Evening journal., 1907-12-07
new FOOTBALL
RULES VOTED OK.
Experts Express Themselves
as Satisfied With the
Game as Played
FORWARD PASS HERE TO STAY
JAS. 7. MULLINS & SONS
9th and Market St. 1

Football as played this year is con-
sidered the best yet, not only by spec
tators, but those who rank in the list
Of experts. The forward pass may not
look to some as well as it could, but,
all things considered. the rules are
considered about as good as could be
wanted. Glen Warner. coach of the
Carlisle Indian team. would stand pat
on the rules. Agitation against the
forward pass will not be effective in
judgment" he says. Warner says the
forward pass, which no classes the
most radical departure from the old
game has come to stay, but there is
more than a little conviction that every
incomplete pass should be penalized
by the loss of the bali, as was the
case last year.
Warner adds: "The contention Of
those who take this stand is that when
n distance penalty accompanies a for
ward pass the penalty is light COM
pared to the advantage that may come
to the team should the pass be sue
cessful. II the ball is caught as plan
ned there is so much gain. and if 1t is
touched by anybody and is loose it is
anybodys ball. with the side making
the pass having an equal chance with
the other side of getting It. and should
the former side get il its purpose viii
have been complished just as much
as if there had been a clean catch.
Il want to see the onside kick fur
ther develop" says Warner. 1T IS
one of the best plays in the game to-
day" That is true. Not a great deal
Of development has been made of the
onside kick in reducing it to a scien-
tific stage. 1t is play calculated to
promote skill in kicking. and it is very
exciting Princeton worked 1t better
this season than any other team-beat
the Indians with it. in fact
"Bill" Edwards. the former Prince
ton star, and one of The leading Off
cials of the year, says the game is
nearer perfection to-day than it has
ever been. "Of course. there might
be a few beneficial changes on matters
of minor Importance which have no
direct bearing on the game, but even
they could be dispensed with" he says.
Il find the public better pleased with
the game to-day than / have ever
known, and. as all players must real
ize. the public is very important
factor in football or any other sport
that is national in character.
Two New Developments.
"The new rules have done two
things OF the greatest importance to
football" continued Mr. Edwards.
First, they have cut down the list Of
injured more than SC per cent. Second.
they have made the game 40 open that
the public can better see the plays.
and therefore more thoroughly ap-
preciate the science al the sport.
see no chance for Improvement just
now, though some changes may he
suggested in the rules committee later
on. 1t is always best to leave wen
enough alone. The present rules
should be allowed TO stand anyway
until the players have thoroughly
mastered them"
II was suggested to the football ex~
perts that many complaints had been
made to the effect that the drop kick
points. AT first that would seem
true" admitted Mr.. Edwards but I
am opposed to any change in that re-
speet. 1 realize that q weak team has
a big advantage if it has a drop kicker
who can send a bail through the posts
and escape a shutout. But you must
admit that the best team usually wins.
ana that is the strongest argument 10
favor of the rules as they stand.
Long Practice Necessary.
"It seems pretty hard sometimes for