The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-07
Old Eli Would Have Football
Rules Revised.
Favor Plan to Make Play More
Open.
YARD RULE.
Would Have 1t Apply to Within
Is Yards of Goal.
Then Make Five Yards in the
Three Downs.

New Haven, Conn.,, Dec. 1.-f ale Is
out for all the football reform that is
possible. II the game can be made
any safer Yale wants to make 1t so.
The Ellis have lived UP to the spirit
of the new rules since the code was
revised three years ago and absolute
~ every play known to the game OF
football was tried in the game the
blue played against Harvard and
Princeton this season.
The plays were not only tried but
scored upon. Yale scored in the
Princeton game on a touchdown.
made by force through the line,
Geld goal, q safety on blocked kick
and on goals kicked from touchdown.
YaIe's three scores in the Harvard
game were made on two field goals
and a safety, following blocked kick.
On the contrary. Harvard has
shown nothing in football reform and
to her adherence to the heavy attack
is undoubtedly due the fatal injury of
a man at West Point. Yale men can
not see why Harvard has not caught
the spirit of the new rules.
For More Open Play.
What Yale will recommend in foot
ball changes the coming winter will
probably include requiring that fifteen
yards in three downs be made, except
when the fifteen-yard line of an OPP
ponent is reached. Here five yards in
three downs will be the stipulated
gain. This will make scores by touch
downs through the line possible when
an opponents fifteen-yard line is
reached, and 1t will also open up the
game for punting and variety of
plays between the fifteen-yard lines.
Possession of the ball will count for
little, as the oval will change hands
often and the spectators will see open
play continuously.
Yale wants to see the catcher of
forward passes and the taker of on
side kicks protected and these details
of a safer football will be favored
by Walter Camp. Yale's representa-
tive at the rules committee meetings.
Football reform at Yale this win
ter will begin with the faculty. That
body will discuss the changes desired
in football and in athletics generally
and will confer with the athletic COM
mittee about seeing that they are put
into effect. This is an entirely differ
ent course from that which is being
pursued at Harvard. The discussion
of the football situation by the Yale
faculty will probably not begin till
after the Christmas holidays.
Want Jones Back
Yale men would like to see Howard
Jones brought back here as field
coach or instructor in tactics and tech
nique. but he has gone into business
at his home in Ohio and is not an
xious to return.
1t is fully expected that Captain
Daily will set the Yale squad to work
soon after college reopens in January.
Winter drill in the rudiments of play
ing the different positions was inaug-
urated last year and proved a success.
johnson for Shorter Schedule.
Chicago, Dec. President Ban
Johnson of the American league de-
clared the American league magnates
would be unit at the New York
meeting next week for a short sea-
son schedule and shorter games The
most important points to be con-
sidered, said President johnson Twill
be a shorter schedule and shorter
games. The pitcher should be made
TO quit killing time. We will try to
do away with the practice of letting
the pitcher throw four balls to the
catcher unless the pitcher has just
been to bat"
Abe AtteII Had Trouble With White