The Washington herald., 1910-08-21
NEWFOOTBALLR ULESHERALDCO COMING OFSTRANGEGAME
DangerLessened
by Eliminating
Flying Tackle.

forward pass is that on first and second
down there IS loss Of a down from the
spot where the bail was put in play and
not from the spot from which the pass
was made. No distance penalty is added,
as was the case last year. on third
down if an Uncompleted forward pass re-
suits the ball goes to the opponents not
on the spot where the ball was put IN
play. but from where the pass was made
This ruling. with the allowance OF the for
ward pass over the line OF scrimmage,
provided the pass vas made at least FIVE
yards back Of the scTimmage line, opens
up a rich field OF possibilities 10 IRE
strategist.
"One Of the most fertile suggestions
worked out is the directing Of the inter-
ference ahead Of the man with the bali
in one direction and the passing OF the
ball 10 an end or halfback in the opposite.
In the execution Of this forward pass
the spiral throw on line the shortest
distance between the passer and receiver
! has been found TO be the most satisfac-
| tory The underhand pass and the high
throw have been found wanting. The
inference is that premium viii be
placed upon tall. rangy men in receiving
and fast. accurate men in passing the
/ ball
: a defensive problem the coach must
/ think out Is how 10 arrange his men 70
meet a une-plunging game and at the
same time TO meet forward-passins
game and the onside kicks. one way out
/ Of the difficulty has been worked out in
the summer school; instead Of having one
stationary defense, adopt a variable sys-
TEN 10 meet the circumstances Of the
attack Another consideration in relation
10 the defense is how 10 handle the often
sive end on a punt. Under the old ruling
an end alone or an end and a halfback
could harass the opposing end as soon as
the ball was snapped Under the new
LEGISLATION he cannot be touched in the
twenty-yard zone. There are three al
ternatives open. The first is TO block
him before he crosses the scrlmmage
line. The second is TO let him 90 free and
follow until the twenty-yard zone is
reached This last is 10 play resPec-
| table distance back, so as 10 be IN a
position for a fake kick or render inter
ference for the runner OF his side who
has secured the ball
In viewing the coming season there
are a number OF statements which may
be made by the way OF prophecy:
Il That the season. OF necessity, must
be experimental.
: - That the teams that secure an
. early start viii have a big advantage
over their opponents.
3. That the game viii be Of speed ae-
curacy. and brains rather than beef and
] strength
"a. That the smaller colleges VIII be
] on better footing this year than ever
2 before,
IS. A premium viii be placed upon
e competent officers.
Sc Finally. that the dangers will be
r lessened considerably but not eliminated
We will never obtain Utopia in football
{ until interference and lacking are elimi-
r mated. and 4 should be the first 10 protest
al their removal These two elements
; give the game its strength and virility
Reforming football Is not a new pas
% time After the Romans had absorbed
% q sort OF football from the Greeks 59
years before the Christian era, II existed
! along with Q game called .'follis" Angus
! tus Caesar did not care for the game, say
] ing IL was too gentle. So he gathered
. his philosophers about him and was ths
e first "reformer" The Augustan game
70 was PLAYED with twenty-seven men OF
Il a side, the idea being a mimic battle
y There were fifteen forwards. five defen
{ sive hacks. four halfbacks, and three fun
4 backs. A score was made when the bal
d was kicked or carried across the line
I From this pot-pourri the game cam
! down through the Middle Ages TO TIT
early nineteenth century. Then Rugh
e schooIboy evolved the English game o
e rugby. The game was often modified
e finally splitting up into English rugo.
% and American football