The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-26
BY WILLIAM PEET.

That high school football coaches in
Washington are alive 10 the situation
and have joined In the general demand
for reform in the present playing rules
was shown last night. when representa-
tives from Central, Western, Technical,
and Business high schools and the Ma
tional Cathedral School held a meeting
at the National Press Club and agreed
upon a number Of radical changes in the
present football code.
These changes. as stated briefly in the
foregoing, were not only unanimously
agreed upon. but arrangements were
made TO give them a practical test next
Saturday morning, when teams from
Technical High School and the National
Cathedral School will be in uniform on
the Washington School for Boys field. in
Tennallytown.
To work Ont Changes.
With two school teams for trial horses
the coaches plan TO work out their pro-
posed changes without any scrimmaging.
The players will be moved about like
puppets and all taeklins is barred
The most important change is the doing
away with the forward pass. regarded by
the District coaches as a dangerous play.
There was considerable argument about
the forward pass. First some method was
suggested by which the player eligible TO
receive the ball on a forward pass could
be protected. A number Of suggestions
We're made but We're easily picked TO
pieces during the arguments. and It was
finally agreed upon 10 restrict the for
ward pass to behind the line of s1Tim-
mage. banishing entirely the long spec
tacular fling permissible under the rules
during the past three years
The onside kick also received a kick in
the stats, the rule being changed So that
none of the linesmen on the kicking side
can recover the bail after a kick until
it has been touched by player on the
| opposing side. The men behind the
kicker chose onside) may recover the
! ball on the fly, the same as heretofore.
! These two changes will do away with
much unnecessary rOughness. For In
stance, the only logical way TO break up
the forward pass has been for an oppos-
| ing player TO smash full tilt into the man
| reaching up to catch the ball. so that
1 the ball will hit the ground and be brought
/ back for the 15-yard penalty. Many play
ers have been badly hurt by these violent
/ collisions.
In the case OF the onside kick. the
/ change will do away with that mad
scramble for the ball where accidents
are always liable to happen.
Game Divided Into Thirds.
Dividing the game into thirds is the
idea OF Tom Kirby, the Central High
/ School coach. and is good one. as it
gives the spectator a better run for his
money. and the players more time TO re-
/ cuperate.
The rule adopted prohibiting the use
of hands by any player on the side of
the team having the ball Will do away
with hiking a half or full back through
the lines.
The coaches believe that the strictest
/ possible penalties should be attached to
crawling with the ball after a player
had been downed, or for tackling above
the shoulders.
Another move toward eliminating mass
plays. was that ordering seven men in
the line of scrimmage. where heretofore
six have been all that was required.
The District coaches in adopting these
changes are looking forward to the sup
port and suggestions from both George
town and George Washington. and believe
that the people of the District viii be
satisfied that everything possible is being
done to put the game on a safe and sane
basis
The board of education and others, dc
not want football TO be abolished in the
high schools, and the men in charge OF
training the boys are trying these expert
ments for the good OF the game.
Those present at the conference last
night included c. z. Hecox, of Technical
High School; Tom Kirby. of Central High
School; Clifton Byrd. of Western High
School; George F. Green of National
Cathedral School, and William Peet
Of Business High School.