The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-30
CRlDlRON
ATHLETES
The Season Of 1903 Opens
Auspiciously.
CHANGES IN THE RULES
Heavy Mass Plays Have 6ccr Elimi ma
ted as Much as Possible Changes
Are Largely Experimental, but
Give Promise of Good.

The football season Of 1903 has be-
gun and the various college clevens have
generally been given their first trials.
On Saturday all the larger teams except
Princeton began their play with the re-
suit that the admirers OF Yale, Harvard.
Pennsylvania, Cornell Columbia. La
fayette. Carlisle. Georgetown and Leigh
are very well satisfied with the showing
made by the elevens and the prospects for
the season.
The chief interest in the opening games
centercd in the experiment under the ne"
'ules. I nese have been revised with view
to eliminating as far as practicable the
heavy mass plays, and revlvng the run
ming game and the open plays now sell
dom resorted to. The changes are largely
experimental, and only apply. to play be-
tween the two twenty-five yard lines or
a distance OF sixty yards One Of the
changes requires at all times during
play within the sixty yard strip OF terri
tory that at least seven men shall be kept
in the line the aim being to break up the
heavy tandem formations known as
guaids-back and tacl,es-back plays.
and to cause more end running and trick
plays In short the new rules are de-
signed to put premium on fleetncss and
agility rather than upon weight and
strength. Between the twenty-five yard
line and tie goal, mass plays are per-
u1itted as usual.
Another rule is that which allows the
quarterback to run with the ball after
II has been passed to him by the center
rush. Heretofore the ball has had to De
passed to third man before 1t was in
play. The new rule will make the quar-
terback a more important factor than
ever before. and will result In nfford!ng
more open play. The coaches are at
work. however. to evade the new rules
by inventng formations of the tandem
order by the back field. These cannot,
however, be as formidable as the old
formations, and will certainly reduce the
amount Of pushing and gains by sheer
weight. Trick plays viii he developed
In large number and end runs behind
Interference Will increase the beauty of
the team play in games.
YALE'S PROSPECTS.
Yale starts out with bright prospects,
all Of its powerful rush line Of last year
save Two being again in the game, and
Boomer, one of its new lire men. being
fully the equal OF either OF the two
who retire. Yale defeated Trinity 35 to 0,
rolling UP the biggest score made by any.
Of the larger teams Saturday
Harvard opened the season by defeating
the strong Williams College eleven by Il
TO =. The crimson team starts with less
4 eleven. They are hard at work and
Z played 81 strong opening game
Pennsylvania. which has rather irregu-
lar and unsuccessful teams for the past
two seasons. opens the year with brighter
prospects than for many years With II
build the new. there is an abundance OF
heavy men from whom to choose. ard
with good coaching. the Quakers should
Place l;I;. powerful eleven in the field
Dickinson. WHICH last season was for
midable proposition, was beaten Satur-
day y to In a fast game.
West Point made a weak opening show
ing. failing to defeat the Colgate Uni
versitySteam. For several years past the
soldiers have, been in tho. front rank
their star, but this year there is little
prospect Of their ranking 50 high,
In the South Interest chiefly centers in
North, Carolina elevens Both teams
glazed op opening practice games Saturday.
lege y TO O. while Virginia won over
st, Adams by a score OF 20 to O. St
Adams Is stronger team than Guilford.
AZ the Virginia Military Institute. the
Princeton style OF play has been In
Ing to develop a team sufficiently strong
to defeat the Virginia Polytechnic Insu-
tute eleven. which for several seasons
has far e6 %iRdi tSf l:sx Ea boys
~ ofs Ro4o Ras cs sb2ssn
and has five Of last years team as a
nucleus for a new, and winning eleven.
team who have left the University, are
Captain Waters. Left-Guard Houston,
RIght-Half-B Back PrItchard and Fuil-BacS
Harris. The old men who are again in
Guard spates. Rhght-Tackie Council.
f 9aaTter-S rSdr. Pollard LEFT
for the team SO that the places of the
old men will probably. be filled by men as
good or better than those lost Gresham,
coach; with John Desanlies. Of Yale.
assisting him Nelson Poe and John P.
Poe, Jr,. have also contributed to the
carly coaching Of the men. Some Of the
new men have made fine records at other
colleges and universities.
About nifty men are In the trial squad
ct Chapel Hill trying for places on the
North carolna a. VARSITY c a and
centre who developed such strong tea m
at Chanel Hill last year. Among the
players OF last years team who are az In
trylns for the eleven We are stewart csn,ier
and Townsend ends; Jacocks, Mann end
Berkeley, half backs: Newton, full back
and Hester the star guard of the 1901
practically all Of last years team thus
< giving Carolina a brilliant prospect for
this season. There IS much promising ma
terial, some of which may replace some
OF those of last years eleven. The Car
oiinians will play the Virginia Military
Institute at Roanoke, October 18th. and
a line on the strength Of the eleven may
be had then.