Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21
WEAKER TEAMS
ENABLED TO WIN
Comment of Experts on the
Operation of the New
Foot Ball Rules.

DlaCR eye IN tEe Dig BdIileS WHICH "tie
played one week ago. 1t is safe to say
that single days games in preceding
year resulted in so many upsets and dis
appointments as these. The most astound-
ing result was the defeat of the University
OF Pennsylvania by Swaythmore by a SC ore
OF 4 to o. Swarthmore was known to lie
very powerful and really expected to
score with a drop kick, which in fact won
the game. But all impartial critics who
saw this contest were unanimous in the de-
Cisiun that the better team lost and that it
lost as the direct result of the new ten-yard
rule
4 few facts and figures compiled by the
writer are further indictment of the new
rules. especially the ten-yard regulation.
A week ago three members of the Big
Five played teams that they had met ut
this same period year ago and in each
case they fell short of the scores made in
1905. though their opponents We're weaker
than then. In 1905 Penn defeated Swarth-
moro somewhat easily by Ia, yet this
year much weaker Swarthmore team
downed the Quakcrs to o. In 1905 Yale
trimmed Holy Cross ~ to q, but had trouble
this time to beat the Worcester collegians
minus the services of eight of their stars
by II to q. One year ago Cornell trounced
Buckncll "a to o. This time the Ithacans
made II points against Bucknell. but could
not prevent the others from scoring on
them.
In the west the same tale Is told. There
Were two big games in this section a week
ago. Wisconsin, whose team rolled up
score of "a to D against Lawrence in 1906
and the Purdue eleven which swept
through Illinois year ago % to was
this year played to 90 standstill.
Games Without Scores
No previous season ever saw SO many 90
scores as the present. These unSatsfac-
tory results were a their worst week ago
when six really big games which should
have been won or lost by decisive scores
resulted in 90 scores. The 90 games We're
as follows: West Point W. Colgate, Wes-
leyan vs.. BowdOu. Rochester vs.. Polytech-
mic, Penn State VS.. Gettysburg. Cincinnati
VS.. Miami and Illinois VS.. Wabash y year
ago all of thcs" games were won by one
team or the other with decisive scores. Oae
week ago there was as much disparity be-
tween the teams as in 1875, Yet the stronger
team could not score even single touch
down. Finally there Were four big gdTICj
on last Saturday which were won either
by single touchdown to none, or by
goal from the field. Princeton beat An
napolis 80. Dartmouth beat Maine 10,
Haverford beat Lehigh 30 and Wisconsin
beat Lawrence 30. These results do not
consider a score more of minor college
and school games which had equally I'M
satisfactory results They are only the big
games where better things We're expected.
The Defense Weakened.
That these results We're most unsatisfac-
tory every one will frankly admit. The
new rules requiring that ten yards be
gained in three downs. instead of the for
mer five yards, is directly responsible This
rule has operated just ats most of it's critics
predicted. 1t has weakened the offensc
without placing a corresponding handicap
on the defense. The best Illustration OF
he g artb
teams had fairly strong attack but
neither could make ten yards in three
downs with any consistency. The result
was what might have been expected. I'm
able to gain enough ground by rushing the
ball both sides restorted to kicking, making
frequent use of the ION side" kick rule i'll
the hope that q tumble would permit
score, which could not be obtained other
wise. This did result when a tumble by
Capt Greene of Penn gave Swarthmore
her chance and drop kick enabled the
weaker team TO win.
Tho same thing resulted in the other big
games mentioned. Princeton. whose team
was third stronger than Annapolis.
played to a standstil and only in the last
five minutes was able to get together a
strong enough attack to carry the ball over
the line once. Under the old rules The
Penn and Princeton teams would have won
with plenty to spare. Coach Yost of Mch-
gan was a spectator at the Penn-Swarth-
more game and he was loud in his criti-
Cisms of the ten yard rule which enabled
N,
after the game declared that the ten yard
rule was unfair and contended that If the
rule was to be retained four downs should
be permitted in which to make ten yards.
Sentiment is still divided as to the worth
or worthlessness of the forward pass. Some
of the big teams seem to think that it is
a splendid play and that it will revolution
lie the game. But so far it has failed to
work consistently. The experience of every
big team has been that in actual operation
1t more often results in giving the ball to
the opposing side than to the man for
whom il was intended. If this cannot be
corrected so that the play can be used
with safety 1t will certainly have to be
abandoned. As a matter o. fact the big
college teams are secretly trying some
variations of this play for use only in their
big games. Accordingly we cannot Judge
this play fairly until the championship
games are played in November 1t will
die survive according to its results in
these games.
Officials Eliminate Roughness.
There is one reform instituted by the
new rules committee about which there
can be no two opinions This is the ap-
pointment by the committee of impartial
and competent officials with power to re-
move all players who transgress the
rules. According To the new code the
official is permitted to remove any
player who is guilty of unnecessary rough
ness or who uses improper language toward
games To date in the east three men have
been removed by the officials. In the Yale
Springfield game the umpire had 10 re-
move Levene from the game for Sluggns.
In the Penn-North Carolina game Quarter
back Sheble was removed for objections ole
language on the complaint of the visiting
captain. In the Wesleyan-Bowdoin game
Stacy of Bowdoin was put out for rough
work.
In fairness to these players, however, 1t
should be said that their offenses were not
at all fragrant, and In every instance the
games played were far cleaner than those
of previous years 1t has been commented
on, both east and west that the 1906 brand
OF foot ball has been exceptionally clean,
the best of good feeling prevailing be-
tween competing teams.
However. there has been no lack of PEN
alties inflicted for Illegal playing. The
Pennsylvania Swarthmore game, for in
stance. broke all records for the number of
yards lost through penalties. In this game
Swarthmore was penalized ninety yards.
just seventeen yards more than the team
carried the ball in the whole game. Penn
sylvania was also penalized badly losing
hi,y-five yards for holding, offside and
hurdling. The large number of penalties
Inflicted merely emphasizes the need of
coaches teaching the PLAYERS not to hold