The Washington times., 1911-02-20

Parke II. Davis, representing Prince
ton On the football rules committee, has
given his impressions of the recent re-
vision of the code in the Lafayette, the
official student organ of Lafayette Col
lege. Mr.. Davis is second to none as a
football authority in America. He has
noted all the changes under the number
of the rule and section and made COM
ment on each alteration. His criticisms,
as appearing in the Lafayette, are as
follows:
A new rule was added to cover a de-
feet in the present rules, as follows: If
foul is committed following a first or
second down behind the goal line by
the team in possession of the ball while
the ball is behind the goal line, the
penalty shall be the loss of a down, the
ball to be put in play by the offending
side upon its one-yard line; If such a
foul occur following a third down, the
referee shall declare a touchdown in
favor of the offended side.
The following notes, were adopted:
a note declaring that the throwing, to
the ground, of the player with the ball
after the ball has been declared dead,
may be deemed unnecessary roughness.
A note declaring that ConCealing a ball
beneath the clothing of player or sub
stituting any article for the ball, shall
be deemed unspOrtsmanlike conduct.
Notes to include the interpretations
upon the rules made by the interpreta
ton committee at its session OF Septem-
Der II, 1910.
A codification committee was ap-
pointed, consisting of Walter Camp, L.
X Hall, and C. F. Williams, to ssstiplify
and clarity the present verbiage Sf the
rules.
The action of the committee in main
taIning the intermission between the
quarters, but reducing the length there
of from three to two minutes, was based
upon an extensive canvass among the
players of the country, disclosing an
Overwhelming approval by them of this
feature. The public, which apparently
desires to watch continuous action, is in
favor of a return to the halves. The
rules, however, are primarily for the
players. Therefore their demand pre-
vailed.
The provision that a ball striking an
official shall not become dead is a re-
turn to the former rule. AS passes
usually have been made from a point
eight yards behind the hne, this change
incidentally will lessen the severity Of
the penalty by abolishing the loss of this
distance, thereby making the forward
pass play more inviting.
1t was found impossible last autumn
to enforce the ''two-step" portion of the
rule forbidding ltackling or roughing a
player catching a forward pass until he
had caught the ball and taken more
than one step in any direction. This
portion, therefore, was abrogated.
Forward Pass Proposition.
The proposition to compel a forward
pass to be caught and not. to be subject
to recovery by either side, if fumbIed,
was advanced by Princeton two years
ago, and, though defeated at that time,
has been renewed each sue
ceeding year. The object of this play is
to do away with the dangerous scramble
of players for a ball loose upon the
ground, the consequent difficulties of the
officials to determine in such a melee
the men eligible to recover the ball, and
to suppress the throwing at
random of high forward passes, in the
hope of lucky recovery which threat
ened in another season to supplant punt
ing and become a ridiculous nuisance in
the game. A forward pass must now be
q clean play, with the element Of luck