The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-06
FOOTBALL RULES
UNDERGO REVISION
Mass Plays Knitted Good and
Stout
THREE DOWNS-TEN YARDS
Forward Passed Allowed-The List of
Important chanees-Active Prep
arations for Coming Grid
iron Battles.
THREE DOWNS-TEN YARDS

The approaching end of the baseball
season, and the gathering of young ath-
letes in the various colleges of America,
call the attention of the lover of manly
sports and national games from the horse
side and the four cornered diamond to
the pig skin and the checkered gridron.
Since last the athlete instllled with
love for his Alma Mater carried a foot
ball from one end of the field to the other,
the rule committee of the great game has
dug into the former stipulation to such
an extent that they will never look the
same again.
The reason prompting the committee to
make drastic changes was the cry that
went up against the game last fall, to-
wards the end of the season, a cry which
resulted in several colleges and univer-
stiles barring the game entirely.
The new rules have a tendency. or rath-
er were framed for the purpose of re-
duclng injuries. and the preservation of
shins and noses. Whether the new ar
rangement will have the desired result
remains to be seen The rules have prac-
tealy barred massed plays. The ten in
stead of five yards required in three
downs as heretofore, will make 1t neces5
sary for the employment of end runs.
broad, and spectacular. The requirement
that none of the heavy linemen must re-
tire from the line of scrimmage, while the
team is on the offensive was framed with
the same end in view.
Active Preparations.
However. football will be played Some
scholars believe that the committee has
ruined the sport, and others think that the
game is bettered. Time is necessary to
tell.
The southern colleges are actively pre-
pairing for the fray. and already prelim-
tnary information Is leaking out. All
eyes are turned to Helsman's Georgia
Tech aggregation, which made such
wonderful reputation last season. Wander
bilt expects great rival in the Georgia
boys Alabamlans are turning their faces
towards Auburn and Tuscaloosa.
Birmingham, Nashville and Atlanta are
the football fields of the south. Several
games will be played in this city. Ala
bama meets Auburn. Sewanee, Tennessee.
and probably one of the Georgia teams
here. Auburn will probably play Wander
bilt and Sewanee at West End. There
will be other games of secondary impor-
lance, including several in which Howard
college will meet opponents.
Change In Rules.
At this time the most essential changes
made in the rules of the game will be of
interest:
Ten yards instead of five Is the required
gain in three downs.
The introduction of the forward pass.
the rule for same being as follows:
lone forward pass shall be allowed
to each scrimmage, provided such pass be
made by a player who was behind the
line of scrimmage when the ball was put
in play. and provided the ball, after being
passed forward, does not touch the ground
before being touched by player of either
side"
When the ball has been kicked by
player other than the snapperbaek, any
player on the kicking side shall be on
side as soon as the ball touches the
ground. 1t is also provided that such
kicked ball striking the ground, thus put
ting the lSieker's side on-sde may not be
kicked further or kicked at from its posi-
ton on the ground. or while bounding.
The three provisions above mentioned
are the most radical changes from the
rules of last season. The first is direct
legislation against massed plays that
manner of advancing the pig-skin being
considered dangerous. The reason for the
Inauguration of the forward pass is not
30 clear. The logic of the third is that
preventing promlscous kicking will tend
TO lesson the probability of accident
Some of tho other changes are:
The kicker In trying at goal from a
touchdown may touch or adjust the ball
in the hands of the holder so long as the
ball does not touch the ground.
Terse Legislation.
The foul play rule has been amplfied.
and especially covers hitting, kneeing,
kicking, etc
The length of the halves has been re-
duced to twenty minutes each.
The captain of team may not call for
time but twice during the progress of
half it being specified that for every
other time there must be a forfeit of two
yards, unless the man for whom time
is wanted be removed from the field.
Holding" is follows:
"Grasping an opponent with the hands
or arms placing hands upon an opponent
10 push him away from a play, clrclng
in any degree any part of player with
the arms and use of the arms to lift an
opponent in blocking"
No stiff arming for the purpose of
checking a runner is permissible Tho
punishment for the violation of these rules