The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-30
FORWARD PASS
MAY HAVE TO GO

New York. Nov. Goo away
with the forward pass and there will
be great reduction in the long list
OF football players crippled or NAMED
former Yale star. 1T is evident that
the so-called new game of football
VIII have to be done away with il the
game Is TO continue in public favor. %
Mr. Hogan was speaking to big
BIZ Edwards. the old Princeton re-
liable, referee In all the big games and
leading authority on the big game. in
the street commissioners office. where
big Bills" name is on the door and
where a munich of fans were inside
discussing the rules. and possible
changes which just now form a live
topic.
Under the new rules the game is
played in amuch more loose and open
way than 1t was couple of years
| ago. The great fault is with the
forward pass Mr.. Hogan continued.
The secondary defensive line moves
far back from the main defense, at
which the attack may suddenly be
aimed. The secondary defense ia
then useless, and the one man in the
main defense at whom the massed
play of the offense is aimed has little
or no chance Of turning the attack,
and usually goes down under an ire
sistible rush.
Another unfavorable thing for the
men in the fi=5t defensive line is that
they cannot tell by their opponents
formation what the play will be, and
~
raised until the ball gets into full
play, and the minute they do so they
are gone
Take the case of Byrne of West
Point. He was not backed up by the
| secondary defense because the back
who would have been directly behind
him had the play meen an old style
one, was yards away. Every bad ac-
cident this season can be directly
traced to the conditions which result
from the demands that the back keep
well in the rear. prepared for any of
the loose present day plays.
why In the old days when we went
in almost exclusively for mass plays
At the close of a season IL would be
only fw days before themen would
be entirely recovered from the few
bruises thy might receive in close
play. But now, 1t is different and many
men have received permanent injuries
this season"
Then Hogan went on to explain
that under the old style, where the
backs were Immediately behind the
maindefensive line, the men could not
be hurt as they are now by the snappy,
free action which results from the for
ward pass. The compact was then
solid and resembled a strong, pushing
blow, such as might be given by a.
wrestler, while the modern plays must
be likened to the whipping sting of
a boxers uppercut.
big Bill Edwards thought that
the game as now played would be all
right of the coaches would use better
Judgment by taking out any of their
men themoment they might show
signs Of being injured He was also
of the impression that too many green
players had been allowed to take part
In the gridiron battles this wear.
When MIR. Edwards heard Hogan's
theory he said that he had not thought
OF 1t in that way before, but that he
could clearly see that Jim" had
the real done on the situation.
Stage of Chicago university has
proposed several new rules He sug-
gests thar o team be required to make
ia ten-yard gain in two downs instead
Of three. To do so would only result
in forcing every team to resort contin-
lually to the obnoxious forward pass.
The second suggestion Stagg makes
would do away with a great deal of
rough work, he believes The rule
would prohibit the pulling or pushing
OF the runner with the ball, thus keep
ing the men from piling on to the
runner. Hogan says that any such
rule would be ridiculous, as 1t would
do away with ell team work
Stagg thinks that making a penalty
for crawling with the bail would help
to eliminate the tendancy toward piling
on the fellow with he ball. The rule
appears to have some good points, and
thre liz a good chance that II will be
passed upon at the conference OF the