The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-08

football rules last saturday. and though wet
fields prevailed and handicapped handling
Of the ball and ease Of movement there were
plain signs that progress had been made In
acquiring familiarity with the new condi-
tons TO their consequent credit. Additional
games. what there have been Of tn EN-. have
siren gthened belief in the merits of the
revised code not weakened it-thouRh the
best test will come VIII en- the stron gest elevens
engage one another.
Line bucking and massing in scri manage
have not died out under the new rules. and it
was not expected they would. The idea OF
che American intercollegiate football rules
committee was to improve the game and
vet preserve the best features Of the old.
There was no desire to do away with scrim-
maging and line playing alto gether but to
open up the game and eliminate as much a.
possible the bruising roughness Of punched
formations and their line battering. The
new gam has been developing along the
desired line.
There has been much less steady slammin g
at an opponents line. less looking for a weak
spot in the line to assault and less exhaustion
and wear and tear. II the ten yard rule con-
tinues to make it more diflcult to gain the
required distance by direct pounding at OPP
ponents IL will be the tmost convincing way
OF putting IL up to players that they must
enlarge upon their reliance on open tactics,
There will be line boring when within strik-
ing distance OF the goal. but a deal more
open play to lead up to bringing the ball
within striking distance.
The rules committee did not promise a
Rame without accidents. The hope was ex-
pressed. however, in the framing of the new
rules that there would he fewer injuries TO
back and spine and head. Aside from the
fatal accident at Lawrenceville this seasons
accidents have been in the nature Of frac-
lures OF bones-not the deeper. internal in
juries. The game il still a hard one, and
there will be accidents. but the new rules
call for cleaner play and are strong against
deliberate rouRhing.
Spectacularly the new rules are infinitely
better than the old and designed 20 make
the game more fun for the player. Fear has
been expressed that ground canrot be gained
consistently under the new rules. That is a
rather selfish way of looking at il, Whether
the accident question becomes a serious
matter under the new rules. as under the
old, only time can tell; but the season thus
far has shown that the rules are far more en-
joyable for spectator and participant than
were the did. What matters it If Eroun d can
not be gained consistently II gruelling. bat
terinR tactics have been reduced largely
and the game promote changing, shifting,
open field play, quick thinking, ability 10
grasp opportunities. aleTtness and indl-
Yidnality; in short, becomes better SPORTY
There still will he plenty Of the beauties Of
harmonious team work. and the individual
at the same time wnl not be so much sub
merged into a mere inanimate part Of a ma
chine. This" remarked a Yale crack ~
twelve years ago at the Yale-N esIcyan game
last week, is like old times The old times
referred to. were unlike the games Of later
years, described by the same crack az weight
and foot movements"
Some Of the reports of this seasons games
have told how the touchdowns were due
directly 10 line bucking. and true many If
them have been. but the play that was directly
responsible for getting within striking dis
tance Of the goal was open play pure and simple.
Was the long run by Tad Jones that landed
me Dali INSIDE Wesleyan = ytrd me ilne
that gave the ball to Yale inside Wesleyan's
rs yard line line bucking? or course there
enough 70 counterbalance and impart the
proper degree Of variety to the increased use
Of open play: Harvard. Yale Princeton,
them have gained moro ground by open
play than they ever did before, and not a few
touchdowns have been the immediate result
Of an open play.
An interesting point was raised at New
Haven last Saturday whether the neutral
zone did not give the attacking line the ad-
vantage in the matter Of charging. The
neutral zone widens the space between the
opposing lines. does away with a great deal
OF rough work between the men facing one
another. means cleaner handling and passing
Of the ball between centre and quarterback
and brings the pigskln into palmer view or
the stands and officials. The attacking side
always did have some advantage in knowing
the moment to charge, and with the additional
momentum before coming in contact with
the other line may make more telling use Of
this condition.
on an opponent, but what is sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander There Is no
more reason now than before why the de
knowledge of when 20 charge rs the offence.
that is. aside from the question OF possession
Of the ball. Theoretical lily at least the de-
fence can gather as much momentum az
the offence. Developments regarding this
point will be watched closely by the sharps.
DrinRafnn ia doing "A good deal OF aVDpTl-
mentinR with the FIVE middle positions of the
line. Cooney has been tried at guard. with
Herring has been shifted from tackle to centre,
with Rheinstein, who has been used at centre,
going 70 one Of the guard positions They'll
at Old Nassau in due time. Capt, Dillon
probably will play a better guard, than he
who do better with Increased responsibilities.
At present the Princeton quintet from tackle
% tackle is more suggestive Of steadiness
The Yale middle trio appears TO be less
stanch than the Tiger trio-,this on what
was seen Of the two groups in their first games.
The Princeton trio was steadier and sitter
on the defence, though n tri1e slower. Erwin.
who was not first class material last. year on
this year. He il weighty enough for any
body. In fact he and Hockenburser. the
team who are AT all impressive in the way
Of a~vordupois. ellis, az centre, ia a com
paratiyely light man but agile. Dunbar.
Iuc lNh HIuAACA ANEIAAA - NhFA NNNA AAN
is understanding the pivotal position this
year. has considerable aggressiieness.
The Princeton tackles are built closer to
the ground and look more rugged than Forbes
and Biglow Of Yale. but the latter pair are
RANGER and cover more ground. They, are
very busy when II comes 20 getting into plays.
After such ends as Shevlin and Rafferty, there
Is nothing At Yale that stands out prominently
on the eXtTemitles Of the line. The condl-
ton is similar to that of 1900, when Coy and
Gould, not impressive individually. fitted in
capabiy with the whole. Princeton. who
rarely fails 10 turn out capable ends, haa n
most promising one in Wister. n chap who has
the faculty OF being where the ball IL.
In their first game Of the year the Els
would have made more points had they been
spryer in falling on the ball. Hesitancy
spoiled several chances Of nippinR the bal
when II was loose. Possibly II was unCer-
tainty due TO unfamiliarity with the new
rules. Anyway. In a game where the ball IL
going 10 be loose as much as this year more
alertness in grasping opportunities will be
necessary. There is speed. speed and more
speed, back of the Yale linP--in fact the
whole Blue bunch eXudes that cOpmodity.
Even this early the pla VI are run on quickly.
There will have to he some lovely hustling
by ends If they are going to stop runs from
punts through a broken field by T.. Dillon, the
Princeton quarterback. The little Princeton
man was a cOrkeT last year and Is better this
year. He II OF instanIer. chooses his route
with rare Judgment and IL a hard man TO get
hold Of.
In the Yale-Wesleyan game there was a
play that showed both the advantage OF