The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-09
Games Required to Show
What the Tinkering
Has Done.
Coaches, Players and Critics
Own Up to Ignorance
Of Results.
By John B. Foster.
pA PT r

EN APPROACHING the subject of
football this coming autumn there
is no person concerned with ath-
letics and athletic development who
may feel qualified to write with dog
matte certainty as to the possibilities
OF the game.
All that amusing pastime which, in
the past, afforded employment for early
conjecture, as to the strength Of this
faced, owing to the fact that not even
the committee on new rules, composed
of recognized football mentors thruout
the United States, has more than sup
Positions conception as to the changes
which shall be effected under the new
regime of the game.
At the close of the season of 1905
the demand for a reform Of some nature
in the rules became SO imperative that
some Of the smaller colleges and some
delegates in the western colleges united
IN New York IN conference to bring
about what they termed new era.
The movement was inaugurated by the
New York university, whose chancellor,
Rev. Henry M. MacCracken, issued an
invitation to the faculties Of other col
leges to unite with his university in
adopting notifications which should
better adapt the pastime to the neces-
sities Of the colleges. It had been free
ly intimated by some institutions, which
were not represented on the football
committee, that owing to the lack of
representation their requests had been
ignored steadily by those who held the
legislation for the game within their
control.
Needed a Unanimous Vote.
This may have been partly true, but
It is more likely the case that it had
been impossible to effect much change
in football conventions, owing to the
fact that it was the rule of the foot
ball committee not to adopt modifca-
tlons without unanimous consent Of all
the members. Whenever changes were
proposed by one college, they would not
be agreed to by another for fear a new
departure would be specially. adapted
to the eleven of the college which had
suggested the new rule.
When the committee of Western col
lege football men met in New York it
accomplished little more than the an
nouncement that changes were compul-
sorry another season.. At a subsequent
meeting this committee amalgamated
with the regular football committee, as
had appeared probable from the time
that the first suggestion Of a modified
game had been made, and it took little
time to. organize a body thoroly in
harmony and especially well equipped
for the task before it.
Professor l.. M. Dennis of Cornell
was made chairman Of the rules com
mittec, and William T. Reid, Jr.. of
Harvard secretary. Other members
were Walter Camp Of Yale, who is Of
ten called the 'ffather of footballV:
Professor J. B. Fine, Princeton; E. K.
Hall, Dartmouth; F. Homer Curtis,
Texas and southern colleges; DR.. J. A.
Rabbit, Haverford: Lieutenant Charles
D. DAILY, West Point; z. w. Savage,
Oberlin; DR.. H. L. Williams, Mime
sofa; A. A. Stage, Chicago; John D.
Bell, Pennsylvania; j. T. Lees, Ne
braska. p W VI, ~
Task Of Great Proportions.
Turnout all the winter the members
of the committee worked zealously and
faithfully to produce new football
code which should meet with favor in all
sections. and it was task of tremen-