The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-23
FOOTBALL CHANGES.
A. j. Stagg. Expert. Tells of Alterations
in Rules This Year.

Alonzo J. Stage. the western member
of the committee which drew up the
football rules for the present season,
discusses some of the changes which
have been made over last season as FOL
lows:
Probably the greatest thing done by
the committee was to provide Tor a
codihcation of the rules and perhaps
the greatest work for the future VIII
be along this same line Heretofore the
rules have been almost unintellfg1ble.
The best of officials had trouble in ap-
plying the rules or to find exactly what
one to apply Much time was wasted
and much wrangling participated Inc
only reason for it all was due to differ
ent interpretations placed on the rules
TIE new book will contain COM
plete codification of the rules Under
penalties. the rules will apply the I'VE
yards penalty" to ''unsportsmanilke
conduct etc. Under this head are
twelve offenses specified-all that re-
quire the infiiction of this penalty. IN
der the fifteen yards penalty, four Of
fences are listed, including interior
ference with a fair catch" etc
Under disqualification one offence is
listed, and under forfeiture, two Of
fences are listed Thus every possible
excuse for the inf1iction of a penalty is
named and the required penalty stated.
consider that this work in itself is the
most important thing accomplished by
the recent Philadelphia meeting of the
committee
>
up other parts of the rules, other than
those applying TO penalties, and codify
them The rules will then soon be made
ineligible to ALL And this is the one
great aim that the committee should
have-to make the game ineligible 10
everybody
CHECKERBOARD PLAN.
Another important work was the ex-
tension of the checkerboard scneme.
The new rules hold that any player
NAV receive the ball from the snapper
back and advance it, if he goes five
yards outside Of center. The twenty
five yards rule as applied last year has
been eliminated and the checkerooaro
will extend over the entire field this
year.
widen the field. so that there would not
be the narrow two and halt YARD
strips along the side of the grid1ron
1t was the general opinion that this
narrow strip would be a decided advan-
tage as the runners attention would
be attracted by the narrow strip and
he would be apprised that he was
near the side line, whereas If the
spaces were all five yards wide, the
side line might be overlooked
Personally I was in favor of allow
ing any formation desired requiring
six men in the line in any part OF
the field. As it is. YOU can have bul
six men in the line of scrimmaSe, but
one of the eleven has to be outside
of end on one side 1 would nave
liked to have had freedom so thai
more could have stood back-practic-
ally the rule of two years ago. What
is meant by outside of line is. a;
interpreted by committee, wholly out
side not one foot outside but clearly
outside. body as well as feet while or
the line" means not head only bu
body and at least one foot
The abOlishing of the twenty yards
loss with privilege of keeping the ball
was recommended by the east. The
general opinion in the committee wa:
that the rule was being overworkeC
and that il was not a wise rule
No TEN YARDS PENALTY
The ten yards penalty was dropped
altogether. Fifteen yeards' penalties
were adopted for holding, tripping. IL
legal use OF hands and feet and arms
illegal running and interference witt
n fair catch: and the five yard penalt.
was adopted for all other infraction
except those for forfeiture and dis
qualification. Some of the infraction
to which the five yards penalty ap
plies are coaching from the side lines
delay of the game. interference will
center of side plays when not IL