Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-05
RADICAL CHANGES
IN FOOTBALL RULES
Some Roughness is Eliminated and
Players and Spectators viii
Be Pleased.
the FULLBACK is PROTECTED.
After Kicking the Ball, Opponents Will
Not Jump Upon him, and Knock
Kim Down.

| Football fans viii notice few radi~
cal changes IN the rules governing grid.
iron battles this season, but whether
| or not the changes made VIII benefit THE
I game remains to be seen. The con-
mittee in charge OF revising the rules
attempted 70 make changes calculated
TO eliminate danger as much as possl
BILE Some able writer's on the subject
have contended that mass plays We're
necessary that the element OF danger
was necessary to make the game inter-
estng Walter Camp, one Of the great
est authorities on the game, writes as
follows.
Never before in the history of the
sport has there been time when II
was more difficult to predict what the
various styles of play would be In the
approaching season. For a few years
the rules have been allowed 70 crystal.
lie so that the coach ana players have
been given an opportunity Of buildi vs.
upon secure foundation certain
methods OF play, which have from sea-
son been developed 20 higher degrees
OF perfection. The SPECTATORS had pro-
crossed In remarkable manner In the
understanding Of the final points OF the
rules and play until they We're very
nearl vas keen as the officials In de-
tectng anything wrong with the cod
and had become remarkably clever in
appreciatln @the finer points sand for
nation plays. as well as Of the duties
| OF the individual players.
IA NOT FREE FROM DANGER,
With It all had come, however de-
| sire on the part Of the SPECTATORS Of
| the football field, from their view in
| the grandstands, to have the game sim
| plifed. and this element combining
with those who had come to believe
| that mass plays. so-called. We're dan
| gerous, produced a narty OF protestants
| In favor Of another form Of play and a
| body that must be listened to.
| Whether any form of play can ever
be devised in game involving such
| personal contact that shall be free from
| danger Is decidedly doubtful, but neith-
| er the parent nor spectator can be more
DESTROYS Of this than are the rule max
| ers end players
The rule makers began their sessions
In March, ana after having collected by
mail a large number OF plans of the
| various followers OF the sport and hav-
ing succeeded In securing many sug-
gestions went into session and contin-
ued their meetings as often as the
members could get together during a
period Of some three months The res
olutions passed at their first meeting
gave something OF an idea Of their DO
sition on the subject. They expressed
the desire to make such alterations as
should render the criticism less and Il
consider In detail the propositions al.
ready submitted and any new ones thai
might be offered The result OF al
these meetings was the production nj
the football rules as they stand for 1903
There are two views TO be taken Of
these rules. The first Ia that Of III,
enenta tor and the second that OF tn,
player.
This article puts before the spectacle
the facts as to these rules and IN,
changes that he Is liable to see brough
about by them. Another article VIII
follow taking the matter from tn
standpoint of the player and coach.
WILL PREVENT WRANGLING,
In the first place the spectator as b
looks out on the field VIII SEQ that it
middle section. that f., the spac
bounded by the two % yard line
, and the side lines, Is marked out like
| checkerboard The space from eac
! - 9olu INC 10 tue gpdi llne IS Rrln
+ iron, as of old The object OF thi
/ marking as was the object of the Ave
I yard lines originally is to assist III
Z referee In determining rapidly dis
, tances without resort 10 tape mea
D sure The transverse lines throughol
. the field are To indicate whether q sid
, line has made the necessary i've yard
In three attempts but the longitudlni
limos used IN the middle section M
u made necessary by now rule
q II VIII be remembered that there va
/, time In the history of the game who
A the quarterback, that IL, the man WI
}, first receives the ball from the snaI
e. back I'm the scrimmage, could himse
r carry the ball forward. After sor
s years law was made preventing II
{ quarterback from carrying the ball fol
P ward beyond the line of scrimmag
y The new rule of 1908 gives him
g chance once more of being rum,
G with the ball He Will however n,
= be permitted to plunge through n
8 middle of the line, but he must go
a least five yards ont, that is toward IN
: ends OF the Tine, from the place wheI
e the ball was snapped bnck.
! with this marking IL VIII not be