The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-29
Additional Sports
MODIFICATION
OF FOOTBALL
COMMITTEE CHOSEN TO REVISE
RULES, OF WHICH DR.. WILL
JAMS Is MEMBER.

New York, Dec. 90. - The inter-
collegiate athletic association adopted
and submitted to it's rules commit
tee last night resolution calling for
a modification of the football playing
rules, whereby the injury to contest
ants may be confined to minimum.
This is the resolution as introduced
by Prof. E. K. Ball of Dartmouth and
ious discussions:
THAT the football rules committee
of this association be instructed to use
every possible endeavor to bring about
such modification of the rules as in
their judgment shall tend to reduce to
a minimum the danger Of physical in
jury to the players and at the same
time retain as far as possible the most
desirable and wholesome features of
the game"
Only three negative votes were regis
tered against the resolution, but nearly
every college in the west had some
thing to say concerning it.
Stages Gag" Resolution.
Professor Stagg of the University Of
Chicago made a motion which would
prohibit all officials of football game.
including umpires, referees and all
other participants from talking to
newspaper men after the game. Stagg
made a strong appeal for this motion,
saying that he had been grossly mis-
quoted at times; but the convention
defeated the motion by an overwhelm-
ing vote.
The, revision of the game was ordered
it is understood with due considera-
ton Of the association of Yale. Prince
ton, Pennsylvania, Cornell and a few
other institutions which are not mem
bers of the intercollegiate organization
Harvard has Joined the association,
but its representative let it be known
that his institution would not be bound
by the new football rules of the asso-
citation, although it would recognize
its regulation of other minor sports.
West Point Suggests Rules.
West Point submitted set of reso-
lutions which called for a radical
change in the playing rules but these
with other resolutions were substi-
Hall of Dartmouth.
1t became apparent that the larger
colleges were in favor of the present
playing rules, perhaps in a modified
form, and that the smaller institutions
were violently opposed to them. The
representative of nearly every institu-
ton of higher learning between New
York and San Francisco made an ad-
dress and many offered motions which
would limit the danger OF the present
football game. These offerings became
so confused that Halls resolution was
adopted as compromise.
Objectionable Plays.
1t was the concensus of opinion that
the rules regulating mass play and the
running tackle otherwise known as the
flying tackle, and playing through the
line would have to be done away with
The representatives OF a number of
large colleges expressed themselves not
only in favor of this but conveyed the
threat that they would either adopt
a modified form of football or would
Withdraw from the association.
The rules committee, which will I'M
dertake the task of bringing about a
revision is as follows:
DR.. II. r. Williams, Minnesota; DIR.
James A. Rabbit, Haverford, Pa; e.
K. Hall, Dartmouth college; Lieut.. III.
B. Hackett, IT. S. A., West Point; Prof.
c. w. Savage, Oberlin, o.; Prof. w. l..
Dudley, Vanderbilt and DR.. w. A. Lam
beth OF Pennsylvania.