The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-10
NEWF00TBALLLAWS
Changes in the Rules Have Certain
" Made the Game More
Open.

Has the Danger Of Injuries to Play
ers Been Lessened 1.-THE Guar
I terback Play.
The football season has; now pro-
crossed SO far that it is possible to
speak with some confidence Of the eff
feet Of the radical changes in the rules
since last year. True, the coaches:
themselves have not yet worked out
all the possibilities of the no-mass-
play system. At the end of the sea-
son, when we have seen teams Of the
frst4rank pitted against one another,
ties OF play which the best western
coaches evolve, we shall know a great
deal more about 1t than we do now.
But the following conclusions are
drawn after watching the new. rules
in. operation in half a dozen practice
games:
The changes have accomplished one
at least of the great objects for which
they: were made. They have made
the play more open and more inter-
esting TO the spectators. Dashes round
the end are employed. much more
often-by Minnesota at least-than
ever before, and the end run certainly
| ."
public: likes to see. Moreover, with
only four men behind the line, 1t is
easier to- trace the progress of even a
line buck, than it was when the ball
was handed into the middle of a bunch
Of half a dozen backs for-the- time-be-
ing. In regard to this result of the
new rules there can be no question.
Whether the new rules have made
>1oxy
cannot be determined so easily at this
time. An accurate statement upon
this. point will be Impossible until the
close Of the season, for the really
bruising work will not come until the
| championship games. To date, Min
nesota has had fewer men laid. up than
| at this time last year, but in 1902 the
list of casualties was above the aver
age. Still, the prediction Is ventured
| that at the end Of the season the YER
dict will be in favor Of the new rules.
Advocates Of the mass play told U.S.,
when the changes were adopted, that
| tackle In the open was more dan
We, have seen men tackled, and
tackled hard, in the open time and
again in the practice games, yet but
one injury Of moment has resulted.
| Still, upon this point there can be no
positive conclusion until the close Of
| the season. " - -. -.
One thing which leads to the belief
that the new game is less bruising
| than the old, is the statement in q
Chicago paper that Stages players are
discarding head gears, shin guards, ell
| bow and shoulder pads and other pro-
ton (the Chicago Daily News says
| upon this point:
| Stage advises his men to use as little
armor In protection as possible. He has
purchased the llghtest trousers, vests, jer-
seys, shoes and stockings. obtainable and
they will IN all probability be used thru
! out the entire season. AS for headguards,
not, q half dozen have been in use so far
by; any Of the squad. Only one Of those
who have q show to win co. is guilty
of the offense. . Kirby, the short, .stocky
little halfbaek, Is forced to adopt the he'll
met. He had his. head severely bruised in
one of the early scriInmages and later re
ceiped.a jolt in one Of the practice games
which put him out Of the contest Conse-
quently he has one Of the guards But it
is the lightest that is made and only for
! the injuries he has received it is very
probable that he would not be using, one
now. A few, nose guards are worn In
the scrinlmage practices, but in games
there are only one or. two who use the
mask. -, -" - Il =, : ~. 80
Shin guards also have been put on the
shelf. One or two Of the linenlen who have
tender shins have been accustomed to
their use and it is thought that. it will
take quite a while before the habit viii
wear off. Men with weak ankles OF
course, are forced to wear bandages and
such like, but they are few. These are
absolutely. necessary and do not hinder
fast play so much as the other bulky
equipment
One change is very noticeable The
heavily padded Jersey has given, way to :
large extent to the unpadded lightweight
jersey. Many Of the maroons shirts are
plain ordinary Jerseys tho of excellent
quality, to stand the strain and tearing
The tam colored, checkered pads do not
adorn them any longer. This: has beer
the case so far; at least, tho it may be dis.
continued later In the season. The back
! field. especially has been quick to adopt the
i :reform.'' !:
!. The football. shoes, that the maroons ar,
now using: have the advantage Of seryins
as an ankle brace and at the same time
being light, as are stockings. The trous
ers are. of light weight material and ar.
1 padded at the hips and knees, with a ligh
sh1n-guard seWed in to protect the thigh
from bruises.
i It may be that this hasty discardine
of almost all protective armor vii
i prove premature, and that the
Maroons1 will be forced to take III
again the shin guards, nose guards ant
helmets which they have thrown
| away. I. ! 19uts unIll the: championship
r games refute the theories derived from
the sless-important contests, the new
+ rules must be held to be a protection
:: to the player. ss..5.
!, Another problem which it is hare
5Eto solve at this time is the effect O.
J the rules upon kicking, and upor
, ground gaining. Many thought tina,
1t would be impossible to gain GROUND
consistently 'againstt4a strong team
i without taking one or more forward
I behind the line. This question cal
onlySbe answered after several cham
pionship contests have been PLAYED
. Certainly, judging from the size of tn,
!. scores, it is just as easy to gai,
against weak teams now as before
But 1t is a well-known fact that veal
/, teams are usually especially weak a
the ends. !, Many plays which tricl
i small colleges are worse than useles
against ends Of the caliber of Alb
bolt, Bedden and Speik. Line buck
: certainly will be more difficult unde
T. the new rules. So, only when tn,
J teams Of the first division meet ca,
, we tell whether. by preventing con
! sistent ground gaining, the new rule
will compel more kicking.
: The rule: permitting the runner t,
receive the ball on direct pass from
j center will result in a more varied
!, play. Just how many effective play
can be made from this diract nass i