New-York tribune., 1911-11-15
TIMELY BITS OF SPORT
Julian Curtiss Thinks Field Goal
Rule Badly Worded.
SAYS IT SHOULD BE CHANGED
Warm Words for Princeton Men
Over the Way a Victory
Was Accepted.

Julian W. Curtiss who stands high in
the councils of Yale athletics. Joined many
other lovers OF football yesterday in depre-
eating the operation Of a rule Of the game
which could make possible the winning OF
an important struggle by a poorly executed
drop kick as was the case when Princeton
defeated Dartmouth on Saturday. He said
"It is no part Of football in my opinion.
TO have victory hang on mere chance and
as the direct result Of play that has no
merit goal from the field should be de-
fined as a ball that flies over the bar and
between the posts direct from the toe Of
the kicker and without first hitting the
ground or even a player. The rule should
be so clear. too, that all who read can un-
derstand without need for an interpreta-
ton.
81 would like to express at this time
keen appreciation for the craftsmanship Of
The Princetonan' for the stand it took
editorially on the game as reprinted in The
Tribune this morning. 1t reflects the sports
manship OF Princeton men. 1t is true col
lege spirit and the kind OF spirit that wins
In referring TO the ball being partially
blocked or touched I'm a try at a goal from
the field Mr.. Curtiss pointed out that a
poor kick could be detected in a way TO
send the ball over the bar. which otherwise
would be wide. and this. IN his opinion,
would be almost as anomalous as the goal
on Saturday. when the antics Of a bobbing,
bounding ball spelled victory for Princeton.
Tn letter 10 the sporting editor Of The
Tribune on the same question Dartmouth
man says:
Believing in your impartial judgment OF
football questions. take the liberty of
writing You regarding the freak kick
which decided Saturdays football contest
at Princeton. Although writing "a a Dart
mouth man, | accept Referee LangfOrd's
decision as impartial and conservative. The
result Of the game cannot help being un-
satisfactory TO both teams, but Dartmouth
men are good losers and have no complaint
10 make. The incident served to show that
Princeton and Dartmouth men alike are
good sportsmen
Inasmuch as Rule s Section If, does not
refer to a ball bounding from the ground
over the crOSsbar or upTtghtS. II may be
presumed that Mr.. Langford ba ased his de-
csion on the phrase lin any way except
by punt or a kickoff. lin any way
probably meaning in spirit "by any meth
cd thereby permitting both drop and
place kicks But can a ball literally he
said 70 have been kicked over the crossbar
If. after being kicked II strikes the
ground and bounds over?
The play IN question was most un-
usual. and doubtless was considered by the
rules committee a contingency so imprOb-
BILE that II was not necessary TO provide
for n I'm the rules. The element of chance
enters into the new game Of football much
more frequently than II did into the old
game. While this makes the game much
more thrilling. n seems To be an undesira bic
feature Of our greatest college game.
.r.ssffa he Of F0-
ward pass are very strict. thereby making
that play much less frequently a scoring
play than the goal from the field. Why
then should not the rules governing the
kicking OF field goals he made strict. in
order that weak attempts like De Wits
famous kick in Saturdays game may
not spell victory for one team and defeat
N Is 10 be hopei hv all lovers Of football
thpt the play I'm question will be considered
hy the rules committee this winter. and
that the element Of chance will he elimi-
mated as far as practicable. in order that
merit may he the deciding factor.
Princeton. the Carlisle Indians. Pennsvl-
vania State West Point. Annapolis and
Trinity are the clevens NJ any prominence
I'm the East which are still undefeated. hut
Pennsylvania state and Carlisle are the
only ones which have won every contest
PLAYED. the others having hoen in one or
more tie games. Penn state has beaten
Cornell. Pennsylvania and Colgate. among
others: the Indians have beaten Lafayette,
Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh and Harvard in
winning nine games. The Harvard fresh
men. he IT added. arc unbeatcn and un-
scored on I'm five games.
Mike Murphy. the famous trainer, in
speaking OF the Pennsylvania eleven and
the game with Michigan on SATURDAY, said
Yesterday: Things look much better. II
will be pretty hard to 90 out 20 Ann Arbor
and beat Michigan on her own field. but
we'll give the Wolverines quite an argu-
ment I would not be surprised, i'm fact.
10 see our boys get away with a victory"
Frank e. Bancroft has completed all ar
rangements for the trip Of the Giants from
this city to Cuba. He has arranged for n
special train TO leave the Pennsylvania sta
ton at l2:Ss o'clock this afternoon
The Giants will play in Jacksonville on
Friday and leave that city the next day for
Miami. to enjoy some hunting and fishing
They will play in Miami on November p
and %. and in Key West on November 2L
then leaving for Havana.
Mr.. Bancroft has arranged for twelve
games with leading Cuban teams, and the
men will return home i'm time for Christ
mas
The party consists Of Frank Bancroft
John J. McGraw. Mathewson. crandall.
Wiltse. Wilson. Hartley Dovn, Doyle.
Fletcher 1erzog. Becker. DevOre, Paulette
and Latham.
Lefty Russell. the Sl2,01 beauty Of
Connie Mack's champion Athletics. who
failed To show any form last season and
failed TO share I'm tho world series money
because he had been under suspension. has
been a benedict for almost nine months.
and nobody knew Of il except the minister,
the bride and the bridegroom.