The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-25
THE FOOTBALL. RULES
CHANGES MADE HAVE I'M.
 PROVED THE CAME.
Aftermath of Fridays Contest and an Incident of Coach Biount's Sportsmanlike Spirit.
 Games in Eutura.

SportSmau1ke Spirit
 Games in Futurs.
 That the rules committee has not ruin- ed the game of football was demonstrat t cd in the Alabama-Auburn game Friday. and from many points of view the game has vastly improved.
 One of the biggest mproyements-and one that the Montgomery public was quick to realize and appreciate Friday Is the increased authority placed in the hands of the officials through their pow CT to penalize. Not only are the rules not sensational and revolutionary, but they show that after 1t is all threshed over football Is the same old Rugby ar- ticle in the main. Ideals are difficult things to down entirely, and with the team that has the strongest punters, the kicking game will in its favoritisna. SUI percede everything else, but the new rules are not having the effect of boom ing the kicking game as much as was expected.
 On the other hand the attempt to rush the ball by systematic plunging bucks will be more closely adhered to. bunting being avoided only when 1t is absolutely necessary. This was noticeably apparent in the style of game played by Tuscaloosa and Auburn Friday. MT. Blount, the Alabama coach compelled his men to follow to the letter the bucking game with the old Yale formations. The Au- burn team seemed to place more reliance in trick plays and attempted end runs than anything else. Not only that. but they tackled so absurdly high as to make , them absolutely powerless before the ad- mirable onslaughts of the Alabama team.
 A distinct advantage of the new rules is that a spectator can from any point of the field follow each play with more ease and readiness than formerly. It is possible now to see who takes the ball from the quarter back, to see where tho run is directed and to follow the move- ments of the runner until he is tackled. With the former rules in scrimmage a spectator could not tell whether a piece of ploughed up earth or a foot ball was what was causing so much flu. rious scrambling. except when the ball was fumbled or kicked.
 That the new rules have not eliminated to a great extent rough play was very apparent Friday. The full back is not jolted as severely after a punt since he
 is powerless to put his team lon side" after punt, but on the whole the 1908 game is about as rough as the most en- thusiastic Montgomery football dend could have desired Friday afternoon.
 Too much credit cannot be given Coach Blount. The excellent work of the Ala bama team Friday was a revelation.
 Taking a team that has for years had the reputation of being slow, he has. by systematic digging. developed them into as fast football aggregation as one cares to see.
 Not only is MT Blount a thorough in- structor, but he is every inch a sports man as a little incident which came un- der my observation Friday afternoon shows. Auburn had just made it's touch down and was preparing to mako a try for the goal when a knot /of Alabama students standing on the side lines near the south goal posts. begin a yell with the refrain of They can't kick, they can't kick" running through 1t. Rushing up to the group Mir. Blount said quickly. Boys, for my sake. please hush. We are sportsmen and men. not babies ready to take a small advantage"
 The chorus had a very sudden ending, Auburn kicked the goal, and everything was smooth again. Hardly dozen peo- pie on the grounds noticed the incident, and 1t would probably not have had the least effect on Auburn's try at goal, but 1t served to show the lofty spirit that scorns to stoop to anything with the suspicion of a petty taint that is being hammered into the Alabama boys by Mir. Blount
 The University of Alabama has a treas ure in MT. Blount He is not only imbu- ing a lofty spirit over there, power in college athletics, but he is getting out about as fast football squad as one wants to see, and If he has even neu- clus of his fast 1903 team next year. he will have an aggregation that will make anything in the South respect it.
 The gratifying attendance at Fridays game has clearly proved the fact that Montgomery is the logical point for foot ball games in this section of the South. and the management of both the Ala hama, Auburn and Sewanee teams have decided to make these two games an" nual affairs in Montgomery.
 The Alabama-Auburn game will be played hereafter on Saturday. Oct. 24, and the Auburn-Sewanee game on Sat urday, Oct. Sl
 The Auburn-Sewanee game next Satur- day will be the first contest between these rivals since that memorable day game of 1ss9. and rom the enthusiasm manifested so far. the indications arc that the record breaking crowd of 1899 will be eclipsed Saturday.
 Coach Bates of Auburn will have far different team Saturday from the one that played Alabama Saturday. Both he and the Auburn team profited by the lessons of that game, and the result Will be apparent next SaturOAy. The pIinCi- pal lesson will be the total elimination of any kind of high tackling. and the speed. gameness and bulldog determina- tion of the team of 1899 will face the Se- vance team Saturday.
 The team that Sewanee will have will average 153 pounds. the lineup being: Watkins, center; Phillips and Harper, guards; Brown and Kirby Smith (cap- tain), tackles; Wheless and Jones. ends; quarter; Colmorc and b. Kirby Smith, half backs. and Stewart full back.
 Probably the most pleasing surprise of the game Friday was the excellence Of the street railway service, not hitch and the big crowd being ham, died with the greatest ease. For the first time since the Jackson street line has been extended to a junction with the Highland Park line near the ball grounds the big crowd was taken over 1t. The re- sult was that there was absolutely no congestion or delays, cars running over botb lines in an endless stream, and the public appreciated the comfort glEen tbcn1 in having seats both ways, instead oF hanging to straps.