The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-04-27
FOOTBALL RULES IN SHAPE
Co mmittee in New York Make
Regulations for Next Season
Summary of the Changes That Have
Been Agreed on-Designed to Rid
Present Style of Play of its Unpleas-
ant Features.

New York April 15-After a lengthy
session yesterday al the Murray Hill
Hotel, the American INTERCOLLEGIATE
football rules committee brought into
final shape the result of their many
discussions on the changes proposed
to rid the present style OF play of its
unpleasant featuresq There may be
meeting however, in the fall. when
the playing season starts, If any new
difficulties arise in the Interpretation
OF the new rules.
One of the most important changes
decided on was TO do away entirely
with the rule which called for only
six men on the line of scrimmage on
the defense. but the onside kick and
the forward pass, which were dcgiS-
ed later. have done away with the
necessity for this, as they will tend
to open up the play much more thap
a weakened defense. AS It stands now
the defense may be absolutely unlim-
tied
STRICTER RULES.
Another matter that was decided On
yesterday was to penaliZe a team flf-
teen yards if a substitute were sent in
without first reporting himself to the
referee in person. The former rule
directed that he must report, but 70
penalty was attached for a violation.
By the revision, too, the umpire is
now obliged TO enforce all penalties
enumerated under the disqualified
ton when the linesman or refereee
reports them to him, and he may not
gard to this.
Where formerly there was only one
penalty inflicted at a time there now
may be several added together for one
loss. If several infractions of the
sules are observed on the same play
i'll the same team. it is obligatory to
enforce the sum total of the penal
ties.
The ''socker'' aspect. of the game will
be eliminated by penalty of fifteen
yards, which will be inflicted for kick
ing the ball further. along when it is
on the ground.
There were several MINOR definitions
decided On, and a preamble to the rule
book was drawn up in which the CON-
mittee defined its attitude towards the
game and it's hopes for the future Of
the game.
Those who were present at the meet
ing were L. NJ. Dennis, Cornell: w. 7.
Reid, Jr., Harvard; Walter Camp, Yale
w. II. Morris, Pennsylvania vice John
G. Bell; John B. Pine Princeton;
Charles W. Savage, Oberlin; E. K.
Daily, West Point: James G. Babbitt.
Z Z {
Southern College. A. A. Stagg, II. L.
Williams, John T. Lees and Paul
Dashiell were not at the meeting.
THE CHANGES.
Summary of changes and new def
nitiOns follow:
In a case where a substitute is sent
into the game, if such substitute does
not 60 directly to the referee and re-
port himself before engaging in play,
his side shall be penalized by loss
of fifteen yards.
space bounded by the goal lines and
the side lines.
A player shall be considered to be
termed in the rules is the rectangular
on the line of scrimmage if he has
both hands or both feet up to or with
in one foot and the opposite hand up
to or withing one foot of it. He must
also stand on either side of the snap
per back, and they may lock legs with
the snapper back.
Note to the foregoing rule-lt is IL
tended to prevent any player viii is
to be on the line of scrim-
mage from taking position at such
an angle to the line Of scrimmage,
whether he faces in toward center or
away from it, as shall enable him the
more rapidly to get in interference
A penalty of five yards is attached %
the violation of the foregoing rule.
A Mayer trips another when he OBJ
structs him below the knee with that
part of his leg that is below the knee
This, however, does not prevent a
player from diving under play, pro-
vided he does not trip as defined above.
At the moment when the ball is put
in play in a scrimmage no player
ON the side which has the ball shall
be in motion except one man on the
side, having the ball, who may be in
motion toward his own goal.
No player of those commonly oc-
cupying the positions Of center, guard
or tackle-that is, the five middle play
ers of tie line-may drop back from
the line Of scrimmage On the offense
unless he az least iyn yards back vf
the line of scrimmage when the ball is
put in play and another player takes
his place on the line. Note--There
shall be no shifting Of men to evade
this rule. ~
II case more thai one foul IS
by the officials on the same
side on the same play, the sum Of
the pena1tis shall be inflicted.
1t shall be the duty of the referee
and linesman to report to the umpire
all violations enumerated. under dis
When such violations
are reported, the umpire shall enforce
the penalty.
The penalty for the ball being kicked
further while on the ground shall be
fifteen yards.
General Wright Begins His Journey to