The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-20

DE IHCAE
Reelection on the altered rules JUST
fies the prediction that football next
fall viii be a much changed sport
from the game 20 which the PUBIC
has been accustomed IN the past.
In response TO a claTUr- the nationa.
committee revised the code IN the
summer of 1898 bur the JlnkeTinS at
that time cannot compare with taS
revolutionary revision mat Jre same
has undergone since the close OF laSI
season when The demand for a SIM
pier. saner. and safe sport was so
strong that IL was Undeniable-
The injection of the forward pass
and the on-side R5ck i've years back
was expected 10 SO weaken the de-
tense that a more open game would
result Il was expected that "a team
on the alert for the plays encouraged
by the Changes, would be SO arranged
that the end running style the most
popular of eli styles OF offensive play
would be most conspicuous
Line Weakened
But exactly the reverse resulted
Forced 10 defend against the long
forward passes and kicks that could
be recovered the instant they touched
the ground the defensive team drop
FED back its secondary defense and
left the line practically without re-
enforcement Instead OF lEe forwards
EavinE the assistance Of the backs in
stopping straight plays. they were
alone, and were forced 10 depend en-
tireIy upon their own speed and
strength TO bring 90 earth offensive
movements. In which three or four
players, assisting the runners were
driven a. individual defensive players
The natural development was that
instead OF aCteUp tiuE the rather Gaz-
ardOus recovery OF forward passes or
shirt kicks. the wise field generals
concentrated their attack on the line
The heaviest plays il was possible TO
form with the four 2Talla bic backs
ana Al end were shot al the lndlEiC-
Ual forwards with the resGly that
they soon save way before the bat
IerlnE- and we're found for easy gains
or forced u quit the Held utterly tired
More Mass Play.
Short gains were virtually assured
and penetration OF the first line Of de-
Tense meant lOEE runs. SO what was
expected 10 become an open same de
generated into the veriest mass play,
and, IN fact the biggest games iasc fail
saw the concentration OF offensive
force more powerful and successful
than was ever possible under the old
rules which encouraged guards back
and tackle back which was merely
Actual experiments alone VIII tell the
ultimate result of the recent changes. but
with the opening of the eamrarEn on
the eTidirou less than one month of It
seems fair 70 presume that the commit
Jee-Ias Al last achieved the purpose for
which It has Iabored- for years-a game
50 free that the liability Of the player
10 danger win be leSseued and the gen
eral scheme OF play so opened that Do
VIII be more tasclDati1S TO the ordinary
Tho most fr7oar-a0- general chances
IN the rules follow
First-ThC playing time has been cut
from seventy 10 sixty minutes and each
Ielrty-ullnute half has been SUbiivideG
into two ffteeu-minuJe periods, between
which there is a three--uinute iutermis-
sion.
Second-PIay ers thar have been taken
out of the play because Of injury, or
appearance Of injury. may return to the
game again in some subsequent period
10 mat from Ehlch they Withdrew
LllT1-1le flying tackle which the
committee believed caused many IN iur-
les, has been prohibited
FouTJh-Ouce the player carrying the
ball has been fairly CoWned. he may
not crawl ahead along the ground, which
heretofore has invited the 1ilinS uD of
Fifth-Seven players must be at All
times on the line Ct ScriUUaZe for the
attacking tcaru-tEls being a handicap
10 heavy mass plays
Sixth-1fcmbers Of the attacking team
NAY not pun or push the man carrying
the bail. or even take hold Of each
other TO provide a more solid and there
by dangerous Interference
ScVe1rE-A4en receiving forward passes
and outside kicks are given protection
against blocking, or body checking. by
49, opponents when not in position to Offer
resistance
No Pushing or Pulling
While practically every feature Of the
game has been touched upon by the
board in its deliberations, the mos;
thoroughly radical change that has been
made has been prohibition Of pushing
or pulling by offensive players of the
man with the bali In former years the
true gauge OF a players value IL Olfeuss
was measured by the square feet ne
was from the rune Teams were
taught 10 mass about the feiloEy-DlaEeg
with the bah, and by interference and
hiking. curry MIN CLonS IoT extra
yards. even after ne had been tackled
within the grasp OF an opponent S1Df
Of the most CuDSiSrln- gains were made
after the man had been tackled TINS
nov only served 10 close M the oienSe
but proved an Busu-rncurtan-e hzD---csl-
70 the individual defenders
Interference Ahead
The result Of the prohibition o. push
ing and pulling IS almost incsJ-1lahle
Instead of draE=ipc a runner Il VIII Id
the rule n the future TO keep The in
terference Il front TO clear the way