The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-12
RULESMAKERS' WORK
TO co TO REAL TEST
Guide Just Issued Replete with
Pictures Showing Fair and
Foul Play.
few York Herald Special Service.


New York, Aug. Incomplete rules
governing the American style of foot
ball play have been published by the
new rules committee, which thoroly
revised the old rules that had
caused storm of protests against them
brutality on the field.
Supplementary to the rules is sec
ton containing thirty full-page half
tones, poses especially for the commit
tee, which shows clearly the plays that
are permissible and prohibited, in ad-
dition to which several new features
being briefs of the rules defining the
jurisdiction of each official; volumin-
GUS yet simple index and the insertion
Of the penalty for violation Of rule
In the rule itself, the paragraphs being
printed in a distinctive style Of type,
which enables the penalty to be seen
instantly.
The chief alterations in the rules are
as follows: The officials of the game
shall be a referee, two umpires and a
linesman. 1t is, however. allowable to
dispense with the second umpire at
the discretion Of the two institutions
been shortened by ten minutes, making
the tow halves each thirty minutes in
length.
The Scrimmage Line.
The line of scrimmage for each side
is an imaginary line parallel to the
goal line and passing thru that point of
the ball nearest the side IS own goal
line. It will be noted that there are
thus two lines of scrimmage, one for
each team, and the two teams are thus
separated by the length of the ball.
fat upon the ground with its long axis
at right angles to the line of scrim-
mage.
It has also been provided that a
player to be on the line of scrimmage
must have both hands or both feet up
must have one foot, or the opposite
hand up to or within one of it. He must
also stand with both feet outside the
outside foot Of the player next to him
unless he be one Of the two men stand
ing on each side of the snapper back.
in which case he may lock legs with the
snapper-back.
A player attempting to make fair
catch must signal his intention by
raising his hand clearly above his head
while advancing toward the ball.
| Further addition has been made to
! the rule regarding Hdown." That IS.
that the referee shall blow his whistle
! the runner with the ball, except his
hands or feet, touches the ground while
he is in the grasp of an opponent. The
ball is also Hdown when, as specified
in the rules, it goes across the goal line
on kick which has struck the GROUND
on! the field Of play, except the KICK tho
same manner from a forward pass. .1s
Tripping Defined. .sz.
Tripping is specifically defined as
follows:
IA player trips another player when
he obstructs him below the knee VITA
that part of his leg that IS below the
i knee.'
Hurdling is defined and forbidden,
Hurdling in the open is jumping or at
tempting to jump over an opponent who
is still on his feet. Hurdling in the,
: line is jumping over or attempting TO
) lump over a PLAYER on the line of
scrimmage with the feet or knees fore
most within a distance of five yards
J on either side Of the point where tho
,, ball is put in play. Regarding the tax.
either captain NAV ask for time three
I times during the half without penalty.
If thereafter either captain requests
Z time his side shall be penalized by loss
of two yards for each call unless the
! player be removed from the game.
Further provision is made against
5 interference with the man swapping
2 the ball back. The opponents must
, neither interfere in any way whatever
: with him nor touch him nor the ball
until it is actually, put. in play. The
snapper back is allowed to have his
! head, and the hand or foot used in
I swapping the ball. offside.
There must always be at least six
men of the side in possession of the
: ball on the line Of scrimmage, and If
s only six men are on the line one of
s those not on the line must have both
feet outside the outside foot Of the
o player on the end Of the line.
s Shifting the Line.
: Furthermore, no player of those ordi-
4 narily occupying the position OF CEN
3 middle players of the line, may drop
3 back from the line Of scrimmage on
8 the offense until he goes back at least
9 five yards and another player takes
his place on the line.
9 1t is furthermore provided that there
3 shall be no shifting Of men to evade
9 this rule, the intention being that the
8 big men in the middle Of the line shall
I not be dropped back for the purpose Of
3 carrying the ball or using their weight
3 in the interference. The dropping back
9 of single man five yards in this way
6 is to enable the team to use kicker
if he happens to play on the line.
Holding has been more specifically
defined to include the following:
Grasping an opponent with the hands or
arms, placing the hands upon an oppo-
nent in an attempt to push him away
from the play, circEng in any degree
any part Of the opponent by the use
Of the arm, or to lift an opponent in
, blocking. The only allowable use of
| the arm in blocking or obstructing an
! opponent is with the arms close to the
! body.
The most radical Of all changes made,
however, has been the introduction Of
the forward pass, the rule for this read
! ing as follows: Zone forward pass
shall be allowed to each scrimmage
! provided such pass be made with q
| (player who was behind the line Of
| scrimmage when the ball was put in
| lplay, and provided the ball, after be-
| ing passed forward, does not touch the
ground before being. touched by q
| player of either side.'
| The necessary distance to be gained
| in three downs has been doubled, that
| is, the side in possession Of the bal
! must gain ten yards in three downi
I instead Of five yards, as formerly
This is the most direct Legislation
| against mass plays. When the ball has
| been kicked by player other thar
5 1.-THE snapper-back,. any player on thu