New-York tribune., 1911-01-30
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Needed Changes in the Rules OF
College Football.
ANOTHER REVISION AT HAND
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

and Professional.
The members OF the football rules COM
,nittee. who Will gather in this city on FRI
dav and Saturday for their annual meet
ing. have a duty 10 perform. ] have SAID
before in this column that In my opinion
football under the revised code, adopted
after long work and earnest effort, is
uoorer game but better sport. something
must now be done TO smooth off the rough
edges. The same will be less Of grab
bag affair by cutting out unsound plays
and by making IL possible for the stronger
team 10 reap its Just reward. 1t has oeen
said that what football needs more thah
ANYTHING else is the rest cure. nave re-
ferred 10 this several times in this column,
as il struck me forciby at the time out
whereas l am convinced that there might
be much wisdom in this plan. there is more
need for another slight operation before
the unfortunate patient can be dischareeo
and allowed TO go on his own WSy.
since the season closed last November
p season full of interesting situations aside
from the many hard fought sames-many
,ninions have been written or spoken on
.be new rules and their application. Ihe
general feeling has been that the cnlel
Y,urpose OF the revision, which entaieo
many radical changes, has been accom-
olished and that football as played iast
Ysu Is less dangerous, and consequently
-oore aoceptable, 10 those who instituted the
crusade against the sport at the close OF
~. e.ason Of 1903. In any case the hue
and crv has been stopped for the moment
and with good reason, as the game was
shorn Of some hazards which mace lor
good without robbing 1t OF its salient leat-
ures-
IL bringing about this much desired END
en-. miles committee builded better than it
knew. There Is a vast difference between
49,, and prsctice. however. and II is not
sprprisirg that wellnigh perfect game
-aras not evolved after such a tearing down
.,d rinptne ID OF the old rules The game
can he improved. and II is hoped that the
committee will go about the work IN a way
On r.t results. and not sit back with sat
ss..6 smile 10 let well enough alone, as
some have suggested.
-yr.+ q, all. the forward pass over the
y,n. 81 scrtrnmage IS g loose, hapha1aro
and unsound play. Furthermore. IN lts ap-
,,,,estion II presents hazard whcn IN my
oninion Is unnecessary. The play IS uh-
sound because Il TOO often acts as q
,,o,oArsne ard opens the way for as much
yro,,nd 10 be lost by It's use as can De
Gained. II IS dangerous hazard because
~. hacks are forced 10 play so tar nehlio
III. line Of scrimmage TO guard agalns'
,ts use that the moment anotner play lS
..i.a +bAv come I'd on the run TO support
The forwards. thus inviting serious INJURY
- on o,rosing back breaks through. as was
10 IIaNord- Vale game.
Tbs forward pass Is valuable. because u
-rasL.Ds The secondary line Of defence and
dds some scope 70 the attack by It's de-
.s,t;ve possibilities This value could be
.,tained however, to a large extent by
rc,itine the pass 20 behind the line OF
scriromage. and, as suggested oy T. n
lIau in his minority report last year. not
Uniting the number which may Dc mace
This in my opinion would be long steP
In the right direction.
Most Of the football critics with whom
have talked are Of the opinion that the e!e'
-,,nnt OF lrcl. that goes with loose ball must
be raduced by outing more Of premium
on rushing and lessening the exaggerated
ir,norrance Of drop and place kicking as z
..n-,ng asset. The attack must be
strengthened the defence weakened. or a
o
re+urn of close formation plays. Further
more IL is important that the stronger
-asno should be able 10 reap its just re-
v0ard without being forced TO DO more In
eide the 25-yard line, or. in any case, the
1svard line than In midheld. am IN tdVof
of reducing the number Of yards to be
gained by rushing from ten to seven al
least within the 25-yard line, or else TO in
crease the number OF downs to. say. hVe'
leaving the distance to be gained the same
k Hall. Of Dartmouth, secretary Of the
cornmlttee, was IN favor year ago OF
doubling the distance to be gained and
doubling the number OF downs, as IN his
opinlon It would tend TO encourage end
running and make well planned and con"
certed attack more profitable. The idea
had merit and my only objection 10 IL lies
IN IN. fact that !t would change TO some
extent the character Of the game
O,bcr minor changes could be made tc
ADVANTAGE. The try for goal after touch
down is an abominstion. but II II must De
retained the kick should be MADE IRON
soriumaze formation. when every man
would be called upon 20 do MS part 70 make
=, a ,uccess. The defence should be weak
ened bv q revision Of the rule on touch
Lacks as II strikes me that twenty-five
Yards Is TOO generous sift to the deteno'
inr SIDE, particularly when the ball Is
k,cksd over the goal line from any point,
cav within the 40-yard lire. Fifteen yards
,s quite enough Suggestions along these
1ins. and many others no doubt will be
considered by the committee, and those IN
+erestsd In the sport will await the findings
With almost Sc much interest as was the
case g year ago. when football was on tria-
for its very Ets.
II will be Sruitless. no doubt, for me &c
suggest once more that the players be
numbered. but ! have promised myself and
those VINO are IN favor OF this plan which
would eAd interest TO every game. 10 keer
on doing 60. even 70 the time that my hair
Hurps white or the reform is worked.
II the intercollegiate Amateur Athleue
Association Of America carries out the
recommendation Of It's executive commit
zee 10 so amend Article l3 Of the const-
,uticn as 10 bar all freshmen from compe-
rition in the championship meeting a step
in the right direction will be taken. II
win not be done. however without much
criticism and fault finding. as many per-
cons already consider 1t slap at the
smaller colleges and an effort on the part