Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-24
0L1NpSE ar III GRNWD SIND

greet the Gophers and Cornhuskers in their annual battle
at vintOn park last Saturday. Such a splendid crowd
would be a credit to any city, even for a Thanksgiving day
game. and yet the battle was played with the foot ball season but two
weeks old and on neutral grounds.
For years Omaha has been recognized as the best base ball town
in the west and the support which it has given the base ball team has
been nDsunted. 1t is now demonstrated that there thousands of
lovers Of pure college sports who will support athletics which are
known to be right.
The crowd was several hundred stronger than that which greeted
Nebraska and Ames a year ago at Dietz park. and the increase ali
came from Omaha. showing that Omaha people ae beginning to'be
educated to highclass foot ball. Last year Ames brought Over 500
These 500 had to be made up from Omaha Last year Lincoln sent
up a larger delegation than this year. for a harder contest was x
gone conclusion this year that the Gophers would win. So Omaha
came to the front and not only made up for the 500 students whom
attendance.
Reserved seats we're early all sold out. and this fact kept many
away from the game. as the impression soon spread that there was
limited room. AS It was there was room to spare.
Football is an entirely different game from what it was three or
DuTing" the winter Of 19O5-O6 It was completely overhauled. cut to
pieces ana rebuilt into an entirely changed game. and although it is
tastes OF the thousands who witness the annual gridfron battles. IN
der the old rules the ball was lost from sight in the scrimages and
the ordinary spectator had little chance to see what was going on.
Now all is changed. The new rules make it necessary for the ball to
change hands frequently and it moves with great rapidfy and fire.
hold the ball by gaining the required distance and every two minutes
II s are compelled to kick. This throws both teams into open plays.
vhShare in fun view of all spectators. no matter in what section of
theheld they may be sitting or standing.
From the spectators point of view the most sensational features
Captain McGovern of the Gophers. This style Of play would not
have been used one-quarter IS much under the old rules and the spec
tatOrS would a e deprived OF n pleasure Or seeing the
doughty little quarterback run and dodge and squirm his way down
the field, shaking on the red and white taeklers right and left.
Three seasons Of trial have now been given 10 the forward pass,
the extra requirements on downs. the onside kick. the neutral zone
and other features Of revised foot ball 1t took two seasons to try
out the new game. but last year most Of the teams put the new stunts
into execution and the results were 8 satisfactory that the commit
tee assigned TO the task Of making the rules decided to let well
enough alone and make no fundamental changes. the only changes
practically being of a minor nature The college lads who received
their coaching under the old rules have now practically all left their
colleges and universities and all now engaged in the great college
sport have been trained and coached exclusively under the new rules.
Many changes were recommended at the last meeting OF the rules
committee. but the committee wisely decided that as the game had
been most popular in 1908 Il would be far better TO let II go with
few. II any, changes until all coaches and players were familiar with
the requirements OF the new game. Many wanted the qualifications
and requirements for the forward pass changed. but this part was
not changed.
Those who we're at vintOn Street park last Saturday were unable
to notice any changes in the rules except when McGovern kicked his
field goal and the scorer gave him credit for but three points instead
OF four, a last year. The rules of foot ball are not very complex
and a casual observer attending his FIRST game will soon get onto the
general run Of play. The only complications IRE the onside require
ments. especially in the rules governing a forward pass
= The most important changes which the rule makers saw At we're
in changing the value Of the three varieties Of goals from the held.
Many years ago these were worth five points. They were then
changed 70 four points and nov drop kick goals from the field. goals
from placement after fair catches and those kicked from placement
behind the line OF scrimmage count for but three points.
Change OF n change. the old eOnegaN who Witnessed the game
last Saturday vas able TO enthuse just a much as in the bygone days
when he attended college There Is now more chance for individual
for as the rules make the game more open an individual more times
receives the bah and is thrown upon his own resources a TO what
20 do.
There is no doubt but what foot BAN is a most strenuous game.
fF that Is what Il 8 intended 70 be- A youth who has praciced on
NE foot ball heid all afternoon is not In a humor 20 20 forth In the
p evening TO do some devftTy In violation of the village laws II gives
hundreds Of students a good chance 10 work on their animal spirits
and keep them out OF mischief. Foot bali Is not a game TO be PLAYED
Saturday afternoon By some clerk in an once who is not in training.