The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-29
Virginia League
STANDING OF THE CLUBS.
the forward pass and the quartere.ss

the forward pass and the quarterbaaa
run. which hitherto has required each
of these plays to BIO executed Ave
yards distant from the centre
The effect of the second OF these changes
means the disappearance OF the position OF
Quarterback. since under tho new rules any
back may carry the bail through the Inns
at any point upon snap direct from cen.
trc. ir the quarterback goes. the present
method OF swapping tho bail Will go. Snap
ping the ball is defined under the rules as
putting the bali in play with contin-
uous motion OF the hand or foot" Since
the quarterback VIII be found this fall in
the line group OF backs. 1t is certain
that the coaching genius of the country
will devise a better way OF sending the bail
back from centre than the present method.
which has existed for thirty-one years
This change means fast open and run
ming game. in which the premium no
longer viii be placed upon players OF gIgan-
tic bulk. but In which the IDEAL man vii!
DO the player of middle weight. fleet of
!oot, and keen OF mind. II means the re-
turn of the beautiful passes Of the eighties,
when each man as ne was tackled. passed
the ball TO an associate for a further ad-
vance rather than hugging II 10 his chest
and falling down upon II.
Exhaustion Causes Accidents.
me Investigation into the accidents OF
last tall disclosed the fact tina. many were
due to exhaustion. This presents a condi-
ton that is beyond rule makers to remedy
since ii devoives wholly upon players their
captain: coach. trainer or medical super.
visor. The committee however. has aided
these In the performance OF their
duties by abolish!ng the famous "halves"
OF football and substituting instead four
quaSerB OF fifteen minutes duration,
thereby reducing the playing time OF a
game by ten minutes and giving two addi-
tionai periods of rest.
In the matter OF the forward pass tina
committee faced difficult problem. in
deed. The Injurious effects OF this play
in the last three years have been twofold.
First IL has subjected the players recov-
ering the pass to violent personal collisions.
and, second. by forcing the secondary de-
Tense TO play at least ten Yards behind the
line OF Hcrimmage TO protect the forward
pass zone 1t has brought upon the unsup-
ported tackles the dangerous continuous
mass plays.
was 10 protect the men recovering the pass
and still not disturb the very foundation OF
the game.
This has been done by prescribing that
the players on defense may try to catch
ball when passed forward, and that any in
reference by them which is Incidental to a
bona hde attempt to get the ball shall be-
permissible but that no PLAYER shall be
permitted to ignore the flight of the ball
and violently put his opponents out OF the
play, as heretofore.
In order to balance up the equilibrium
of the game and also to prevent the long
forward pass from displacing the punt It
has been found necessary to establish
twenty-yard behind the defensive
rush line. forward passes to be recovered
within 1t, onside kicks to be recovered be-
yond it,
Other Changes Certain.
These numerous changes In the offensive
game will bring about automatically cor
responding changes d.efensively. Thus II 4
will probably be found that seven men are
no longer necessary to maintain the de-
fensive rush line, and that one OF these
men may be transferred to the back neld.
With the playing time reduced ten min
utes, teams will be able to play greater
number of major games, and with the
strenuous mass play abolished all games
may be played with full quarters.
Now that this, the final reform IN lha
long line OF revisions, has been effected
may we expect njnryess game? NO;
for no game involving physical contact ana
played with the American spirit, whlcn
keenly seeks to excel and to win, can exist
without accidents. Football basepail,
hockey and lacrosse are not games for
youth with serious organic defects. condl-
lions OF disease, or habits Of dissipation,
They are games for sound boys leading
sound lives. and who play with SOUND
spirit. For such football this autumn Of
fers as keen and safe sport as has been
afforded since the days of their fellow
players at sparta twenty-three centuries
ago.