davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
scrimmage Line Unchanged.

The line OF scrimmage is similar 70 what
it became when the idea Of neutral zone
was agreed upon between contesttng
teams-that Is, 1t is a double line. With
the ball in the centre between the contest
ing teams, each line must be formed on the
end Of the ball nearest each rival team. To
be on the line of scrimmage a man must
be within one foot OF the line. A player to
be eligible to receive the forward pass
must be at least one yard back of his own
line OF scrimmage or playing the position
Of end rush. That, Of course, means that
the defending side knows that none of the
players who are exactly on the line of
scrimmage, except the ends, are able to
receive a forward pass If one is made. AS
seven players must be on the line OF scrlm-
mage. 1t confines the catcher OF the for
ward pass to one of four players who are
in some part of the back field or to one of
the end rushes: that is, there are only I'VE
players Of an eleven who can receive a for
ward pass at any stage OF game, for one
OF the four in the back field must make
the pass.
Imaginary lines figure quite largely in
this forward pass play. In addition to the
Imaginary one-yard line, which constitutes
eligibility to receive forward pass. there
Is an imaginary five-yard line running
back OF the serimmage line of the attack
Ing side. To make the forward pass a
player must be behind this five-yard line.
He may not kick the ball unless he ia be-
hind the line. In other words, the quarter
back, nor any other player, can stand
directly behind the snapper back, grasp
the ball as 1t comes from him and nip II
quickly to ap end or kick It unexpectedly
over the scrimmage line.
The side with the bali must do it's kick
ing and its forward passing 1--WE yards
away from scrimmage. Presumably that
Is to give the defending side certain
amount OF time within which to grasp the
nature OF the play, IL smart enough to
do so.
Still more imaginary lire. This is
twenty yards back of the scrimmage line
OF the defending side. II the pass crosses
this line before touching the ground or a
player. the ball is dead. In other words,
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Play Is Intricate.


There are intricacies about the forward
pass which never existed before. and it
may readily be understood how the older
football players are inclined to fight these
innovations, which seem to them to be de-
tracing from the fundamental intention
of the sport.
Still, so long as the forward pass was
insisted upon by those who can be induced
to believe that it is good football, 1t Is
evident that certain restrictions had to be
formulated and enforced to prevent such
rough and harmful play as had become in
evidence after coaches and players learned
how to block the use of the formation.
The practice had become common to
make the attack almost wholly on the
player who was eligible to catch the ball.
Little attention was paid to the man who
was passing the ball, and risk was willing
ly assumed In the recovery Of the ball.
For the moment effort was concentrated
on blocking the catch. and not infrequent-
ly players who could not have caught the
ball were pushed to the ground, caught by
a neat device where two men would run
into one and back him over third, and
in other ways so roughly handled that
complaint was common.
The question which arises is whether the
forward pass is likely to become a more
popular play this year or one OF infre-
quent usage.
Some OF those who have steadfastly
stood up for the forward pass insist that
1t has been so well protected thatAfor the
first time in its history 1t will begin to
show Its advantage as spectacular and
strategic move.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Protection the Thing.

Protection to the man who is eligible
10 receive the ball, to the extent that he
cannot be rovghed. will help the forward
pass greatly" says Mike Murphy. the
Pennsylvania teacher of athletics. There
never has been any immediate protection
around the play. That is where the dan
ger came in. / know that some colleges
are opposed to it, and they are opposed to
II because they do not favor anything
which takes the game out OF the rut into
which 1t has fallen BY persistent and In
sisent hammertng against the line That
meant combined attack against one player,
and that is where football had half its
trouble. Why deny that such is the case?
/ taught football under the old method
and know little about It. When teams
went into the game they went In with
determination to And the weak spot OF
their adversaries and keep after 1t until
1t was thoroughly punished. There was
nothing wrong IN 1t. II was the theory OF
the game and worked out in the practice.
Time has developed that game Of that
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Diagram shows Players Positions.

Diagram Shows Players Positions.
The above tells how the forward pass
may be made and how received. An ac-
lcompany'ng diagram shows the positions
Of the players In trying for the pass.
Officials will probably have their hands
full watching for the imaginary lines in
the forward pass. The referee is to note
whether the man passing the ball Is back
the requisite five yards. The field Judge Is
Ito ascertain wnerner rne pass actually
goes more than twenty yards without
touching the ground or a player. Both
the referee and field judge are to deter
mine whether the man who received the
forward pass was on the end Of the at
lacking side or at least one yard back of
the scrimmage line when the ball was put
into play.
After this play has been put into opera
ton any player Of the side that did not
make the forward pass has full right to
touch the ball and attempt to secure pos
session of it That is, It is 'any body's
ball'' the moment that it leaves the hands
ward pass is even touched or fumbled by a
player. no players on the other side may
interfere with the opponent until the ball
is actually in possession of the player ex-
cept in an attempt to get at the ball. OF
course, the moment that player has the
ball in his hand he may be tackled. as he
would be on any play, but he is not to DO
blocked, pushed one side or thrown to the
ground before he gets chance to catch
the ball. as was the case last year, when
made to put the man who was to receive
the forward pass out OF the play before
he could get the ball.
/ One contest was played between Prince
ton and the Indians in New York which
brings that system to mind The Indians
had proved adept at the forward pass.
Princeton watched an Indian game and
when the contest was played at the Polo
Ground in New York the Princeton men,
divining almost every effort which the In
dams were attempting to use the forward
pass. paid little attention to the ball and
devoted their time to taking care of the
nan who was to catch the ball In this
manner Princeton made the attack of the
Indians almost useless. Under the pres
ent rules 1t will be impossible to do any
thing of the kind, although it Is very evil
dent that the officials will have abundant
reason to keep close eye on players until
the players finally have it thoroughly Inn
pressed upon them that in the game OF 191OI
Camp we'll puts 1t, to keep hands off,"
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01

out of commission before he got his hands
on the ball. In effect it means that If a
forward pass is merely touched or fumbled
by player, no player on either side may
even then interfere with an opponent until
the ball is actually in possession OF a
player except in bona fide effort to get
the ball
1t is not going to be very difficult to
tell the difference between a bona fide at
tempt to get the ball and a bona tide at
tempt to drop the man who is about to
catch the ball. There are not likely to be
played SO many of those tricks this year
by which players in concerted attack got
rid of the man who was about to receive
the ball. If one player jumps for the ball
and another of the defending side jumps
for it at the same time, it will not be diff
fcult for umpire, field Judge or referee to
rule properly on the play.
The forward pass, in some degree-in-
deed, to a large degrees protected sim
ilarly to the fair catch, and, having done
that, the rule makers are quite confident
that they have put 1t on a basis where 1t
will be more valuable in attack than 1t
has been since the day it was adopted.
1t Is very well known that the oppo-
sition which aligned itself against the
play came from men OF substantial expert
ence. They were opposed to 1t because
they deemed it to be one of the most
harmful plays OF all football strategy.
They did not think that it was good foot
ball, to begin with, and did not think that
the player trying to catch the ball had
anything like adequate protection against
field Of charging men, and very likely
there was great deal more truth than
poetry in their contentious.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
All in the Future.

Whether the value of the forward pass
has been increased to any extent by the
changes which have been made is an effect
which has yet to be worked out. 1t had
been considered to be play more of final
resort than good football by some elevens.
BY others 1t had been used as play of
strategy. Some teams would not consider
the forward pass until the final down and
others would try it on the second down.
Where team had some specially prepared
formation and good players to put 1t into
effect and were playing against other
players who were not familiar with their
style of team work, the forward pass
gained ground.
When it was used as the last play with
which to try to fool the defence 1t fire.
quently gained as much ground as when it
was attempted with studied effort to fool
adversaries in earlier downs.
When the side in possession of the ball
this year undertakes to use the forward
pass it need not of necessity divulge its
plan to the defending side. The backs
need not be out of place. If the quarter
back Is a yard behind the snapper back
and three of the other backs are in line
with the quarter back they viii have
compiled with the rule, for the fourth can
be on the imaginary five yard line or just
behind II, as the rule demands, the ball
be snapped back to him and the play be
made from his position in whichever direc-
ton 1t is the intention to play the forma-
II On.
The man with the ball can run parallel
70 the five yard line and just behind It
draw his opponents TO one side OF the
field and shoot the ball to the other, or
nurl 1t over their heads IL an end rush
is smart enough to get through and take
position to receive 1t.
There win be opportunity enough to try
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Two Experts.

Harlan, of Princeton, and Quill. Of Yale.
became remarkably expert in placing the
ball for the onside kick, and there can be
no doubt that 1t was one of the most adj
mired of all the new plays which came
into recognized football.
| With the dexterity and the accuracy of
sharpshooters they could drop the bali
within few feet-almost inches sometimes
of the place where the runner was to
receive 1t, and good gains were commonly
the result
The onside kick Of this year will he
nothing better than long twenty-five or
thirty yard punt If the ball hits the
ground at that distance 1t will become
common property. The players on defense
in the twenty-yard zone in the case of n
Kick must not interfere with the ends
or other players in any way until their
opponents have advanced twenty yards
beyond the line Of scrimmage. OF course
II the ball lands within the twenty-yard
zone the play is the same as It always
has been.
The result of the change would seem IN
have put premium on the punter who can
Kick long distances and with accuracy. If
team with such a punter also possesses
fast ends. there are possibilities for the
team occasionally to gain on his kicks. 1t
wilfNbe more like the old days when the
chief aim Of punting was to lift the ball as
far as possible.
The quick, certain and accurate punter.
who came into existence with the intro
duction of the onside kick for the shorter
distance is not likely to be in such
demand. 1t will take good Judgment
and something more than that on
the part of a punter to know
lust when he can lift the ball for twenty
five yards or more. He will have to be
five yards behind the line when he kicks,
kick twenty yards more to keep within the
rule, and then trust that his ends have
beaten the ball That's the only onside
kick legal and logical.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01

ward pass there is no peace for 1t.
Favor the Running Start.
One Of the objections to the new rules Is
that in making the forward pass the man
throwing the ball must start it five yards
back Of the line OF scrimmage. Western
football authorities insist that 1t will en-
| tirely change their style of game, as they
have been teaching their players to run as
far as they could with the ball and then
shoot it,
They must not forget that when the
player with the ball threw 1t forward he
did so with far less protection for the
catch than is in evidence now. To offset
the better protection the throw was started
behind the line. To be frank, the forward
pass, as It has been regulated by the rule
makers, seems to be little changed from a
punt, with consequent fair catch, except
that In certain limitations 1t is possible for
any player of either team to obtain pos
session Of the ball.
Had the same amount of protection been
given to the man who catches the ball, and
the rule still have been in effect that the
player throwing the ball could throw it
from any position which he could secure by
his own efforts, the side in possession of
the ball would have been given such adj
~S~%A@~S
where the strength Of one was greatly SUI
perior to that of the other, two or three
speedy runners would have been able to
score almost at will and probably until
they would have been too tired to go fur
Their.
Alonzo Stage, instructor at the Univer-
sity of Chicago, who was sufficiently inter-
lested in the game to take team South last
year and experiment on possible changes
lin the line, thinks 1t would have been even
more judicious If the rules committee had
modified the restrictions In regard to the
forward pass
| ST have come to the conclusion" said he,
latter the experience had with my play
ters, that it would have been better il the
rule, which now says that only player re-
Iceiving the forward pass can recover II
from a tumble among the men on his side,
should have read that any player on either
side could recover. Such play would
have made the game much more interest
ing and decidedly faster, and after the
rules have been tried this year and there
has been opportunity to observe their
workings it is possible that another season
will find notifications made along these
lines
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01

lent things. The strong player can often
protect the weak whom he is assisting. but
the weaker player who makes an effort to
assist the weak is too often too sorely
troubled to defend himself to be Of any
great value as a protecting agent to the
man on his own team whom he is trying to
aid.
Line plays had so closely followed the
traditions of line plays, which were made
by heavier and stronger football elevens,
that the game became overbaianced, so far
as attack and defence could offset each
lother, and the football to which college
faculties ruled final objection was the out
lput.
! The suggestion that there is likely to be
little line play under the new rules is rath-
Ter far fetched. More than that, the in
timation that 1t will be out OF the question
to tackle perfectly is equally far fetched.
The more that the coaches work their
way into the present intention OF the rules,
and the further they progress with their
players, the more a great many Of them
are likely to ascertain that they will have
to depend upon running plays as much as
they have in the past If they expect to do
much with the ball. Their scheme of or
ganization will have to be upon different
basis, and the groundwork Of their plays
will have to rest upon ability to deceive
the defending side, both by feinting and
by the speed OF their backs, and the ability
OF their ends to protect their backs.
The rule in regard to the forward pass is
the most complex Of all and is likely to
give the first troubles to officials and play
lers.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01

kind is not wholly football and that neither
the public nor those who have in charge
the colleges of the land are in favor of It,
and the tendency which Is being made
prominent in football is not to protect the
weak--for the weak should never play the
game-but to protect the strong and
rugged from unnecessary violence and tc
make the game varied and picturesque
enough to satisfy the players. If they are
satisfied 1t is we'll certain that the spec.
tators will enjoy themselves. When mer
engage In sport IL they can arouse en-.
thusiasm in what they are doing they will
md responsive admirers among those who
are present to witness their efforts"
Murphy has become a very warm advo-
cate OF the newer ideas In football and II
ls not out of the question that some OF his
theories In connection with the sport have
found warm advocates on the part of those
who represented Pennsylvania on the
Rules Committee
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Some Good witnesses.

Players of the West Point, Annapolis,
Carlisle and one or two other teams can
testify to the roughness which character
lied the attempted use Of the forward
pass in contests In which they took place.
Players in other elevens probably had
their full share OF trouble trying to get
the ball and avert the onslaught OF three
or four husky and troublesome young
men who were determined that they
should be eliminated from all possible
chance of catching the ball.
This season may be the last test for
the forward pass. II it cannot command
attention without further provision being
made to safeguard its use 1t may be rele-
gated to the waste basket
On the other hand IL 1t Is able to with
stand this year, and prove of use, 1t may
become a fixture after its stormy effort
ito break permanently into the game.
Still another restriction In the rules
makes 1t impossible for players who put
the ball In play after they have crossed
the scrimmage line to interfere with their
opponents until the ball has been caught
by player OF either side beyond the line
of scrimmage-except as bona fide inter-
ferers In an attempt to advance the ball
by rush in an actual attempt to catch
Q forward pass, or until they have passed
twenty yards beyond the line OF scrim-
mage. Then they may use their hands
Ior arms to push opponents out of the way
In order to get at the ball or the man car
Irying It. No player shall be considered as
having passed the line of scrirnmage I'M
til he has actually got by opponents who
are on the line OF defensive scrimmage.
That viii also keep the officials busy.
On the other hand, players or the side
which did not put the ball In play are not
to interfere with their opponents after they
have crossed the line on scrimmage until
the ball has been caught BY player OF
elther side beyond the line OF scrimmage,
apply TO the attacking side RI these reg
with exactly the same exceptions noted al
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
All Four Backs in Action.

the season runs along.
All Four Backs in Action.
All four OF the backs can be kent babtrS
the five yard line and the bali be passed
from one to the other. and than eo~r,a.s
ana that play, except for the forward
pass would not be unlike some which ars
attempted and played successfully NV the
Australian Rugby players. who mass +ba
pan back constantly and vet bv +hatS
neeTness OF foot and lodging ability ara
apie 10 make large gains through the
&c @ OF their rivals. 1t is individuality
Oh work. In part, which makes the Ans,
slanans such daring and skilful PLAYERS
ana II Is with something of the same In'
.ehtloh thae the rule makers have worked
lnlS season They would like to see indf
Sluuahty or action, so far as running and
uooslhg are concerned, and less concerted
eiaoIt WHere players unite in a mass to
ADVANCE the ball or oppose It's progress.
a great deal OF space has been given TO
me Icrward pass because in a way It win
DC one OF the important plays of the year
Its rate probably depends on what hap
pens THIS season on the football field. If
| u is to be continued In American football
lSlO should demonstrate whether II AZ use
iul or an experimental ornament. and IL
~ ~ an experimental ornament the quicker
the game is rid Of it the better.
There has been an important change In
another play which was placed in the
rules when mass play was Iegislated
against. The onside kick must carry
twenty yards this season before II becomes
I"Gnybody's ball"
No more of those little "dabs'' Just over
TIE line for few yards. A player of the
side which puts the ball in play cannot
touch 1t legally unless the ball touches the
ground the full sixty feet in advance OF
the spot where the scrimmage was held.
Last year, if the ball carried ten feet
over the scrimmage, 1t was legal for a
player OF either side to get it IL he could.
The rule makers are of opinion that has
been source Of too much injury. They
/ think that in the scramble for the bali too
many players were hurt to pay for the OBJ
lportunity offered
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Open the Game.

When the forward pass was first put into
football its advocates placed nothing be-
fore the rule makers In its favor except
that 1t would open the game and help kill
the mass play which had become so COM
mon that it was harshly criticised from
one end of the country TO the other.
If 1t has served to open the game. 1t is
not to the extent which had been hoped
for. Those who are its sponsors declare
that 1t is less the fault of the play than of
the rules. and this year have devised what
they think will be better protection for the
play and result In better use of the play
without injury than any system which has
been advocated since the rule changes
were made.
Very likely the first effort which will be
attempted will be something which shall
tend to minimize the chances OF the sue
cess OF the manoeuvre, but that is only to
be expected. for where one class Of coaches
deyotes the larger portion Of it's time to
inventlng attack. another spends great
share OF the season in inventing strong
defence.
When the rule was changed as 1t now
stands. 1t was argued that in the scramble
for the forward pass there would always
be an element of risk. This the rule max
lers say cannot be possible IL the officials OF
the game insist that the rule in regard to
interfering with players Is strictly en-
forced 1t is evident that officials will have
more on their hands this season than they
have encountered In all the trials and trib-
Iulations which have been theirs in foot
ball.
Something about the use Of hands and
arms will not come amiss while discussing
the subject OF the forward pass. The
player running with the ball may ward of
opponents with hands and arms. That has
always been the case.
Here comes something In the line OF what
has just been written which should be
grasped by. every player who takes part
in game:--
mo player while In the act OF catching
ia forward pass shall be tackled, thrown,
pushed pulled, shouldered or straight
ARMED until he shall have caught the ball
and taken more than one step In any direc-
that any such interference,
which is incidental to bona fide attempt
to catch or intercept the ball. shall not
come within this prohibition"