The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-17
CLAIM The new
RULES ARE NO HELP

No one can say how the changes in
the football rules which were made at
last springs conference of the big col
leges, will work until they have been
given practical test. 1t is we'll known
that men who are authorities on the
subject disagree with one another as
to whether or not the game has been
benented by the changes. One thing
is certain, veteran football players will
have to unlearn considerable football
lore and to acquire new knowledge
AS a result, teams composed Of vet
eran players like Harvard will have
harder work cut out for them than
teams composed of many new players
like Yale and Princeton. The latter
universities will have to build UP prac'
tically new teams
In looking over the new rules the
! first important change noted is the
method of marking the periods Of
play. Under the old rules there were
two halves Of not exceeding thirty
five minutes each, with a fifteen-min-
ute rest In between. The new style
of game will have four periods each Of
fifteen minutes, with three minutes
intermissions between the first and
second and third and fourth periods,
and the usual intermission between
the second and third periods.
During the short rests no player is
allowed to leave the field, and no one
must go on the field except doctors
and trainers, who are allowed to look
after the physical condition Of the
men. This change is made to prevent
utter exhaustion on the part of play
ers, as was often the case under the
old rules. A star player who is hurt
and forced to quit the game may re-
turn during a subsequent period I'M
der the new style of play. This rule
was framed to encour" 80 the coaches
not to force a man to LAY who has
suffered temporary injury that may
become serious from further partici-
patton In the game. ....... ..........-- .....
Crawling flying tackles, hurdling in
the line and mass plays are all pen
allied under the new rules. 1t used
20 be the case for a man carrying the
ball to try to crawl forward even aft
er he had been downed and had prob-
ably the weight Of fifteen or sixteen
players on his body. A tackIer who
makes his tacks with both feet off the
ground is now guilty of an Illegal play.
In the old days flying tackles were
very picturesque and hair raising, but
they did men out and caused fatal in
juries at times. That is why they
have been abandoned. It is the same
with hurdling in the line The man
with The ball would run forward and
leap over the opposing linemen
crouched to tackle him. 1t was moth
ing for his feet to come in contact
with mans head or body with such
violence as to cripple him sometimes
for life, and sometimes the hurdler
was himself bent backward like
jacknife and his spine permanently
injured by fall at an awkward angle
Mass play is forbidden under the
head of interlocked interference. Play
ers are forbidden to pull, haul or drag
the man with the ball, or take hold of
him in any way. This does away with
the old style of game utterly, by which
four men, more or less, locked togeth-
er, hurled themselves at a single OPP
posing player. 1t was in this manner
that byEhe' Jackie Oh the west POINT
eleven. was killed in the game with
Harvard last fall. A cadet at Annap-
oils also had his neck broken These
two fatalities had much to do with
changing the rules.
The forward pass has been tamper-
ed with so much that it Is likely to be
unpopular with the big elevens this
fall. The limitations have been made
to prevent injury, but they have prac-
tically put the play on basketball
basis. Under the new rules, forward