The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-19
EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE IN SPORT GATHERED HERE
CAMP DEFENDING
TEN.YARD RULE
Father Of Foolish Rule Changing
Gives His Ideas
Of Play.
journal special Service.

Journal Special Service.
( New York, Feb. 19.-'Inordinate and increas
ing value attached to the possession Of the ball,
said Walter Camp in an address made public
yesterday, to a congress of football refOrmers,
sis the Alpha and Omega of the close plays
against which the hand of public resistance has
been raised. Abolish that and the game will
no longer develop along abnormal lines, but will
follow it's inclination to become the hardest
and at the same time the most attractive and
the most beneficial pastime which has ever been
suggested for the outdoor season.
As to what the result would be- In Mr. Camps
opinion, when the ten-yard rule should 60 into
effect, he said: "At first some crudeness until
players. captains and coaches have accommodate
ed themselves to the order Of things.
Where such radical change is made as to alter
quite completely principles which have been In
existence almost thruout the life Of the sport,
it is not fair to suppose that everything will
move smoothly the first moment.
81, Defends Fool Rule.
The first impulse Of the captain who fails to
make his distance, as he has been accustomed to
make 1t in the past, because the method is new
to him, will be to get the ball In the territory
Of the enemy by punt and trust to what may
happen either by a muff, by misjudgment of
the kick or by the ability Of his own team to
hold for downs.
1--WE have still much to learn in American
football in regard to passing the ball legitimate
~. Possibly we might have picked it up long
ago, had it not been for that very fact to which
II have referred the tremendous value
which viii has been placed on not los
i ing , possession sss ,..,, OF the ball. Cap;
coaches have scarcely ever taught it, because the
players have been imbued with the idea from
the beginning Of their football experience that the
ball should be retained under every condition.
Mr: camp was asked whether he thought it
possible for American football players to make
as much of passing the Rugby players do
Reference was made to the admirable work Of
the New Zealand players In that respect and his
opinion was solicited as to the possibility OF
duplicating 1t In the new game.
81 think" said he, that the time will come
when passing the ball Will be every bit as spec.
tacular feature. ~ 81. ..s. IS s--.af-
All Rugby teams do not pass with the pro-
hc1ency which was evidenced on the part of the
New Zealand team. Tt is hardly fair to expect
too much at once. Rugby is sport Of years,
while American college football, by comparison
Is only sport of months. Let us have time
and we may even astonish' the English players
by our development along certain lines in which
| they have attained great Skill
49,. The Pileup.
! One feature Of the game has always been out
! Of sympathy with the spectators. That is pi]ine
on player who has been downed with the hall
| in hand. There has been a reason for It in The
past. Men have been instructed to crawl wrip
gle, squirm, do anything, in fact, to keep the
ball moving, as every inch gained was SO much
advance toward the desired five yards Ft
! This Is stopped by the new rules Mr.. Camr
| declared that he was heartily glad of IT, 81
have been quite as much put out BY the nil,nu
| up on the field anyone could be-" he said
! Under the wording Of the rules 1t was q harf
matter to prevent it. The ball was supposed tt
advance SO long as the player who held /,
case now. The moment player is downed thu
pan IS dead. The player Of an opposing tear
VINO jumps on the player holding the ball vii
render himself liable to disqualified tion''