New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-04
MORE FOOTBALL REFORM
RULERS WORK ALL DAY.
Holding" Prohibited and Far
Catch" Carefully Defined.


and in eight hours Of hard work made further
progress IN the revision Of the rucs ana the
reformation OF the game. AS at the previous
meetings, The action taken was only OF a 'eh'a-
tive nature, ana is still open revision before
tile changes as a whole are formally. adopted
Three members OF the committee of fourteen
were unable 10 attend and did not avail ;heTl-
selves Of the privilege to send SUBSTITUTES
Aloazo A Stage. Of the University Of Chicago;
DR.. H. L Williams of the University of Mime
sofa ana + X Hall, OF Dartmouth. We're the
absentees The other members OF the commit
Tee were present follows:
Chairman. Professor l. N. Dennis, Of Cornell
walter Camp. Of Yale: Professor J. b. Fine OF
Princeton; John c. Bell. of the university Oh
PENNSYLVANIA; DIR. Paul J. Dashlel. OF A4ilapo
,,s. Professor James A Babbitt, OF Haverford
College: Professor James T Lees, OF lhe I'm
versity Of Nebraska; L. Homer Curtis. OF the
University of Texas; Professor c. W. savage
of Oberlin College: Lieutenant Charles ID. DAY.
Of the Military Academy at West Point anu
William =. Reid, jr- of Harvard University sec
retary.
As q result of the work yesterday, II was SAID
that the labors Of the committee were all out
over There is stl much of detailed nature u
do but the main revision Of the rules Is prac-
ideally complete. When adjournment was taken
shortly after o'clock William T. Reid. jr' an
nOunceC
of the time had been taken up in going over the
old rules and deciding what changes would
lie necessary TO make them conform as whole
with those already made. Holding, huroilhB
and trimming were carefully defined, and great
care was taken in the definition or a ialr
catch" and affording protection TO the player
catching a punt. The playing time Of the game
was shortened and other minor changes were
made.
The report Of the subcommittee TO provide for
@ central board Of officials was considered and
the committee recommended the adoption OF a
plan looking toward the instruction and super
vision Of officials. and suggested that the differ
ent sections of the country appoint committees
that shall be charged with the introduction of
such a system as speedily and in so far as it
may be found feasible.
II was also voted that the subcommittee TO
provide a central board Of officials communi-
cate at once with officials Of note throughout
the country, asking expression Of their opin-
Son as TO the most feasible measures 10 provide
for the effecting Of the end desired in the adop
zion Of the above recommendation. The sub
committee viii then report TO the central COM
mittee st its next meeting some plan of pro-
oedure devised from such suggestions.
Rule - Of the old rules. relating to the length
OF the game. was modified 10 read:
The length Of a game shall be sixty minutes.
divided into two halves of thirty minutes each,
exclusive of the time taken out There shall be
an intermissiOn Of ten minutes between the two
halves.
Rule u of the old rules relating to charging.
was modified by substituting the words Start
.ng forward beyond the restraining line' wher-
ever the word charging occurs.
Rule Of the old rules, relating to charging.
Hnd defining fl, was stricken out
Inc proposed changes 10 fully protect the man
handling punt not as drastic as was
Thought would be the case. So much now de-
pends on clean handling of the ban, inasmuch as
everybody is on side the moment the ball touches
The ground after kick, that the committee
might have gone further in affording him more
protection II was explained however, that this
could hardly be done without limiting the powers
Of the catcher at the same time and this y.s
not considered advisable, as it would preclude
the running back Of punts and the brilliant
clashes through broken field which have al
ways been feature Of the game. AS il is the
payer whose duty ii viii be 10 receive the
punts In the backfeld has been fairly well pro-
tected' as the following definition shows:
Fair catch-A fair catch is made when the
baII Is caught after II has been kicked by an
opponent and before il touches the ground or in
similarly catching punt out made by a nIaver
OF ms own side, provided the player making the
eaten has signalled his intention of making
heac, ana provided after making the catch he
taxes no more than two steps. 1t is not a fair
hs-lch II the bah, after the kick was touched by
another Of the catching side before the catch
opponents who are offside shall not i'm any
way interfere with a player who has oppor-
1uilly 70 make a falr catch. Nor shall the
player be thrown to the ground after such catch
IS mace unless he shall have advanced more
ulan TWO steps after making the catch
The point where the catch is actually made
hhall be the mark, and the side making the
catch may put the ball into play from that point
a
The referee shall decide whether fair catch
As MADE, and as TO whether there is interference
with the fair catch. and also regarding the
throwing of the catcher. He shall infict the
penalties provided for such offences.
Penalties.-A distance penalty that would
carry the ball behind the goal line shall not
carry the ball past the one yard line but il
sIlsn DC puI IA pay al that point as though the
penalty had simply extended thereto. If a sec
ono distance penalty be then necessary half
1he distance TO The goal line shall then be given
on this and each succeeding offence
kiclung-When ball has been kicked any
player OF the kicking side shall be onside as soon
as The bah touches the ground. but in such case
the ball SHAH not be kicked further or kicked
81 from It's position on the ground or while
bounding by any player either side.
Out Of Bounds.-If a kick or a forward mass
goes out OF bounds before crossing the on
ponents goal line II shall belong 10 The on
ponents at the point where 1t crossed the side
line. II. however, IL strikes any PLAYER Who ts
onside and then passes out OF bounds r. s6a m
belong 10 the player who first obtains possession
OF IT
The other definitions agreed on subject M
course TO revision as may seem advisable az Nh.
next meeting. as follows:
Eoldings-That the players OF the side tra,
has possession OF the BAN should not hold
block or obstruct their opponents except with
the body. Holding or unlawful Obstruction in
cludes lal graphing the opponent with the
hanos, CD placing the hands upon an opponent
70 push him away from. the play; (c) crcling. ir
any degree, any part OF an opponent with the
armi tc) any use Of the arms 20 lift ar
opponent ia blocking
Ne rr1xr
or oostructlng an opponent Is with the arms
close 10 The body, except that a player RUNNING
Ia ma.