The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-12-10
ABANDON OPEN PLAY IS
URGED BY ENTHUSIASTS
lRy walter II. Eckersall.l

ested IN the notifications in the game
which the rules committee is sure to
make when il meets in New York this
winter
1t is certainty that some altera.
ton must be made in the playing code
TO appease those who are strongly op.
posed to football The season Just
closed has been prolific OF more
deaths and serious injuries than any
season since the adoption OF the new
rules, four years ago Al that time
the rules committee was forced to
satisfy those who called football a
brutal sport The first years OF the
new game pleased every one, but as
the coaches obtained better ideas of
the possibilities Of the changes, in.
iuries and deaths became more fre.
quent until this year the toll has be-
come 50 great that somthing must
be done for the preservation Of the
game.
lnnumerable suggestions already
have been made, and the rules com.
mittee win be confronted with the
hardest task II ever has experienced.
When the game was changed. IN the
winter Of l905-6 notifications we're
made to satisfy those who thought
injuries were caused by mass plays.
As a matter Of fact. most serious in
iuries have occurred in the open,
where two fast moving bodies have
come together IN this style Of play
the man with the ball has opportunity
to gather his speed and when he is
tackled by player coming from the
opposite direction either one or both
are liable to be hurt
In the days Of mass play and line
plunges the man with the ball did
not have an opportunity 70 gather his
speed and when he hit the line he
did not have the drive or momentum
OF a player with a ten or flfteen-yard
start Injuries which did occur in this
style OF play were caused by careless.
ness ON the part Of some OF the men
who allowed themselves to be caught
under mass with their legs curled
under them or in cramped positions.
Old gladiators like Heffelhnge,, Glass,
Hare Dewitt who stood the brunt
OF many hard attack. seldom were
injured, because they never allowed
themselves to be so caught.
II any changes are made IN the
code the committee would do we'll TO
revert as much as possible to the old
game When this game was in vogue
the players. as now. were hurt Sc
riously in the open and few serious
accidents happened in the middle of
the line, when the linesmen and backs
were taught correct methods Of pro
tecting themselves
II notifications are 70 be made,
one Of the best ways to prevent IN.
juries is to take of some Of the re-
strictions from the forward pass As
tho play Is used now. the man who
receives a forward pass in the open IS
rarely protected and this Is due to
the restrictions on the play Any
player who is body checked in the
open, when he is In the act Of re.
ceiving pass, and when he has no
chance to protect himself, Is sure to
be hurt Il is hard enough Tor d play.
er to get out in the open. let alone
providing an interference to protect
him
II every man on a team we're eigi.
bic to receive a throw, then i means
Of protecting the one 10 receive the
pass could be advised. and one Of the
dangerous elements Of the game would
be eliminated. TO make every man
on the team eligible to receive the
pass It would be necessary to abolish
the rule that the ball must be passed
five yards either side of the center
In order to secure a more frequent
use Of the pass under such conditions
it would be good thing TO take on
The penalty for an lnoompleted throw
THAT Is. eliminate the i5-yard pen.
atty but let the down advance, and
II the throw we're ineompleted on the
third attempt the bail 10 10 to the
opponents on the spot where the throw
was made. just as It is now
This would encourage forward pass
ing and probably make more OF the
attempts successful II also would do
away with penaIizing the teams
which Is one Of the dlsagreeablc Zee.
lures Of the present game II Is
certainty that the coaches would de-
wise a defense to protect the receiver
of forward passes and IN making Ell.
gible the linesmep who are less sus.
ceptible 10 injuries would resalt
Many injuries have resulted from
laxty Of officials IN enforcing pen.
altles for unnecessary roughness. pill
ing on and taekling out Of bounds
49,