The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-08-29
new FOOTBALL RULES.
Many Changes, Some Important
and Others Minor.

The new football rules for 1902 are
just out, and for the first time it is
possible to get an official record of
just what changes were made by the
Rules Committee Eat its summer ses-
sion. AS is known, the most import
ant alteration in the rules..i is that pro-
viding change of goals after each
touchdown. This change, it is sup
posed, will have salutary effect by
equalizing the chances of teams, SO
far as wind and sun are concerned
The change also provides for a shift
of goals after goal from the field.
"Rule 16, section B." says the
guide, sis decided change, although
how much it will affect the play only
a seasons work can determine. "ssThis
paragraph reads:
In swapping the ball back, if the
player doing so is off side, the ball
must be snapped again, and if this oc-
ours more than once on the same
down, the opponents shall receive
five yards, the number of the down
and the point to be gained remaining
unchanged.
The penalty thus becomes the loss
of the five yards instead of loss of the
ball, and is less severe. Rule is
deals with the groupings of players,
and it contains as an exception to sec.
tion A the following:
One man of the side having the
ball may be in motion toward his
own goal without coming to a STOP
before the ball is put in play.
Section Q of the same rule eluci.
dates a point concerning which there
has always been much misunder.
standing.
If five players, not including the
quarter back, are behind the line OF
scrimmage, they must occupy, one OF
the three following positions First
All five of such players may be inside
the positions occupied at the ends OF
the line of scrimmage, in which case
two of these players must be at least
five yards back of this line; or (2) il
one of the said five players be outside
of the position occupied by the PLAYER
at the end of said line, then only one
other of these five players must pe
at least five yards back of this line,
but (3) all five of these players may
be nearer than five yards to the line
of scrimmage, provided two of them
be outside the positions occupied by
the player at the ends of said line.
In this rule outside" means outside
the outside foot IF the players al
the end of the line.
In rule 27, section +, are additional
points to still further prevent coach,
ing from the side lines. "Only five
men shall be allowed to walk up anG
down on each side of the field, z" SAYS
the rule. AS to water carriers. &C..
the rule provides that "none of these
shall come on the field of play with
out PERMISSION of the umpire. Viola
tion of this rule is a foul punishable
by five yards loss. The punishment
is mild and hardly fits the crime.
Changes have been made in Rule 2S
which has to do with penalties. Fol
holding the penalty becomes fv,
yards setback instead of ten. AlsC
for unlawful use of the hands o.
arms, a violation as to off side play
tripping and taokling below the
knees, the penalty is fixed at five
yard assessment, unless the offending
side had the ball, in which case thu
punishment is instant surrender O
the ball. If the ball be in the ali
when the foul is committed. it goe
to the non offending side. The rul,
concludes with the following note:
Whenever a foul is committed
which, in the opinion of the umpire
did not affect the play, the offended
side may decline the penalty. In cas-,
of run being made from this play
not more than twenty-five yards fror
the spot where the foul was com
mitted shall be allowed.
The band concert Wednesday even
ing was as on former occasions great