The Washington times., 1906-09-09
PART l.

person GOACrIAtu VIII GaAAlANAANa pN--N-
athletic development who may feel
qualified to write with dcgmauc GER
taInty as 10 the possibilities OF the
game.
All that amusing pastme which, IN
the past. afforded employment for early
conjecture as 10 the strength OF this
eleven or the other, is IN measure
effaced. owing 70 the fact that not
even the committee on new rules, COM
posed OF recognized football mentors
throughout the United States. has more
than a suppOsittious conception as 10
the changes which shall be effected un-
der the new regime of the game.
At the close of the season OF 800, the
demand for a reform OF some nature III
the rules became so imperative that
some OF the smaller colleges and some
delegates in the Western colleges uIl4Ieu
in New York in a conference TO prlns
ebout what they termed new era
The movement vycs inaugurated by the
New York University, whose chancel-
Tor. the Rev. Henry NJ. NacCracken' Is
sued an invitation 70 the faculties OF
other colleges TO unite with his unlVer-
sitv in adopting notifications Whlch
should better adapt the pastime TO the
necessities OF the colleges. It had been
freely Intimated by some institutions
which were not represented on the foot
hail comm .tee. that owing 70 the lack
OF representation their requests had
been ignored steadily by those who held
the Hesitation for the game within their
control.
Needed Unanimous Vote.
This may have been partly true. ou;
IL is more likely the case that ;t htAu
been impossible TO effect much chanse
in football conventions. owing 70 Jhe
fact that it was the rule of the footDal'
committee not TO adopt lnodlHcatons
without unanimous consent Of all the
members. Whenever changes We're pro
r,osed by one college, they would not %
agreed to by another for fear new de-
parture would be specially adapted 10
the eleven OF the college which had suS-
gested the new rule.
When the committee Of Western col
iege football men met tn New York it
ACCOMPLISHED little more tnan the an
uouncement that changes were compul-
sorry another season. AT a Suhse-
ouent meeting this committee amalga-
mated with the regular football commit
tee as had appeared probable from the
time that the first suggestion OF a modi-
fed game had been made. and It took
little time 20 organize a body thorough
lv in harmony and especially well
equipped for the task before It. ...
Professor I. NJ. Dennis. OF Cornell.
was made chairman Of the rules COM
rnittee. and William T. Reid. jr.. of
Harvard. secretary. other members
were Walter Camp. OF Yale, who IS
often called the father Of football"
Professor ]. B. Fine, Princeton; p. X
Hail. Dartmouth; +. Homer Curtis,
Texas and Southern colleges; Or. J. A
Babbit. Haverford: Lieutenant Charles
J. DAILY. West Point; c. W. Savage,
Oberlin: Dr. II. L. Williams, Minnesota;
4. A. stagg. Chicago; John D. Bell,
Pennsylvania; J. T. Lees. Nebraska.
Task Of Great Proportions.
Throughout au' the winter the mem
bers Of the committee worked zealOusly
and faithfully to produce a new football
code which should meet with favor IN
all sections. and IL was a task OF tTe-
mendOus proportions and embodied a
greater amount OF clerical work and
careful attention 20 detail than any one
had deemed possible when the codifying
OF the new rules began.
All kinds of interests had 20 be con-
suited and every plan which somebody
or another was hopeful would add 20
the interest of the game was given care
fuI consideration, that nothing might be
omitted which would aid in preserving
the best fau outdoor sport which the
United States has devised.
After the rules had been changed IN
arH
10 go over them a second and a third
time in order that some points might
be more simpIined and that cOntradic-
tlons might De throughly eliminated
IL was long after the middle of the
summer before the rules were deemed
ready for the printer. and even then
the football committee passed upon
them once more that they might he pre-
scented to the public I'm such. a manner
that there would be no misuuderstand-
ing as to their Interpretation.
The result Of all this has been 10 build
the foundation for the new football.
Exactly what the new football shall be
s. another story. It viii be told. chap
ter bv chapter until the end Of next
December. and BY that time It viii be
evident how far the work OF the COM
mittee has succeeded In opening the
game and how much more IS needed TO
render IL nearer perfect.
Demand for Open Game.
To understand what the rules IN their
modified form have attempted 20 ac-
complish the reader must bear In mind
that there has been q clamOr for the
last three years from almost all the
public which Is fond Of football and
from many Of the colleges. especially
the smaller colleges, where the num-
her of students is smaller than at the
greater universities, for an open
game
IT was asserted and with some rea-
son. that football was not accomplish
ing its primary purpose; that it was
becoming a tug OF war on a gigantic
scale: that it was a test OF bodily
strength man 10 man, rather than
rastime In which activity and general
field abilities predominated; that it was
devoid Of action. and therefore tame TO
the spectators. and that IL savored too
strongly OF wrestling and boxing and
too little of running and lodging.
To abolish all these defects was the
object Of the rules committee They
have gone so far as they think con-