Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-30
THREE HOURS Of
FOOTBALL DEBATE
Intercollegiate Association Adopts
a Resolution Calling for a
Modification Of Rules.

mittcd to It's rules committee tonight "a
resolution calling for a modification OF
the football playing rules. whereby the
injury to contestants may be confined
to minimum
This is tho resolution, as introduced
by Prof. r. x. Hall Of Dartmouth and
adopted inter three hours OF acrimon-
ious discussion: That the football rules
committee Of this association be In
structed to use every possible endeavor
TO bring about such a modification OF
che -''lce 4. e. 'hc'r Judgment shall tend
To reduce TO II minimum the danger Of
physical injury 10 the players and at
the same time retain, az far as may
be 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 something
to say concerning It.
Alonxo A. stage OF the University Of
Chicago made a motion which would pro-
hibit all officials Of football game. in
GLIDING umpires referees and oil other
participants, from talking to newspaper
men after the game stagy made a strong
appeal for this motion. saying that he
had been grossly misguided at times.
nUl tne convention CeIehteU the Ho'lol
by IN overwhelming vote.
HARVARD IS INDEPENDENT.
The revision of the game was ordered
II Is understood. with duo consideration
OF the association Of Yale. Princeton.
Pennsylvania. Cornell and a few other
institutions which are not members OF
the intercollegiate organization. Harvard
has Joined tho association but Its repre-
sentative let It be known that this insti-
tuition would not be bound by the new
football rules Of the association although
It would recognize its regulation Of minor
sports.
A letter was read from David Starr Jor-
dan. president Of Leland Stanford. Jr..
University. stating that the American
game had been abandoned there and that
the English Rugby game had been found
satisfa Glory not only to the SUDDEN, but
to the spectators.
West Point submitted a set OF resoiu
tons which called for a radical change
in the playing rules, but these. with other
resolutions We're substituted by the reso-
luton offered by Mr.. Hall OF Dartmouth.
1t became apparent that the larger coll
leges were in favor Of the present play
ing rules. perhaps in a modified form, and
that the smaller institutions were violent
ly opposed to them. The representative
OF nearly every institution OF higher
learning between New York and San
Francisco made an address, 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 q COM
promise.
MUST DROP FLYING TACKLE.
! Representatives from Cornell and other
! institutions not directly represented In
| the association suggested that rules
minimizing the danger Of the sport would
! be acceptable 1t was the consensus 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 num-
Der OF large colleges not only expressed
/ themselves in favor OF this but conveyed
! the threat that they would either adopt
/ a modified form Of football or Withdraw
! from the association.
| These officers OF the associa ton were
elected: President. Capt. Palmer E. Pierce.
| L. s. NJ. A., West Point; vice-presdent.
Dr. r. 7. Mckenzie. University Of
Pennsylvania; secretary and treasurer,
Prof. p. w Nicolson. Wesleyan. Connecti-
cut; executive committee. Professors F.
! W. Marvel. Brown University. W. y.
Golden. Pennsylvania State College, A.
H. Paterson. University Of North Carolina,
| G.. W. Savage. Oberlin. 8. w. Boyer. Iowa
State College, and G.. w. Huntington. Uni
versity OF Missouri.
The rules committee which will under
| Ii ~ 81 Of L,riv UIp~ tai
Is as follows: DR. n. F. Williams.
Minnesota; DR.. James A. Babbitt. Havcr-
ford. Pa. f.. X. Hall Dartmouth College;
Lieut.. II. B. Hackett. t. s. A.. West
Point; Prof. c. W. Savage, Oberiin. Ohio:
Prof. W. l.. Dudley. Vanderbilt, and DR.
W. A. Lambeth. University Of Virginia.
seventy-seven colleges and universe
ties were represented. The organization
now includes 10 OF the Fl largest insti-
buttons Of learning In the country and
Is so representative Of the trend OF
| modern collegiate athletic ideas
that its action is considered certain to
shape decisively the football rules COM
mttee's action In revision of the rules
of play
West Point has taken the lead in Tro-
posing a number OF reforms which have
found support among many Of the COL
lege representatives. These were sub
mitted to the convention to-day. They
included the elimination OF the neutral
zone. modification Of the forward pass,
limiting the number OF men in the in
reference and other changes designed
10 make the game safer
VERMONT KS, MIDDLEBURy.
According to "A canvass taken by the
executive committee OF the ntercolleg-
retention OF the rules of the American
game with such changes as would
eliminate mass or other plays of UNI
usual danger to life or limb include
Geneva College. Hobart College. New
York University, Syracuse University.
Union College. New York. Union Uni
versity and the University Of Vermont
while among those who believe that the
game should he superseded by the Eng
lish game Rugby or association are
Middlerurv College and Ottawa Univer-
| sity
Capt. Palmer +. Pierce as president Of
the association in his oponirg address
declared that base ball in American Col
leges was in deplorable state and that
1t demanded more serious attention than
the football question. lie said profess
| sionalism had entered into the game
and that professional players who had
engaged In the game for pay during tho
summer season returned to their col
legcs. concealed the fact and entered
amateur games. Captain Pierce recon-.
mCnGed the three-yCdr rule in intercOl-