of he game. tbs
In no way interfering with the referee 5
tnallny tnem forfeit the game at the end
of two minutes OF such DELAY.
10 other words thev will lose distance
for delay as well as torrent no Sane u
they d. not 20 on az the end ot two min
utes more. Rule ~ section (dl. first
line. the word "kick' Is changed 10 read
punt or drop kick" for further clear
ness.
Rule Il. section Cb) the words are In
serted after the words fair eaten
when kicked after touching the ball ir
AZ the side line" This was an omission
In the former rules
Under rule II there has been added -
section (al ANY such interference shal
be regarded as delay OF the game rul'
IS (c). This was IN insure the abandon
nent nj pulling and hauling the cppo
nents IN tho rush line
Rule q Of tho Guide. section ny. ~
following clause was added Unless this
should result 10 the advantage ~ th'
offending side when the down and IN
distance to he gained shall remain IN
same IL Is clear that this Is wha