New-York tribune., 1909-12-30
CALL FOR FOOTBALL
MORE TALK ON RULES
ftyng Tackle and Forscard
Pass Mau 90


can VIII be issued within day or two
Dehnis. of Cornell, for the
annual meeting OF the football ru,ss 49,,
nittee at The Murray HIN po.a1 80
city. on some date early in Januar,. -
apiY IN the second week In many, ,.,
II VIII 5e the most important r,ao.;, a.
me history Of that body as the dar,a,a
"as Haae In no uncertain way st -ba. on
hus4 meeting of the Intercollegista .,b,a,t.
ASSOCIATION of the United States on -r,,as,5a,
Tor radical changes in the rules to tbs o,,,,
that the game shall be made less dangerous
IA me ihiormal meeting of the delegates
q me AhOercoiiegiate Athletic Association
va" INC newly appointed members of the
80 Oo'iiiIlilIee late on Tuesday night the
present code. with changes that sbouId n.
made, was discussed in detail ana -.
suggestions were offered TO hiring a bo,,, -
lnuch desired reform in the game. Man
o. Inc delegates expressed themselves 90
suohglY opposed to flying tackles in tho
open helo, while the general feeling was
ss"lhst the rule now governing the forward
pass some also were against the on.id.
kick
Lieutenant Nesbitt. OF West Point who
sUbmitted suggestions for revision which
were recommended by the executive com
mittee Of the Intercollegiate Athletic Asso-
ciaiioh but not adopted. as it was felt that
the2 would tie The hands OF the rules
o'iI'il'l'e@' enlarged on these suggestions
snd urged even more radical changes
He said that the time had como ,-h.
the game was for the public. and NOT for
The players. and that ii should he n game
Tor the average man. and not for the
giant lie pointed cut that il was not
sport Tor the upbuiding of boys hut
sport IN which man had to be qualified
physically before he could start the game
He also emphasized the fact that In his
opinion, II was not an amateur sport he
cause In many cases il was not Dlaved from,
sense of pleasure, but from a sense of
duty. which brought in a spirit of COM
mcrcialism.
Professor James Naismith. OF the mi
Nersity Of Kansas. the man who invented
basketball. said he was convinced that
the old style mass plays were less danger
Gus than the present open game. but that
he was strongly in favor OF renodelling the
present college game along the lines of
English or Canadian rugby. He called at
Iention 10 the fact that the leather head
gear IN such common use was g bad feat
ure, as il tended TO give a false sense of
security He contended that the neck and
not the top OF the head was in danger
and urged that the headgear be abolished.
Glen Warner, coach of the Carlisle Ind
ian eleven. addressed the meeting by in
vitation, and among other things said that
ne liked the forward pass, but felt that
some Of the restrictions TO its use should
be removed.
Professor c A Short, of Delaware Col
ieEe, delivered a TRADE, in which he said
mat any game in which IT was necessary
70 have doctors and surgeons on the side
lines was not fit for a boy to play. When
he sat down DR.. Harry L Williams of
Minnesota, a member Of the rules COM
Tnittee, took the floor and asked if IL was
the intention Of the Intercollegiate Ath-
leric Association that z game should ne
devised in which injuries would be impos-
sihle- To this there was no answer
George Foster Sanford the old Yale
PLAYER. and ono of the closest students Of
the game in this country, offered some
suggestions. but in the midst OF an inter
esting description OF a certain hazard
that should he avoided brought his re-
marks 70 a close when interrupted BY A.
A StagE, Of Chicago, who took excep-
tion u one Of his statements. Sanford
contended that q hslfback starting from
behind the ,ine could beat the ball in its
handling by the quarterback and that con-
secuentiv he never hit the line at top
speed. Mr. Stagg differed with him on
this point. whereupon Mr. Sanford an
nourced thar while he had some other
ideas 70 advance they had been driven
out of his head He was opposed TO the
on-side kick and forward pass as unneces-
sary hazards.
Previous TO this ne told a story of how
2 certain meuber of the rules committee
earned his place as q football solon and
rule maker by the aid Of a stop watch, a
little luck in alighting on promising play
ers and the ability 10 frame problems
which could not he answered offhanc.
This caused some of the delegates TO laugh
and some to frown-
E. X Han, OF Dartmouth; A. A. Stagg,
~ Chicago. and Or. Harry L. Williams,
Of Minnesota, all members Of the rules
committed assured the delegates that they
would use their best efforts to weigh the
many suggestions offered and work dill
gently for 2 revision OF the rules that
would satisfy the demand for a safer
game.
CAPTAIN Palmer r. Pierce, L. S A,
president Of the Intercollegiate Athletic
Association said yesterday that he was
well pleased on the whole with the work
zccon7nlfshed At the annual meeting and
thai he was confident that much good
would result lie said further that
formal spplication for membership had
feen fled bv the carlisle Indian School
and that 2 telegram had been received
f-or7 the University OF oregon applying
for membership and saying that check
for dues had beeu mailed.