Evening journal., 1901-09-07

Wilmington has many football en-
thusiasts, as well as her fair quota OF
players, and just now there is a general
discussion of the changes in the rules
for 1901 However, they will not prove
serious in their effect upon the play
They are more after the order of rem
dering more explicit the existing rules
and placing sufficient power in the
hands Of the officials to insure the en-
forcement of those rules.
For the last three years the popular
feeling has been that Che game when
properly conducted, is thoroughly sat
isfactory, and that If the officials en-
force the rules the result is always a
fair one, and the game Of the most in
teresting kind when equally matched
teams meet.
The exact alterations which have
been made in the rules this sea-
son by the committee are contained in
Spalding's Official Football Guide,
and are as follows:
namely, that a safety is made when the
In rule A of the guide, section d.
there is further definition of a safety,
namely, that a safety is made when
the ball. kicked by a man behind mis-
goal line, crosses the extension OF the
side line behind the goal line. 1t was
generally supposed that the rules did
not provide for such a contingency
but. as a matter of fact, they did
When a man, standing behind his own
goal attempted to kick the ball out and
made such a poor kick of it that the
ball did not cross his goal line at all
but crossed what would be the exten-
sion Of the side line and thus went into
touch, by the existing rules the bal
was dead as soon as IL crossed the side
line. But also by another rule when a
ball was kicked out of bounds it die
not go to the man who first obtained
possession of it, but to the opponents
Hence a kick of this kind would result
in the opponents having possession o.
the ball in touch. But then they mus
bring it TO the point where the side
line was crossed by the ball and there
put il in play. The result would bs
that they would bring It down behint
the kicker's goal, and Immediately
upon putting It in play there. they
would hold IT, on the ground. and thu
secure a touchdown. In other words, +;
ball which kicked by man behind hi
own goal line did not cross the goa
line. but crossed the side line, meant
il the rules were followed out. touch
down for the opponents. This seemed
rather a severe penalty for the miss
play. and il was determined by tn,
Rules Committee that such pla,
should be ruled a safety instead of ;
touchdown for the opponents. Henc,
the new rule.
The second alteration is under rul,
10 of the guide, note This formerl,
defined ahead of the ball" as "be
tween the opponents goal and lin
parallel TO the goal line and passing
through the centre of the ball" AS
matter OF fact, this was inconsisten
/ with some of the other rules where tn
forward point of the ball is taken a
the line. The rule was therefore alter
cd so that instead of reading as 1t dii
in the former edition, it reads, pass
ing through the point of the ball near
est the goal line OF the side nc
in possession of the ball"
The next alteration occurs in rule 1
Of the guide. section e. The difficult
that caused the alteration in this rul
has not been appreciated very much /
the big games in the East but thor