The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-29
INTERPRETING FOOTBALL RULES.
Conference OF Players. On1CiaIs n Coaches
aauiu-. u. sss-c---s sa-ea-ane-.

brings SIS 1:sseES7t Opinions.
A conference on Interpretation" as II was
called in tho invitations sent out by the CEN
trail board Of officials OF the American Inter-
collegiate Football Rules COMMITTEES. was held
at the Murray Hill Hotel last night and was
attended by about 100 college players, oficials
and coaches OF note. The meeting lasted
long, and 1t brought out the fac that there
are W idely differ ing opinions among the
experts regarding the meanin 9 and purpose
OF a number of the new rules.
Offcials were there seeking guidance as
to penalties and other matters connected
with the revised playing code and coaches
were there to find out the spirit and letter OF
rules that did not seem to be clear to them.
The offshoot OF the main committee. known
as the central board OF ~ofioials. Ia composed
OIL. M. Dennis, Cornell; Walter Camp, tale;
c. W. Savage, Oberlin. J. b. Fine. Princeton.
and James A. Babbitt. Haverford, chairman.
and all were pres ent except Nessrs. Dennis
and savage. Other members OF the main
committee who were on hand were W. T..
Reid, Harvard; Charles ID. DAILY. Vest Point.
and p. II. Curtiss. still others present were:
Rockwell. Ely. Oloott. Sharpe and Still
man. all OF Yale; Edwards. Holt, Roper and
Pell, Princetonians. Williams. Morice. Torrey.
Vail. Newton, McCracken. hanson and
Minds Of Pennsylvania Raycraft. Chicag go:
Whiting. Cornell; Murphy. Brown; Van Tyne
and Langford. Trinity; Ssund ers. Columbia;
Pennsylvania; Palmer. S~warthmore, and
Nj. j. Thompson, Georgetown.
DR.. Rabbit called the meeting to order
and announced that Mr.. Camp would be chair
man OF the meeting. Mr.. Camp then read a
paper which had to do with suggestions 70
officials in the enforcement OF the rules with
a view OF UNFOLDING their spirit and brin gins
out clean and fair play, the same being merely
his personal views defining the duties of the
portant point brought out in the paper bore
on the new rule that requires any one oil, the
Ave centre line men that drops back to drop
When this rule was adopted by the COM
mittee last spring it was made known. that
used in mass. fine smashing formations and
TO allow a guard. or tackle, II so desired 70
drop back 70 do the pushing. There is a note
shall be no shifting Of men to evade the rule.
Mr.. Camp. in his paper. said he took the
back on the offence TO run with the bali or
act as interfere r he should not be allowed
70 go back into, the line on the offence. He
20 ask the captain II the change were to be
permanent. II the captain refused 20 answer
his team m should chou be PenSIi 1edsd hSs yards;
into the line again a penalty Of five yard
should be inflicted for every time such a thing
happened. This, Of course, did not refer 10 a
line man going back to do the kicking.
There was profuse discussion. quibblinR and
halrsplitttng when the point came UT, for dis
/ NUNSlOu ny NNc luNrlllk III kNhC IL ~ bhoT
ton of the positions Of the men as they play
on the defence in connection with their po-
sitions on the offense was dug up, and some of
those present seemed to think defensive po-
sitions could be so jugRled as to AFFECT the
rule when IL came to offence. Others con-
tended that the rule was clear. had no con-
ueCtion with defence, and that men could be
placed on the defence any way desired with
out conflicting with the wording OF the rule
the latter pertaining solely,to offence. =.
Mr.. Reid pointed out fOrcibly that football
was on trial this year and that II would not
do 70 seek to evade the purpose OF the rule In
any way. Among the members Of the rules
committee III themselves who were present last
| night there was difference nj. opinion as 10
whether the rule when adopted had anything
TO do with defence. Some said YES. other
said no. But as the rule particularly specifies
| offence, there were others who could not
understand what all the discussion was about,
As there are q number Of games to be pla yed
| to-day, officials present last night wanted
enlightenment At once. As Chairman Dennis
Of the rules committee was not present to call
a meeting, II was finally decided that the
rules committee get together in the next
few days and render an official opinion on
the moot point. After that the other rules
were taken up in order and at midnight were
still being discussed. a number of knotty
problems being elucidated.
The central board had a long list OF officials
for games that embraced pretty nearly every
body who has officiAted in a game.