New-York tribune., 1906-10-15
ON THE GRIDIRON.
Revised Rules Meeting 1cith FAVOR
as the Season AdUonces

The college football season is now far enough
advanced to make it possible for the experts
who are studying the game under the revised
rules, to form opinion as to what has been
accomplished in freeing the sport from the evil
ways into which it had fallen. Up to this time
however, the experts have been rather back
ward in expressing an opinion. preferring to
wait until such time the big elevens meet
when a fairer test will be possible. 1t can
be said. however. that there seems to be gen.
eral feeling that the game has been improved
to a marked degree and that whatever changes
are necessary In the near future will be purely
of technical nature and have little bearing on
the game as it now stands. Under the new code
the game is remarkably free from that monoto-
nous line plunging and general piling up of play
ers which encouraged roughness and unfair tao
ties. In its place has come the more Spectacu-
lar and dashing open play which makes for the
greater enjoyment of the players we'll the
onlookers 1t does not seem necessary, then. to
wait for the experts to express an opinion. it
is bound TO be in favor of the so-called new
game under the revised rules.
Princeton had some trouble in earning a
victory over Annapolis Saturday, and had TO
resort to the old line game to make single
touchdown. the midshipmen had developed a
defence which made the forward pass and on
side kick dangerous. 1t begins to look as if the
effectiveness of these plays will be lost to a
large extent when two elevens are fairly evenly
matched. In Wednesdays game against I4ehigh
Princeton ran up % points. Throughout the
entire game the team played with rush which
their lighter opponents were unable to resist
while on the defence the line found no difficulty
in stopping all plays. The backs worked to-
gether almost as one man, and formed a close
interference. which could not be broken All
the new formations had their first hard test and
proved eHectlve There was a noticea bic lack of
the old line plays, these being resorted TO only
twice in order to secure touchdowns from short
distances. Kicking did not play a prominent
part, because Princeton, in whose possession the
ball remained during the greater part of the
game, found no difficulty in making the required
distance and was only forced to kick once.
when ffteen-yard penalty and slight rally
by Lehigh's line prevented gain. The entire
game consisted of a series of end plays and
forward passes, which were run off with snap
and cleanness not seen in any previous game
this season
Harvard won two victories last week, beating
Bates p to g. and the Amherst "Aggies" 81 to
O. Both were little more than good practice
games The development of the eleven is going
on in fairly satisfactory way. Coach Reid and
Captain Foster complain OF lack of material.
and many men have been lost through the new
eligibility rules. but Yale is suffering 10 some
extent from the same cause. Harvard is fortu-
nate in one partcular-the three centre men
who played against Yale last wear are once
more candidates for the eleven and are showing
up well. Parker at centre and Burr and
herSourg at guards are veterans and form an
hlckng well this year and will probably do
most OF the punting when distance is required.
Aersours should make one OF the best guards
harvard mas had in recent years. Burr can be
counted on to play his position we'll He is re-
saToed as one of the most valuable men on the
heid; The strong point of the candidates. as
Who!e Is their ability to kick the ball In every
game thls season Harvard has had the field
naI dozen men who could punt well. Kick
ing VIII play an important part In the game
'hls year, for II appears to be difficult for even
Ine pest teams u make ten yards In four downs
against weak opponents. The rules are
causing the coaches good deal of trouble. but
the opportunities for varying the style OF play
are gradually being understood. Even If the
game has not been improved In any other way
II has been diversified: that is one step in ad-
vance.
The Yale eleven suffered last week from slight
injuries TO some of the strongest candidates
but on the whole. some advancement was made
ana victories were scored over the Springfield
training School and holy "-~-s. The coaches
are taking full advantage OF the rules to build
up fast, open game. and. as far as can be
Judged with more than usual success