New-York tribune., 1907-10-07
ON COLLEGE GRIDIRONS.
QUESTION OF OFFICIALS.
Importance of Uniform Imterpreta-
tiOn and Proper Enforcement.

standing of the new rules in letter and spirit
are absolutely essential TO the advancement of
the sport. The officials last year were
scientious and did a great deal of unselfish work
in the interests of the game. but mistakes were
made, some of a glaring nature, which are likely
to be avoided this year. When the committee
on the central board Of officials was appointed
by the regular football rules committee long
step was taken in the right direction This
committee. under the direction of Dr. Babbtt,
has accomplished some excellent results and the
end Is not yet. The rules necessarily the
basis for the proper conduct of any sport. but
their enforcement by men who qualified to
act is absolutely essential TO proper government
This is particularly true of football, slight
evasions of the rules bring distinct advantages
to the team willing TO follow the much abused
theory Ito win at any cost" Two years ago
the very life Of the game was in danger. IL
locked for time as If it might be abolished
entirely at many of the leading colleges-it was
lost to Columbia. There general demand
for a revision of the rules and remodellng OF
the game, and those who had the best interests
Of the sport at heart took up the work and car
ried it to successful conclusion, was plainly
demonstrated last year. And now all that is
needed to make the game popular than
ever is the proper enforcement Of the rules. and
this is almost sure to be accomplished.
The old rules were not so bad in themselves,
many old players Of the game will testify.
The sport grew and prospered and became Won
derfully popular under those same rules. and
sions, winked at and overlooked by the officials,
made a change absolutely necessary. 1t was
the little bit of holding the little bit OF starting
before the ball put in play, the little bit or
rough work when the umpire was not looking or
not seeing, the little bit of offsde playing, that
caused more than half the trouble, and for this
the officials largely to blame. When the
hue and cry was raised, however, radical re-
forms were demanded. and the close formations
and batternE-ram tactics had to go. This was
WELL as the governors OF the sport builded better
than they knew, and out of the old game has
come one, which is far cleaner, less ex-
haustng and spectacular varied and in
teresting for the onlOokers as well as the play
ers The rules committee realized where the
real trouble lay. however, and forewarned was
forearmed, and named committee to supervise
and control the officials OF the game 70 the end
that the rules might be uniformly interpreted
and properly enforced. The officials. appointed
with the greatest care will undoubtedly do their
full duty this season, and If they do the most
popular OF all college sports will thrive as never
before
The Yale eleven began the season with high
hopes and brilliant prospects and the games
played with Wesleyan and Syracuse have not
materially changed the outlook for the develop
ment of a championship team. II IS true that
Syracuse held Yale down to the small score OF
II 10 on Saturday, but the upstate college
has a strong, we'll balanced team this year.
which is likely 10 make a good record, and II
must be remembered that II never seriously
threatened the Blue goaI nne. WnlIe tnere
are many experienced players on the Yale eleven
this year. time viii be necessary TO weld them
together and develop that team play so essen
tial 10 success and for which Yale elevens are
famous. OF tho team only about one-half are
veterans, and while there Is plenty OF good ma
terial from last years strong freshman eleven.
the task OF the coaches lies in developing the
old and the new into smooth working unit.
Judging from the Wesleyan and Syracuse games
the team Is fairly well developed for early
In he Val uds
Of warming against overconhdence which is
worth considering. II says editoray:
ITO the casual observer the Yale football team
this year would seem practically sure OF victory
in IT'S championship games, especially when last
years eleven which apparently not
strong this years. could tie the strongest
team which one OF our rivals has developed In
some time, and defeat the other One Practice
has been under way for only two weeks, but
several scrimmages have been tried and the new
men appear TO advantage. There is promising
material to FIJI the vacant backfed. while last
years freshman team has been drawn for
several OF the line positions. Several old players
have returned 10 coach the team and they are
using their ability to round the men into shape.
But the other hand there several very
important points. First and foremost comes the
spectre OF overconhdence- Many champion
ship team has had its hopes rudely dashed by
this state of affairs, while apparently there
no reason for its failure"
Yale will take the field against the Springfield
Training School on Wednesday. while Holy
Cross will be her opponent on Saturday.
There seems 10 be disposition at Cambridge
TO criticse the early work of Joshua Crane. the
new coach, even before he has had fair chance
10 show what he do with the eleven This
IS hardly fair reasonable Crane never
played the varsity team. but he has had
some experience in coaching freshman eevens,
and has proved himself n thorough master of
the game and resourceful thinking instructor.
II is pity that another change in coaching
methods was necessary at Harvard, but, as
bill" Reid could not go on with the work he
we'll began. there alternative The
Harvard eleven has played two games in rather
loose, haphazard fashion. according to reports
but the season is young, and It is safe to pre-
dict that with the good material hand Har-
ward will put a team In the field that should
prove n worthy rival to Yale-her dearest foe.
Harvard will play Bates Wednesday and
Williams Saturday.
The Tigers are working to end-the defeat
Of Yale. They have no easy task before them,
however, six new men must be developed to
fill the vacancies left by Graduaticns. There is
a strong nucleus TO build the team around and
Captain Mccormick seems to he a natural
leader and' has the confidence of his men. In
the first game of the season. on Saturday,
Princeton overwhelmed Stevens. The most en-
couraging feature OF the game was the smooth
ness OF the attack and the clever working of the
forward pass for good gains. This may have
been due In part TO the failure of the Stevens
eleven 10 solve the plays, but II promised we'll
none the less Princeton will line up against
Wesleyan on Wednesday. and this game will
be particularly interesting. as furnishing line
on the relative strength OF the team with Yale
which defeated Wesleyan last Wednesday by
score of % to o. On Saturday Princeton will
meet Bucknell, which Pennsylvania took into
camp on Wednesday. % to ..