The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-23
BY John B. Foster.
PART III.

Alter The 1OOtball Tule6 Colnuiillto uau
completed its sxactlng task last spring
the writer WAS fortunate enough TO en-
ioy a long chat with Walter Camp. the
Yale athletic adviser. and perhaps the
man most familiar with football, both
I'm the concrete and abstract, In the
United States Mr. Camp has given the
game his constant attention. because IL
is his personal pleasure and pastime.
Not that he is not fond OF other sports.
for, like all healthy and energetic young
Americans every Kind of outdoor amuse-
rnent appeals TO him, but he assumed
the care of football when others were
willing TO give ii up, End largely through
his personal incentive made 1T the most
popular autumn game In tho country,
and furthermore, fought long ago for
notifications In the rules against deter
mined opposition.
What do you think football will be
like in 1862" WAS asked of Mr.. Camp.
He looked up quizzically and replied:
Frankly. don't know. / don't believe
there is anybody who docs know. l am
entering upon the coming season with dll
the delight OF q small hoy taking his first
excursion TO the ocean beach, The
youngster is overwhelmed at the pros
pect of seeing huge waves, digging in the
sand and maybe getting a peep at
whale, That's Just the way feel. Foot
ball Is likely to be such new and novel
sort OF affair that l haven't quite made
up my mind which way to begin TO look
at IT. Privately. imagine all the STRAIT
egy of the gamo will be changed. Some
seem to think TO the contrary. but can't
see how H. can be otherwise"
What effect Will the forward pass
have"
This One a Poser
IT think that the most difficult uues-
tion to answer which could have been
put to me. II may turn the game up
side down, and it may not have the effect
which Its sponsors predict for it, More
than anything else Its efficacy depends
upon whether We have legislated right
es to produce good results with 1t.
Don't forget that our football this year
iB largely experimental. The committee
has In mind what 1t believes will result.
but when practice begins some of our
theories may be found 10 have been
worthless and some may he found TO need
further legislation 10 adapt them TO the
game which We seek TO render perma-
nent."
What is the theory of the new Amer
ican game"
TO combine what We have with some
good features OF the English game, with
out losing completely the identity Of
American football. which. as a whole. |
consider more strategic and more en-
tertRining game than the Rugby or the
Association game of England"
To this end the rules committee, large
~ aided by the experience and the tao
tical knowledge of Messrs. Camp Reid
and DAILY, all of whom had abundant
success as players and coaches, made
the notifications which have been sub
mitted to the colleges and schools for
this seasons play.
At the outset II may be said that pos-
session Of the ball is not likely TO be the
dominant feature OF the game OF 1906.
Within the last two years all football
systems have been worked out on the !
theory that II was incumbent TO hold
the ball continuously in order TO win.
Looked for Beef
For that reason IL has been the policy !
OF football coaches TO select from tho
men who offered themselves as caudi-
dates for the football eleven mostly |
those who were possessed of cxtraor-
dinary strength, great weight and an
ordinary amount or agility.
With such an organization In hand |
the team director felt that by sheer /
force OF beef and Drawn he could force |
his way through any ordinary defense |
and by steadily retaining possession OF !
the ball march uninterruptedly from the |
nfst scrlmmage OF the attack TO the goal !
OF his adversary.
To prevent this, so far as possible, |
the new rules have tried 10 render Il |
impossible for team TO retain the bail |
humciently long 10 enable il TO score n |
, touchdown by series of successive mass |
new football when IL Will be imperative |
TO let go" OF the ball, aud at the same !
Time De shrewd and smart enough 10 |
obtain 1t again. Hence, while 1t Will still |
be the aim of the coaches TO cling To !
some OF their strong and heavy men.
tnere must be players OF great activity
Oh the Held TO aid both the defense and |
the attack
More Foot Work.
Almost assuredly there will he mora
attempts at feint runs and ingenious
devices to endeavor turning the ends
Inc team which is able 10 put on the
neid a set OF fast backs and alert ends !
VIII be able TO compete successfully with
an eleven which is all strength and no
speed. or course, an eleven which COM
pines both speed and strength will have
a great advantage over its adversary.
such an eleven was that wonderful or
ganization from New Zealand which gave
some exhibitions last fall In the limited |
states Oh It's admirable skill. and which
contained not only players who were |
steadfast defenders when il came IN !
checking the enemy, but who could romp |
down the held like herd Of antelopes /
when IT came to advancing the ball
The quarterback run is In vogue now /
as It has been for the last two years. !
Wnen nrst adopted most people thought /
1t would amount to but little, and for a |
season such was the case. since there |
seeueo 70 DC no eleven In the leld which |
could employ It TO advantage, or which |
paid sufficient attention TO IL to try |
to devise play by which the ball could |
be advanced against certain elevens,
Last year, however, Pennsylvania gave |
quite some thought to the play, and met
with no little success in using it, simply
demonstrating that IL the coaches of
elevens will take advantage OF the STRAIT
egy which is opened to them by the rules
there Is opportunity to make football as
much diversified as It's most bitter enc
niles could ask
The average distance gained by a mass
play. according 10 the statistics gath
cred In recent years by the diagram
men, who follow the principal contests
from year to year, is about three yards
Even that seems little TOO much, as
iime after time the last down has re-
suited In less than a yard gain by the
attacking team, but granting that three
yards is q fair estimate IL Is evident