The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-18
NEW FOOTBALL
RULES FIXTURES
Plays introduced by Them
Have Done Much to Make
Game More Popular.
ADVANTAGES POINTED OUT.
GREATEST INTEREST BEING TAX
EN- IN FORWARD PASS-cAR.
Isle INDIANS DO MOST TO AD-
VANCE 1T IN FAVOR.

From the experimental stage of the
last two years the new football rules
have come to be looked upon as fix
lures, and the plays introduced by
them are both successful and popular.
1t is indeed the increased popularity
brought about by the remodelled game
which has caused demand for tickets
this year.
Yale and Harvard graduate managers
estimate that about 100000 persons
will apply for seats to the Yale-Har-
ward game on Nov. 81, while there are
accommodations for only 1000. The
stands were thought to be ample while
the old rules were in force and monot-
onous line-plunging was the order Of
the day. Then two teams of about the
same strength would spend seven
Fights of the playing time grinding
away through each others rush lines,
gaining the necessary five yards two or
three at a time by concentrated mass
plays. This was not only a cruel test
for human endurance, but a game that
gave the onlooker scarcely glimpse of
the ball, and he would have to get most
of his thrills out of the direction in
which the bundle of arms and legs fell.
The ten yard regulation, requiring
twice as much ground to be gained in
three downs. Immediately did away
with these tiresome close formations
and gave us game easier on the play
ers, with an increased chance for STRAIT
egg. At the same time it so opened up
the play that the spectator can now
elevens and each movement Of the all
important pigskin.
The possibility Of gaining the neces-
sary distance on end runs and line
plays was, of course, out of the ques-
ton, and so the resourceful rules COM
mittee created several new plays, all of
which have been tried out and found
to work well. These are the quarter
back run, the on side run and the for
ward pass. From the stands the first
is not easily distinguished at a glance.
for it calls for a formation much like
the ordinary end run, with the quar-
ter back carrying the ball. The outside
kick on9siae other hand is quickly rec
ognized, as it goes very low. generally
for a short distance, the kicker's team
being allowed to get the ball as soon
as it touches the ground. This call
for great accuracy in placing it out of
the hands of the opposing backs, and
gives an opportunity for fine display
of dash and agility in recovering the
bounding leather.
AS one side kick poorly attempted
gave Princeton her touchdown against
Yale at New Haven last November but
a week later in her game against Har-
ward the blue gained half the length
of the field, and a score, after Alcott
captured the ball close by the Crimson
goal line, from a kick by Jones.
OF the new plays, however, the one
of the greatest interest and by far the
most spectacular on the field today is
the forward pass. In writing of the
All-American team for 1907 Walter
Camp the we'll known expert, calls it
an eleven which must first be able to
resist the attack by and form defense
to that all important feature the for
ward pass" This strong ground WIN
ner was at first looked on with dis
favor by the conservative coaches, as
it seemed to leave too much to chance.
The play is executed by the ball being
tossed forward over the rush line by
one of the backs, who must run five
yards to the side before he throws it.
This short run causes an uncertainty
in the minds of the defenders and gen.
orally brings in many tacklers to check
the threatened advance. Just before
these players reach him he passes the
ball swiftly down the field. with mo-
ton much like that used in base ball.
gone forward at the signal to prear-
ranged position. If the ball is success
fully caught, the catcher makes a dash
for the goal line, but if, as it some
times happens, the ball falls to the
ground without being touched the pass
er's side is penalized fifteen yards for
the failure. This play was used conspi-
cuously during the championship
games last year: but the wonderful
Carlisle Indian school aggregation
| were the players to make the greatest
advance toward perfecting it.
In their annual game with the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania the wiry red
men repeatedly hurled the ball over
the heads of the stock Quakers, and in
nearly every case galloped off with it
| for substantial gains. The result was
a signal victory for the Indians to the
tune Of % to 6. After a setback by
Princeton, who made up special de-
Tense for the Carlisle form of play, the
eleven met in succession and defeated
Harvard % to is, Minnesota u to 10,
| Chicago IS to 4. In all the games the
scoring came as direct result Of the
| forward pass.
Cornell. too, owes much to.this form
| of attack. as its defeat last season OF
the strong and shifty Princeton team
was due to two long passes by Earle
and Walder that carried the play with
| in striking distance of the Tigers goal
| line.
For the season of 1908 the wise men
| of the game are promising even great
| \, iavn1nr-