The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-13
CODE Of FOOTBALL
FAR FROM SETTLED
Subcommittee May Recon-
mend Retention of For
ward Pass.
BOARD WILL MEET
TO ACT TOMORROW
Defense VIII Probably Be Less
Handicapped Than At
First Proposed.

The subcommittee Of three appointed
at the recent meeting Of the Interc0I-
legiate Football Rules Committee in this
city has found it impossible 10 fOmu-
late a game 10 their liking in conform
snce with the eight general rules
adopted by the committee. and as the
result further changes OF a radical
nature are likely TO be effected at the
meeting of the entire committee IN New
York today
There are three possibilities. First,
that the committee shall so over lne
entire ground again Second. that they
shall leave seven OF the rules as they
are now. and change that as 20 the IoT-
ward pass 50 as to make II the same .
last year instead OF limiting II 70 Deillli4
the line Of scrimroage- Is was deGloeq a
the meeting In Philadelphia ana mr.
that a ninth rule De added handlcapplnS
the defense
The subcommittee. consisting Of Blag-
den, or Harvard IS. iiilaus, Of PennsFi-
vanla, and Hall OF Dartmouth was ap-
pointed TO work out the 0eIdllS ana
-cOdify the rules for game OF IootDai.
20 be played along the same pellCt a
lines aS that of last year except IoI
eight changes These were- ID mat
e team having the bah be required 10
have at least seven men on the line OF
scrirunaSes g 1nat mere De ~ p t51
ing OF pulling Of the man vItI the pail
80 That there be no flying tackles
"a That the game ue divided INTO FOUR
periods Of fifteen minutes each Ia
mat a punt must travel AT least twenty
yards before the men Oh the team OF
the kicker shall be placed Onslde by the
ball touching the ground 90 Inat Jhe
man first receiving -he ball from center
be permitted 10 advance Il al any point
a. That the forward pass ce llIfiJeu
10 behind the line Of Scrimmage- 81
That the distance to he gained IN three
attempts b. eight yards instead Of ten
Unable TO Agree
Il was supposed that the reforming Of
the rules was practically finished and
that this committee would merely codlfy
Them submit them to the meeting In New
York tomorrow aad that they would
then be adopted and the rules would be
ready for the start OF the season next
fan. When the subcommittee met IN
Boston last Sunday, however, tEey
found that Il would be no simple matter
10 secure a good game eubody ing the
changes suggested by the general com
mittee- Their chief difficulty lay in the
fact that with the mass -lay and the
forward pass taken away ana the on
side kick sadly hampeTed, the team with
the bah would never be able 10 ADVANCE
Il consistently even with The distance
~ ba Gained reduced 10 eight Yards
This would mean that the game as re-
arranged would consist or nothing but
kicking. kuOWiue mat this was con
trary 70 the wishes OF the coInInlLlee
the three men drew ND two sets OF
rules, each containing changes IN add
ton 10 those authorized DE me general
committee and these have been mailed
70 the members and VIII be acted on az
the meeting in New York tomorrow.
While these changes are being guarded
with great care hy the committee Il
Is known that in one. the subcommittee
suggests the solution Of the problem by
the retention of the forwar I'd pass IN
some effective form. while in the other
they suggest the CandiCappInE Of the de-
Tense, though in manner Dr. no means
so drastic as that urged by Walter
Camp AT the recent meetings
Both the pass and the handicapuinE or
the defense were thoroughly fought out
ar the last meeting and were defeated
E'hiS VIII bring 10 q head once more the
battle over these. two questions. which
has been WaCed ever since the commit
tee first met last February At the
recent meeting the committee practically
decided on Saturday afternoon TO retain
the forward pass, and then al the even
ing session had g change Of heart and
restored i 10 behind the line Of scri-1-
mage WIN the sentiment so evenly d.
Vided On The pass and with the subcoul-
mitCea unable 10 formulate any game
which seems TO them satisfactory with
out either retaining the pass or rardf-
Gaping the defense, he chances are that
the former alternative 1-iII Re aslo-t-
ed and that the long battle over the Tor
ward pass VIII Vet end IN q victory for
its advocates. led ty Williams. Of Penn
syIvanis- and Stag Of Chicago
But then there IS also The possibility
A-ltA L--E I-iLA-AlAAllr-s @ ire
report OF the committee may become
dissatisfied with Their whole work and
uesCind the entire action that has so
Tar been taken At al events the action
OF che sUbcoumittse shows that foot
hall has not been finally settled as was
supposed There VIII be another fine
fight Ove- the rules II New York to
morrow and Saturday and the chances
are that there are more changes to
come