Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-21
FOOT BALL RULES
Much to Learn and UnIearn in
the Lately Revised Code.
BRUTALITY KNOCKED OUT
Possibility Of Injury Greatly Re.
duced by Eight Changes in Regu-
lations for Gridiron.


There Is SO much to learn and un-
learn In the new foot ball rules which
have just been issued that players
coaches and officials. not to mention
the spectators. will be almost willing
to conclude that they are in need OF q
preliminary course OF instruction in
order to master their many intricacies
Rather unexpectedly the new rules en-
body a number Of changes not made
public when the committee ended its
NTH session in New York last May
The elimination of brutality and the
reduction in the possibility of injury
have been achieved by the following
eight changes in the rules:
l.. The quarterback. or the first man
to receive the ball from center, may
advance 1t without being required to
go. flve yards to one side or the other.
Any man may advance the bali without
restrictions on the direct pass.
The teams must change goals at the
beginning Of the second and fourth
periods. but the possession of the ball.
the down, the relative spot Of the
down and the distance to be gained re-
main as they were at the end Of the
preceding quarter.
2. The new game will be played in
four periods OF fifteen minutes each.
This shortens the game Of 1909 by ten
minutes. Between the first and second
and third and fourth periods there will
be an .intermission Of three minutes.
but no player may leave the field DUR
ing this interval. nor can any coach.
other than the trainer, come on the
field. Between the second and third
periods the usual intermission Is al
lowed. during which the teams may go
to their training quarters.
N n n
suspended. any player who has left the
game during one period may return to
1t, but once only during a succeeding
period.
4. There must be seven players on
the line Of scrimmage by the team in
possession Of the ball.
). The prohibition Of the flying tackle
Is effected by the rule that tackler
must always have one foot on the ground
when making a tackle.
6. The 5-yard restriction Is removed
from the forward pass, by which the
ball may cross the line Of scrimmage at
any point. A forward pass to be legal
must be made from a point at least nve
yards back of the line of scrimmage. Be-
tween this point and the line of scrim-
mage the bah can neither be kicked nor
passed.
The forward pass can only be received
by player occupying a. position at least
one yard back Of the line OF scrimmage
when the ball is put In play. Nor can
II be received except within zone
bounded by the line of scrimmage and
a point twenty yards distant.
.. The -onside kick, In order to De ie-
gal. must go at least twenty yards beyond
the line Of scrimmage. In case or an
onside kick the players on the defense
are not allowed to interfere with the
opposing ends or others coming GOV y
the field until they have passed the
twenty-yard limit. Then the defensive
players may use their hands or arms
to push an opponent out OF the way III
order to get the ball.
3. There must be no interlccked IN
reference. by which Is meant the play,
ers OF the attacking side taking hold OF
each other, or in using their hands OF
arms on their teammate in order to ao-
vance the ball.
These rules are much more radical than
they may at first seem. They are fui'
OF pitfalls for players. coaches ana OF
ficials. especially the latter. Indeed. the
extra duties imposed on the oficials are
such that they will be continually ha-
rassed by the players until the latter un.
derstand what Is and what Is not leSal
foot ball. The worst stumbling piock
will be to determine what is meant oy
the rules on assisting the runner. ana
also whether q forward pass was prop
eriy made and received. and whether the
defensive Players observed all the re-
stricttons imposed upon them.
The foregoing remarks do not mean
that the rules are unnecessarily compli-
Gated. They merely require a new, sys-
ers on account OF their lack Of familiarity
with them are TO transgress repeatedly.
This VIII require the officials to be un-
usually alert.
Spectators who see their first game
WIZ note' nrst Of ali. the absence Of the