Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-11
Forward Pass Here to
Stay,SaysCoach Crane.
Its Abolition Would Mean &c.
riouS Abuse Of Game.
Tom Barry Of Brockton Likely to
Coach Wisconsin Eleven.

Head Coach Joshua Crane of the Har-
ward football team is of the opinion
that the forward pass in football has
come IL stay, and declares that as i.
has been one OF the best and most
spectacular features of the new game,
to abolish ii would mean taking "a lOH,;
step backward toward the game as il
was before being made open. Her" is
the way Coach Crane, in an interview,
sizes a. the situation
'Wal,tr Camp is certainly correct
when ne says thai it gives The poorer
team Il greater chance Of winning tha:i
if the forward pass We're not allowed,
but what is the harm in allowing the
poorer team 10 have Il liJtlc extra show
AT winning lie game. If the team that
is stronger al line plunginS and other
WAYS Of gaining ground has NOT devcl-
Op,d Il defence for the forward pass
then that is one weak spot i'll The team,
and if Tie opponents can gain through
thai weak spot ana win the game by
lit, VIXEN outplayed in the other depart
mcnts of the game, do not see but
what the team that has developed a.
good forward pass is The better aggrc-
cation because it is PLAYING more up
tO-datc football and therefore won!1
deserve 10 win.
The forward pass has worked well
for the last two seasons, ana some eX-
cellent methods OF passing ana defend
ing the pass have been made as wei
as some good defenccS Tor the pass
but these are small in comparison With
the possibilities that are in store for it.
Yale has had good teams in the last
TWO years, and one Of the strong points
about them has been their superior use
Of the forward pass and the excellent
defence which they have built up
against it. Many of Yale's games have
been won simply on brilliant Use Of
the forward pass to get within striking
distance of the opponents goal line
Many If the games Yale has played i'll
the past two seasons would either have
been lost or tied if it were not for tho
working of the forward pass By The
Blue.
81 cannot recall a single sport in
which the poorer team has not some
chance u winning the game if il takes
advantage Of the weak points i'll the
opponents play. Up to the time the for
ward PASS was used football was one
Ot the sports in which the inferior team
hau Out niue tll:lnct OF winning III
comparison with games like baseball
and tennis. With the forward pass in
use The football players have great
or chance to pull themselves together
and win from Il superior aggregation
or what Was previously supposed to be
a superior team, and that chance is
just what is needed in order To make
the football coaches build up teams
w al -
that have no weak spots. If there is
game in which an inferior team has q
chance to win then there are certainly
plenty Of chances for the stronger team
to nip those chances, such as develop
ing a strong defence against the Tor
ward pass, OnSidc kick etc.
ITO abolish the forward pass would
rleah to abuse the game from the point
o! view of the spectators. 1t has help
to make an open and less dangerous
game for us, and | hope To see il con-
tlnucd. In fact, | do not believe that il
can be abolished now, because TOO
many persons will oppose it, The for
ward pass is very young yet. and not
till it has been used for several years
! In the preparatory schools will we see
what can be developed from it. There
IS also large chance for the develop
ment Of very strong and sure defence
that, with the present penalty for it's
failure to work, should keep this one
great feature of the open play in the
game 1t ii develops unevenly, that is.
II the pass develops ahead of its de-
fence, then the penalty can be in
creased and in this way keep the in
IL IL
share Of show toward Il victory