Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-09-20
TWO CENTS
NEW RULES.
Foot ball Men Have Made I'M
portant Changes.

Goals From Touch Downs will be hard
to Make-Penalties are Greatly Re-
duced--Goals Changed after Each
Score-Summary of the Changes.
The new football rules for 1902
are out. The most important alter
alton in the rules is that providing
change of goals after each touch
down. This change, it is supposed
will have salutary effect by equal
izing the sehances of teams, so far
as wind and sun are concerned, and
give spectators an opportunity to
see more of the play. The change
also provides for shift of goals az
ter goal from the field. A number
of minor changes are made for the
sake of clearness, and Rule II,
which refers to the length of the
game, SAYS the referee shall, when he
thinks darkness is likely to cut
short the game, arbitrarily shorten
the two halves, and that refusal to
abide by the referees opinion shall
mean forfeiture of the game.
Rule 16 Section b." says the
guide, ''is decided change, al.
though how much of 1t will affect
the play only.a seasons work can
determine" The paragraph reads.
''In swapping the ball back, If the
player doing so is off side, the ball
must be snapped again, and if this
occurs more than once on the same
down the opponents shall receive
five yards, the number of the down
and the point to be gained remain
ing unchanged"
The penalty thus becomes loss
of the five yards instead of loss OF
the ball. 1t contains as an exception
to Section A the following.
Zone 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 G. of the same rule eluci-
dates point concerning which
there has always been much misun
derstanding.
If five players, not including the
quarter back, are behind the line as
scrimmage, they must occupy one OF
the three following positions:
First-All five of such players
may be inside the position 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) if one of the said
five players he outside of the posi-
tion occupied by the player at the
end Of said line, then only one other
of these players must be at least
five yards back of this line; but (3)
all five of these players may be near
er 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 of the players at the
end of the line.
In Rule 81, Section F, are addi
tional points to still further prevent
coaching from the side lines. "Only
five men shall be allowed to walk up
and down on each side of the field"
says the rule. "As to water. car
riers," ETC., the rules provides that
"none of these shall come ON the
field of play without permission of
the umpire" Violation of this rule
is foul punishable by five yards
loss. The punishment is mild and
hardlysfits the crime. Changes have
been made in Rule %, which has to
do with penalties. For holding the
penalty becomes five yards setback
instead of ten. Also for unlawful
use of the hands or arms, violation
as to off-side play, tripping ana
tackling below the knees, the penal
ty is fixed at Vineyards unless the
offending side had the ball, in which
case the punishment is instant sur
render of the ball. If the ball is In
the air when the foul is committed
it goes to the non offending side.
The rule concludes with the follow
ing note:
whenever foul is committed
which, in the opinion of the umpire
did not affect the play, the offended
side may decline the penalty In
case of a run being made from this
play not more than % yards from
the spot where the foul was commit
ted shall be allowed.