New-York tribune., 1911-02-04
STAND PAT IN FOOTBALL
No Changes of Radical Kind
Made in the New Code.
MORE EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Rules Committee Clears Up
Some Points, but Leaves
Game as It Is.

at the Hotel Cumberland in this city
yesterday. 81. stand-pat policy was adopted
on the theory that the rules so radlcaIF
amended a year ago were not thoroughly
and fairly tried out in one season. The
committee decided after a full discussion oi
the many suggestions offered 70 be con-
servative. and 10 let well enough alone
for the present
4 number Of minor changes were made.
however. which will tend TO clear UP some
disputed points and simplify the code TO a
large extent. The intermission between the
first and second and third and fourth peri
DDS was reduced from three minutes TO TWO.
for the purpose Of giving the players a
short respite 70 avoid extreme exhaustion,
while lessenng the chance of their getting
chilled while standing about on the field.
1t was decided TO permit teams by agree
ment 10 transfer the supervision Of Off
side play on the line Of scrimmage from
the umpire 10 the head lnesman the lat
ter. however, 10 report the infractions 10
the umpire. II was decided further that
the throwing 10 the ground of a player
carrying the ball after the referee had
blown his whistle. declaring the ball dead
may be deemed unnecessary roughness at
the discretion Of the umpire. Rule %. Sec
three men OF either team to walk up and
down the field following the play, instead
Of Ave as heretofore.
Rule g. Section H. also was amended so
that If the ball accidentally strikes an Off
cial it shall not become dead. and the play
must continue as If there was no inter
ference. In order TO simplify the work Of
the officials the committee amended the
rules regulating forward passing. so that
all penalties shall he applied on the place
Of the original down and not from the spot
frim which the pass was made.
More work was assigned 20 the umpire
by transferring the duty Of keeping time
% that official from the field judge This
action was taken TO avoid the delays in one
captain or the other seeking out the field
Judge. whose position is pretty well down
The field 10 find ont the number Of min
utes left 10 be played I'm any particular
period The umpire is nearer at hand and
The change, ii Is thought will make for
good without overworkinc that official
Another change Of some little Importance
had 20 do with the amendment of rule Is
section .. which provided under the code
last year that player IN receiving a for
ward pass should not he 'shouldered or
pushed aside until he had caught the bail
and taken more than one step in any d.
rection The words more than one step in
any direction We're stricken out 50 that
hereafter a player receiving q forward pass
can be tackled the moment he catches the
ball. The change was made because. in the
opinion Of many officials. fl was next 10
impossible 10 make fair ruling as TO
whether man had taken moro than one
step I'm any direction. II was not felt that
this change will add an extra hazard 10 the
game.
The committee ruled that if the ball after
having been legally passed forward and
having been legally touched shall then he
fHmAled and touch the ground the pass
shall then be considered as not completed
This action was taken to simplify the
work Of the officials. TO do away with a
dangerous hazard in the scramble for q
loose ball. and TO DO away with the han
hazard. hit or miss pass when the ball is
tossed wildly In the air on an of chance.
hereafter the pass must be more accurate
!y and more scientifically made
ln order TO clear up a much mooted point
that necessitated ground rules I'm the more
important games last fail the committee
leEislated as follows
"a foul following first or second down
cowr"t'd on or behind a goal line by a
PLAYER 80 tho side I'm possession of the ball.
while the ball is behind the goal line or in
fight from q pass or kick delivered behind
the goal line. shall De penalized by the loss
Of down and the bail shall be putu in play
for tho ensuing down on the 1-yard line.
II such foul follows a third down the ref
cree shall declare a touchdown in favor Of
tho offended side"
10 was voted that the Interpretations laid
down al q meeting Of the INTERPRETATION
committee, on September IT, 1910, be adopt
"a as part Of the rules
Any other action taken was Of mega
tive Kind. and was put TO a vote 10 show
that suggestions We're considered and 10
get declaration from each member Of the
committee Following this line it was voted
o. make no change in the present rule re-
quiring Kick other than a kickoff. kick
out or free kick 10 Doe made from a point
Avc yards behind the line Of scrimmage.
T. was voted To make no change i'm the
rule or rules requiring the player making
the forward pass 10 be at least five yards
behind the line of scrimmage when the
pass Is made.
To was voted 20 make no change in the
present rule which forbids interference
forward pass or kick until they shall have
advanced twenty yards beyond the line Of
scrimuagc
ii was voted to make no change FOB the
rule forbiddius 81 forward pass to cross an
imaginary line twenty yards In advance Of
The line OF scrimmage.
10 was voted 10 make no change i'm the
present rules for the purpose Of strength
euing the offence or weakening the de-
fence inside the 25-yard line.
J.. *. Han, of Dartmouth, was elected
chairman of the committee to fiji the va
cancy caused by the resignation Of Pro
fcSsor J.. VI. Dennis. of Cornell Walter
Camp. Of Yale. was elected secretary. the
position formerly held by Mr. Hall. Mr.
Camp also was continued as editor Of the
rules
Mr Hall explained the reasons for the
committee deciding TO make no radical
changes this year by saying.
The members of the rules committee
feel that the code revised and adopted a
year ago has brought about good
game. in which serious injuries have
been eliminated 10 large extent That
was the chief purpose and that purpose
was accomplished. The changes made At
that time. however. were so radical that
IL is felt neither players. coaches nor off,
cials were able in one short season 10 thor
ouehly understand the iul scope Of the
game or 10 determine the best means for
development. particularly along offensive
lines.
Under the circumstances it seemed uu-
wise TO max any changes OF q radical
,strlra il the gaule which has worked prct-