The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-26

| of 1908:
 Player Removed May Be Returned Once | Cause: The adoption of this rule was caused by the protest against play ing an exhausted man, resulting in injuries which would be avoided if the man was fresh. Under the old rules coaches were slow to take out a good man even though he were phy- sically incapable cf playing further Effect: The effect of this rule will be to reduce such cases and will give coaches chance to make changes in the lineup, strengthening their teams physically and also giving them chance to use specialists, such as kiekers, in tight places. Length of Periods
 The game is now divided into four periods of 15 minutes each. A three minute intermission is granted between the first and second and third and fourth periods, and the usual 15 min ute mintermission between the second and third periods
 Cause: l. Protest against playing ex- hausted players.
 9 The desire to lessen the strain on players.
 Effect: l. This ought to make the game faster as 1t will keep the men fresher.
 ?. It ought to help the weaker men. since the strain is not so continuous as in the old game.
 Crawling
 Crawling forward with the ball af- ter the referees whistle blows is pen alized by a loss of 15 yards.
 Cause: l. Injuries due to piling up on a prostrate player who was at- tempting to advance the ball by crawl ing.
 since now by piling up on prostrate player the offending side loses a chance for 15-yard penalty.
 g. Ought to lessen injuries. Some severe injuries have been caused by men piling up on a man who was attempting to advance the ball by crawling.
 0nauEc or 1onlS A1ter IOucuuOWhs
 The sides do not change goals after each touchdown now. but only at the end of a period This will give each sde equal advantage of sun and wind. Seven Players on Line of scrimmage Seven players are required at all times to be on the line of scrimmage of the offensive side.
 Cause: 1. To weaken the offensive rushing strength of the side in pos session of the ball by forbidding the drawing back of a man from the line of scrimmage to be used as back.
 g. To reduce the number of men elig- ible to receive a forward pass.
 3. To reduce the offensive strength of @ team in return for making great CT offensive possibilities by other changes in the rules.
 Effect: 1. weakens the offensive rush ing power of teams in mass plays.
 2. Reduces the efficiency of forward pass somewhat.
 3. Strengthens the scrimmage line and may thereby make possible gain
 
 the line.
 Quarterback Runs
 The quarterback may now run with the ball through the line or around the ends The 5-yard restriction has been removed.
 Cause: 1. To open up the game by increasing the speed.
 ?. To give added offensive strength to make up for weakening in defense. 8. To add speed to end runs, mek- ing them ground gathers.
 Effect: l. Doubtful so far as line plays by the quarter are concerned.
 ?. Added weight in the quarterback is desirable so as to make his play more efficient.
 8. A lodging quarterback may worry the linemen, making their play less eff fective.
 f. The efficiency of this play is as yet doubtful and must be worked out in the games this fall.
 No InterIocked Interference
 The rules now forbid the interference
 
 by holding him on his feet or by push ing him as in going through the line. Cause: 1. This was undoubtedly caused by the seeming unfairness of making one man in the line sustain the attack of the entire back field.
 2. Probably the strongest cause for this change was the death of Cadet Byrnes of West Point, due to the pow erful Harvard tandem play gradually wearing him down and then burying him beneath the strength of pow erful back field, literally crushing him to death.
 Effect: 1. This does away with the team play which has been developed since football first begun.
 ?. It makes the work of the back field men individual rather than com bined.
 8. Reduce the likelihood of serious injury but makes sprains and minor injuries more likely.
 4. Materially reduces the ground gaining strength of plays thorugh the line. making end runs and open play more likely to advance the ball.
 5. Reduces the scoring possibilities as ti weakens the offensive strength of teams where they need 1t most, that Is close to the goal line. No Interference With Catcher or For-
 ward Pass
 The rule now provides that the catcher of a forward pass shall not be interfered A~ ntt rrr.t