New-York tribune., 1911-11-20

! the second down. with seven yards TO 60
and the palpable play was wide end run
! t. put the ball in position for try at a
goal from the field. Instead. Howe spread
| the Princeton defence and sent man into
small opening along the side line. II did
not work quite smoothly. and Pendeton,
/ think it was, closed up the gap in time TO
prevent gain or a possible touchdown
/ but the play was daring and we'll con-
/ ceived Howe then tried drop kick. one
/ of the eight he attempted from difficult
angle. His Judgment in this question, but
/ Princctons line was impervious TO plung-
! ing. and forward pass was 50 obvious
J that IL could have been spoiled, so perhaps
| Howe did the right thing. even if II failed.
/ II may he said in passing that a previous
weakness in tho secondary line Of defence
| had been corrected, or else Priuceton's
/ puny defence did not disclose IT,
The Harvard eleven showed little more
| against Dartmouth than il did against
Princeton. Judging from accounts, while
| Cornell and Pennsylvania found reception
not to their liking at Chicago and Ann
Arbor Cornell men have the satisfaction.
/ however. that their team beat Michigan.
/
be remembered. however. that Craig.
brother TO the great sprinter, was power
against the Quakers. while he was unable
TO play in the Cornell game. That Thanks
| giving Day struggle begins TO look mighty
/ interesting.
What manner Of team has Syracuse? II
checked the Carlisle Indians. the conquer
I ,ga Iap
ward. 1t probably was "A case Of three
| quarters Syracuse and one-quarter mud.
! The Indians need firm turf to show al their
best.
| At New Haven it is customary to hear OF
! Gordon Browns team. Tom Shevlins team,
| Ted Coy's team. At Princeton II is usually
Johnny Poe. or Bill Roper, or John De
Witt, and now sam White.
| So many close students OF football, in
| cluding officials. coaches, players and
critics have expressed themselves in favor
of a change in rules applying TO goals
from the field that the committee will he
forced TO take action at its annual winter
meeting and legislate against a bounding
ball Not even the forward pass ever
aroused such widespread comment as De
| Wits freak goal from the field, which
gave Princeton a victory over Dartmouth.
I have talked 10 many followers OF the
sport in the last week. and with one eX-
ception all agreed that the play in question
was a parody on the game. The rules COM
mittee in its wisdom may have decided
that a bounding ball was fair way TO
make p goal, but it seems strange that II
was new 10 50 many keen students. II
such was the case Billy Langford is right
I'm saving that the spirit Of the rule was
not violated by his decision. but the spirit
of the game was violated. and, as ] said
in. this column "a week ago the sooner the
rule is changed the better 1t will be for
football There is no room for play
which puts a premium on luck and chance.
One thing il sure the rules committee
can adopt the standpst policy Of last
winter. although. perish the thought and
still ind plenty to do TO make the code
more acceptable. Sol Metzger pointed out
in The Tribune on Friday three or four
points which need clearing up. in addition
10 the ono governing the goal from the
field. and not the least important of these
has 10 do with the forward pass. | happen
/ 10 know that tho Yale and Princeton
coaches and captains found it necessary,
/ or rather felt il necessary. 10 agree on an
/ Interpretation Of tho rule governing the
receiving OF the forward pass before tho
game was played. A difference of opinion
/ exists as to the intent Of the rule II
player eligible to receive the ball does not
/ make a clean catch. but tips II or touches
il I'm a way that it can be recovered 10y a
nlaver of his own side before IT touches
the ground. Bill Roper, chairman OF
Princetons athletic committee, thinks that
the spirit of the rule is violated unless the
hall is caught cleaulv by the man eligible
"a receive it, and It is understood that
Percy y. Haughton, head coach at Har-
ward. while not agreeing, subscribed TO this
opinion for the game In question, and the
refereo was so instructed. At least, this
is what / hear in a rather roundabout
) WAY. Hurry Up" Yost, head coach Of the
! Michigan team, says that the rule is in
terpreted differently in the West where
anv player may run with the ball after
being touched by an eligible man, if IT is
caught before striking the ground. 1T is
Of little moment what Princeton and Har-
ward decided to do in case the particular
! play occurred in the game on November a.,
but it does emphasize the importance OF
/ greater clearuess in the rule, as 1t IS no
part Of the duty Of coaches and players to
make interpretations 10 suit themselves
for any particular game.
! II is rather late 10 go back once more
TO the Princeton Dartmouth game, but !
4. LII
of the undergraduates from both colleges
over an incident that was not relished by
either. The Dartmouth men accepted the
ruling with good grace and the Princeton
men. by cheering over a foe that lost but
was not beaten, showed their good feeling
and applauded a strong editorial in The
Daily Princetouan' which was a tribute
TO Dartmouths fairness. As Julian W.
Curtis said in The Tribune last week. in
referring TO the editorial, il was the kind
OF college spirit that counts. All sportsmen
! love a good loser but they also love good
winner
Princeton, Dartmouth and number OF
other elevens brought their season TO Il
/ close on Saturday. but the football feast
/ IS not over. Yale and Harvard must clash
/ I'm the Stadium at Cambridge on Saturday
in what promises 10 be one of the greatest
J struggles III lil' iiiSlDIE VI lit Silbii NIill'
| on the same day the Army and Navy elcv-
ems from Uncle Sans training academies
will fight out a miniature battle which has
! come 10 be considered one of the most pict-
| uresquc and sensational struggles Of the
season. Even these two games will not
! ring the curtain down, as Cornell and Penn
sylvania win have their little difference to
settle on Thanksgiving Day.
! II would be interesting to 20 into tho
! HarVard Yale gamc ~ some detail al this