Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19
FOOT BALL CHANGES
ARE SURE TO COME
intercollegiate Committee Will
Be Forced to Improve
the Game.
By Edward r. Bushnell.

By Edward r. Bushnell.
No one who has been watching the
trend Of the movement for the compete
reform Of foot ball since the season OF
1909 got under way can doubt for a min
ute that we will be playing much mod
flied game next season. Indeed, the rev
olution OF four years ago. which saw
the introduction Of the ten-yard RUE
the forward pass and the onside KICK Is
almost sure to be outdone by that Wnlch
must result from the many conferences
which have been held by coaches ana
college presidents alike since the close
Of the last season.
There can be little doubt that some
radical innovations will be introduced at
the coming session Of the intercoliesi-
ate foot ball rules committee. rms IS
because the forces demanding tue
changes are far stronger than were those
In 1905. That year the agitation was
directed principally against masseo
formations But the movement mao It's
Inception among the minor coileses'
which in reality were the ones that OF
ganized the intercollegiate Athietic AS
ISOLATION of the United States ana 1orceo
the big universities then represented oii
the rules committee to give the ne" az
ISOLATION representation and to make the
radical changes in the rules that were
made.
This year the ]. c. A. A. L. 5. VIII IN
sist upon changes at its annual meetias
two weeks hence in New YORK But =
will find unusual sympathy with lts oe-
mands emanating from Harvard. fa'e'
Princeton and Cornell, which have mere
tofore held themselves aloof from 'le
association. With the exception OF Pfiace
ton all have taken action looking to some
radical changes in the rules. Cornell mas
been the most outspoken IN its recon-
mendations. At recent meeting or tne
Cornell faculty resolution was pas sso.
| by which the university will aboiish ioot
! ball there unless radical Changes d
made in the playing rules
| The gravity of the situation was also
we'll illustrated at Yale and Harvaiy
| when Presidents Hadley and Lowell nelo
| conference with Coacnes nausn.on W,
and Camp for the purpose OF draWlng w
some sort Of recommendations Tor the re-
form of the game This means that THESE
men are studying the situation CLOSELY,
| with the intention Of suggestlns sou
radical changes in the playing rules.
Several other leading universities nave
| also taken action. Two or three nave
Internationally abolished the Rugby
game and substituted for It soccer, an
example which has been followed by
great MANY schools throughout the east.
Many more colleges and universities nave
taken the same action aSCornell and warn
ed the foot ball rules committee that uI.-
less the playing rules - are nso,,s heI'
There is naturally great deal OF curl
osity to learn what action the rules com
mittee will take to make 1ne game sa Iie
and still retain it's best features III thS
,1,% $nrd
suggestions a game Of Canadian foot ball
was arranged in New York last Week
and a great many foot ball experts from
ali over the eastern half OF the country
were on hand to observe II IN opeIa naud.
ing to the comments heard on all sldes.
There was no disposition to question tne
fact that the Canadian game was Tree
from some OF the CRITICISMS "hicn r nav
been directed against the American
game But it seemed to be the consensus
Of opinion that the Canadian game was
too purposeless to ever expect TO sup
plant American college foot ball.
Blame the Forward Pass.
Those critics who saw the salvation OF
the American game in the forward pass
few years ago have reversed themselves
as a result Of the many fatalities which
have marked the present season. During
it's first two years the forward pass was
solely on trial and every one was willing
to suspend judgment and to explain away
the few fatalities and serious accidents
that occurred in connection with IT. But
now the play has been thoroughly tested
and II must be confessed that 1t has been
found wanting. In fact. not rev or It's
original sponsors are willing to abolish It
altogether.
Alonzo stagg of Chicago is probably one
Cad n
to express an opinion on the merits OF
play. and. he has come forward with an
unqualified attack on the forward pass
for to it he attributes a majority or the
fatal accidents this year. At the begin
Ming of the season Mr.. Stage wisely OBJ
served that the development OF this play
had been such that neither he nor any
other member of the rules committee had
any idea of where the present metnoo OF
DEVELOPMENT would lead.
The fact has largely escaped attention
this fall that the bigger universities nave
accomplished little with the forward pass
review Of the staustncs OF rhe Pfl cha
nionship titles were involved discloses the
important fact that the forward pass was
almost a negligible factor. In the Yale
Harvard game 1t was Conspicuous AL a.a.
ure. for It did not make single first
down So uncertain was Its success tnat
il was eliminated largely as a standard
play and was used mostly as a trick Tor
nation.
MANY OF the keenest advocates OF the
game are now devoting their attention to
thinking out something entirely new TOT
the salvation OF the sport. Their task Is
most dificult one. for there IS now
further radical changes will be wholly
experimental. Consequently It Is evident
that the foot ball rules committee has be-
fore It a task such as 1t never shouldered
before To save itself from criticism and
at the same time to do Justice to inter-
collegiate athletics will surely demand al
| the resourcefulness and courage that this
committee possesses.
Another International Meet.
Once more there has been started
movement to bring about an international
athletic meeting between Yale and HRr-
ward, representing the United States, and
Oxford and Cambridge, representing Eng
land. The latest suggestion comes from
the English universities, which would like
| to see the meet held in this country, as
| the last one was held in London. The
Englishmen would prefer to have the
games during July or September. but are
apparently willing to accept COM
| promise on this point.
IF such a meet is held it will be the
| first time in their history that Harvard and
Yale have really represented the cream
| of the American college world. Judged
by the last I. c. A. A. A. A. meet held
| in Boston Harvard and Yale, by finishing
| first and second, demonstrated that they
ranked at the top in this particular
branch Of athletics. There is no aSsur-