Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-10-12
THE NEW FOOTBALL GAME.
All Can Follow the PIayIno-oreat Dart
mouth Williams Struggle.

For people within reach of Springfield,
Mass, there IL provided this year the
rare opportunity OF seeing in football
combat, at comparatively slight expense
and little Inconvenience, college teams
that have established a rating almost as
powerful as any of the so-called Big Four.
The annual game between Dartmouth and
Williams will be played on Hampden park,
Springfield, on the afternoon OF Saturday.
Oct. ~.
Stripped of their uechnicalities, the new
rules take for their keynote the provision
that every play must be made in plain
sight. The game Is no longer one which
can be followed only by football experts.
but is one in which the blendings for the
combination to success are brain and
muscle and Drawn, instead Of Drawn.
brute strength and tricxery. The piano.
ramic part has been well mapped out by
the rules committee and football now
between two teams Of seasoned athletics
such as Williams and Dartmouth will send
out, cannot help being an inspiring spec
tacle.
Among the thousands who have made
up the throngs that attend the great
games have been hundreds who could not
follow the playing with any close under
standing of its points. They have been
thrilled by the tense action and the
swaying. cheering, flashing multitude
and indeed thousands say: "Oh, 1t was
worth all 1t cost to see that magnificent
crowd" But they have wanted more
plays that could be seen, and In the new
rules this great advantage has been
such people greatly, and the attendance
at the Dartmouth Williams game is sure
to be greatly increased.
Comment and criticism on these new
rules have merely made the interest in
the sport more keen and more general.
1t ia no longer confined to partisan grad
uate and undergraduate bodies. for the
edict that 10 yards instead Of FIVE must
be gained in three downs has succeeded
in opening up the play bringing In daz-
cling dashes around ends and necessitat-
ing, as a rule, an exchange of kicks every
few seconds, whereby In the old style a
solitary kick as a last resort would oc-
casionally give the spectator a glimpse
OF the ball.
Another important change with the
same object is that which provides
neutral zone between teams when they
are lined up for scrimmage. The length
Of the ball separates the opposing forces
now as they are drawn up and no player.
other than the man swapping back the
ball. is allowed to have any part OF his
body within this neutral zone which is
in width, from end 20 end Of the scrim-
mage line, the length Of the ball as 1t
lies between the two teams. Consequently
the ball can no longer be hidden in mass
OF players, leaving the spectator wonder
ing where 1t Is until the bunch has been
untangied.
The most radical Of all the changes is
that allowing the forward pass, and put
ting speed and skill at a premium One
forward pass is allowed for every sorim-
mage providing 1t is made from dis
lance of five yards 70 either side OF the
point where the bali was put In play
Already this rule has gained great favor
with the public even though some coaches
decry 1t, but it is on the verdict OF the
public that the popularity Of the game
hinges Another big change, and one
which will make the game abound in
critical situations, provides that any
player of either team may recover the
ball as soon as 1t strikes the ground
after a punt.
The sale of tickets will begin Saturday
morning OF this week at 10 o'clock in the
board OF trade rooms, Springfield, and
mail orders may be sent to j. Frank
Drake of Springfield, care OF Board Of
Trade.