Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-11
CHANGES ARE
NOT RADICAL
FOOTBALL RULES GREATLY
IMPROVED
EXPECTED TO MAKE GAME MORE
SCIENTIFIC
General Opinion Among Players Is
That Committee Has Performed
Its Work Well and for
Good of Sport
BY RED PERKINS

While no radical changes, such as
those of last year, are noted in the new
football rules for 1908, just published
in spalding's official guide. the general
effect of such alterations as have been
made will be to make the game still
more scientific in its general outline
and to discourage more than ever be-
fore the unsportsmanlike player for vi
olating the rules on hurdling. An adj
ditional five minutes wherein to rest
between halves is granted, the forward
pass is hedged more closely, and with
the exception of one or two alterations
of minor rules the other changes prac-
tically are only in the wording of the
clauses. The code, as usual, was COM
piled by the national rules committee
headed by L. M. Dennis of Cornell
and composed throughout by the lead
ing football experts of the eastern and
middle western colleges. The rules 60
into effect with the first game of the
coming season.
OF the changes made, those in regard
to the forward pass probably will be
first in general interest, since in effect
they will make the success of the pass
/ more difficult than in former years. AS
1 the rule will be interpreted this year
when the forward pass is legally
touched only the man of the passer'
side who thus first legally touches ii
shall be entitled TO cover the ball until
it has been touched by an opponent
Also, if a forward pass thus is legally
touched, fumbled and touched by an
other player of the passer's side, be-
fore the ball has touched an opponent
the ball shall go to the opposing side
where 1t first was legally touched.
The next alteration of the rule says
that players of the defensive side may
not use their hands or arms upon any
opponent, except to push him out of the
way in order to get possession of the
ball themselves when it is in the air or
a forward pass. At the same time
players of the side making the pass
who are eligible to receive the pass
may use their hands and arms, as in
case of players going down the field
after a kick. Neither side, however
may hold" or tackle an opponent
who has not the ball. Finally, in case
| a forward pass is legally touched out
| side of those provisions named, the
penalty shall be that the ball shall &c
to the opponents at the spot from which
the pass was made, time to be taker
Oul liAC endorsement OI the pen
atty Of an incompleted forward pass
1t also is determined that all penaltie.
for fouls, except penalties under thu
forward pass, may be declined by the
offended side. This, however, in case.
where the penalty includes disqualified
ton, does not save the player from
being put out of the game.
Touching upon the matter of fouling
through hurdling or tripping, the com.
mittee decided that the penalty in thu
past for these offenses has not beer
heavy enough, and so it is ruled tha'
hereafter instead of a simple penalty
of fifteen yards the penalty shall read
LOSS of fifteen points to be gained AND
number of downs to remain un
changed" This makes the portions O.
the rules concerned more consistent il
their penalties with regard to the gen
eral line. Instead of the five-yard pen
atty, as heretofore, the penalty for bat
ting the ball forward toward the op
ponents' goal is made loss to the of
Tended side. and the ruling placed un
der the jurisdiction of the umpire anC
field judge The score of a forfeit Il
made / to in order to distinguish i
from all other possible scores.
If a ball on a forward pass or
kicked ball, except try-at-goal, strik'
the uprights or the crossbar, the bal
shall be considered as having crossed
the goal line. In case of a ball acct
dentally striking an official, it shall b.
played over again. The ten-minute in
| Permission Is increased to fifteen min
utes, the referee to notify the team
] three minutes before its expiration
Five minutes after this notification, /
either team has failed to appear, tn
ball shall be put in play at the frs
down blythe offended sides thirty-yar,
| line. Where the first half has been al
exceptionally grueling one for eithe
team in any contest, this change viii
be of value to the weaker players, Civ
ing them an opportunity to get int
much better condition than the tel
minutes would allow, since every min
ute counts in a hard fought battle. Thu
committee also recommended strongly
! that all four officials provided by thu
rules be used.