Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-26
FOOT BALL SO[0NS
MEET THIS week
Changes in Rules. Are Likely.
Forward Pass Will Probably
Be Given 0verhauIing.

mittee?
That is the question the gridiron
coaches, warriors and followers are ask
ing one another now. For this week In
New York, the gentlemen who frame the
rules will meet. And some changes are
expected. possibly drastic ones.
The principal changes in the rules for
1910 were:
The right to substitute a player in
any period and send back the original
man In a subsequent period.
The division Of the game into four
periods Of fifteen minutes duration.
Legislation against crawling by the
man with the ball after he has fallen
or been brought to earth; also piling
upon a man who il down.
Seven men to always be On line of
scrimmage.
Man who first receives ball from center
permitted to cross line Of scrimmage at
any point.
Interlocked interference for man with
ball Or assistance by pushing or pulling
runners forbidden.
Adjustment of diving tackle by ruling
that tackler must have at least one foot
on the ground.
Forward pass must be received by man
1 yard back Of line Of scrimmage
or one end and is illegal If it goes more
y
Onside kick must go. at least 20
yards beyond line of scrimmage to put
men Of kicker's team on side.
It may be said that these We're the
direct bearing on the game. And it
is these points which will be discussed at
length when the rules committee meets.
Although it is almost impossible to fore
cast what the foot ball solons will do, 1t
is generally believed that the substitution
Of
will be continued. 1t Gives an opportunity
to send a man to the gymnasium for
rest when he is injured and may be seri-
Ously hurt If he continues to play. 1t is a
step toward eliminating the dangers Of
the game, and that is the object Of the
regeneration of the gridiron sport.
Judging from the decided opinions of
Mike Murphy, the Penn trainer. and other
foot ball experts. 1t may also be predicted
that the game will be divided into four
quarters In 1911. Men who study the
game from the physical powers of the
contestants as we'll as the artistic side
claim that the three-minute rest between
the first and second and third and fourth
periods gives the players an opportunity
to regain their stamina and tends to les
sen the danger Of serious accidents.
It is unnecessary to say anything about
the rules which do not permit crawling
by the man with the ball or piling upon
him by opponents. They will be stereo-
typed in the rule books. The same may
be said of the rule which prevents inter-
man carrying the balm short, the mass
ed attack upon one man or a certain point
in the line.
There has been very little notice taken
of the adjustment of the diving tackle.
It was believed that the hurting of a
taclzler at an opponent was likely to
cause serious injury to one or both men.
And a penalty OF yards may be imposed.
But 1t did not take the wise coaches
the ball has a clear field to the goal
line and an opponent can get him by
leaving his feet where he might miss
him by trying to outsprint him the D.
yard penalty is not big handicap.
1t is certainly better to lose yards
than have a touchdown scored against
you. So the adjustment Of the diving
tackle. although it meant to help foot
ball. is little more than a joke. And
the players will pay small attention to
it if they can save the game by diving
after the man with the ball:
Where the wise men who draft the
rules are likely to strike snag is when
they tackle the forward pass legislation.
Several prominent members Of the rules
committee never did favor the present
rules governing that play. and they are
going to fight to have them changed.
The most important point for discus
sion is the 2O-yard zone extending from
the lire of scrimmage to a point 20
yards into the territory of the side on
the defensive. 1t was in the Yale
Princeton game. which the Elis' won by
means of q forward pass. that the pres
ent rules were given a black eye.
Men who were seated close to the |
side lines admit that the pass of Howe |
at Princeton was caught by Fitzpatrick |
about one-half Yard inside the 2O-yard |
zone. 1t is commended that there is too
much danger of an error the way the |
rule reads at present-too much RESPONSE |
bility placed upon the officials. who must |
decide whether the pass is legal.
Possibly the easiest way to satisfy |
the foot ball followers will be to elimi- |
nate the 2O-yard zone. 1t seems that |
a forward pass should be legal If caught |
anywhere inside bounds.
1t is practically certain that the for
ward pass will be continued as a play. |
The fact that it did not gain much |
ground for the big teams. largely be-
cause it was used SO seldom. will not |
mean that it will be abolished. |
Moreover. it is hard to forecast what |
the rules committee will do. for it's menu
hers are going TO New York with de-
cided opinions on certain points in the
game. and only after they have been |
lhrashed out in secret will We know the
result.