The Washington times., 1912-12-26
Revised FOOTBALL
CODE MADE GAME
BETTER LAST FALL
Mike Thompson Says Rules
Committee Will Have No
Changes to Make.
By II. J. THOMPSON,
Football Referee,

E00tpSu 101oIoe.
Osspite the severe criticism thu
came Of American football has under.
rome tor the past few years, there 10 no
doubt that the past season was q sue.
cess from nearly every viewpoint. True.
there werc few discrepancies, but %
Few. ~ compared with previous years.
that they were hardly noticed by the
critics. In the first place, we did not,
~ In the past two seasons. have many
Kames marred by tic scores. the Yale
Princeton game being the only exception
IN the more important contests. This
point alone proved the wisdom Of the
rules committee in advancing the idea
for more scoring.
The game was more open; the elimin-
alton Of the 2o-yard some. which had
always been q bone Of contention from
it, Introduction. simplined matters to .
great extent. The 10-yard sone behind
the goal posts. which many football ex-
perts looked upon with fear. turned out
to - big asset for teams using the
forward pass with proficiency. This
innovation made possible some very
Spectacular plays during the season.
The rules were more definitely ex.
pressed than heretofore. 20 that 1t was
. rather easy matter for the officials
who had made Q careful study Of the
game and code to get along with their
work very nicely.
We nnd many who are opposed to the
game A. II 10 played today. and I have
found this to be the sentiment especial-
" among the older football men. There
some tSs. The feswaFd On BASS snf I. pst fooi.
ish and haphasard play. and that It is
doing more harm to the game than
good. No matter how the rules are
nxed. ! DO not suppose that there 10
favor Of them. Another noticeable
point. and a very important one, was
that there was less tendency this year
than ever before on the part Of the
oyy Va to s sYs.n on IT the mules than Not
took part in myself. but other officials
have Informed me on the same point.
Thumbing the Book. /
This. to my mind. means that tho
boys are thumbing the rule book: and
the coaches are to be praised for this.
In past years It was woeful to see how
little the players knew about even the
fundamental points; and officials had
70 stand for many arguments when It
was entirely unnecessary. The players
this past season had the right idea. and
o8,eiais. aS Many y player: have the he" wrcns aas
idea Of officials. Some OF these young
men think q referee or umpire. when
he appears on the field. wears horns. or
10 there for the purpose Of doing dam.
I do not think thut at the next sss-
sion Of the rules committee there will
be a. long q discussion as in previous
years. The makeup Of the code looks
- near right as they can make II, un.
less some Of our coaches are burning
the midnight oil and see some chance
to get around 1t. A few points that
came up this year, and which they will
no doubt act upon, have reference to
the forward pass. The first point 10
this: On forward pass the man to
throw the ball. say. eight or ten yards
the ball starts around either end. at
the same time looking for an eligible
player. Of his team to whom he might
In his attempts to pick out some men,
Is gradually forced back toward his
own goal; and, realizing that It Is im-
possible to make the pass with men,
bers Of the opposing team closing In on
him. he simply throws the ball few
and making an incomplete pas: when
he y fully fifteen or twenty yards back
Of the point where the center put the
hell IN play. AZ . result the ball Is
axn back nd e the pSrt S the h. sn
inflicted. This was worked several
times during the season and always by
the weaker team, and in some contests
this exception to the rule saved many
day.. %hsn sou dd 1ss nS Tas I've '"s
lose twenty. yards the ball was still In
the possession Of the offensive side.
Was Taken Out.
This play was in the code for many
years. and It was only changed when
the exception was taken to II. This
was resorted 90 by team that was Up
against II, and It was owing to the
scheme of strategist to save his team
from an overwhelming defeat that the
play, feel sure that this will be iegis-
lated against as It 10 only worked by
team that 10 outclassed.
Another point that came up: A team
IN within Mailing distance Of the goal,
10 held for downs and forced to kick.
and has q strong punter who Is apt to
boot II over the goal line. giving the
scrimmage. A player shoots a forward
pSss out Of bounds, say on the or 10
yard line. making the team receiving It.
as out Of bounds. line up for scrimmage.
Tnl0 pI8y i nave beon WOCAcu many
times. The team receiving the ball and
defending the goal at q short distance
is forced to kick. The kick is blocked
and the defensive side makes touch
down. These are two Of the most i'm
portant rules that think need legisla.
ton: but when I saw the plays used
/ could not help but admire the coaches
for their strategy In taking advantage
y. Another point that the committee
cleared up In the past season was In
regard to the number Of officials. I
have always contended that referee
and an umpire with the assistance of
n iiesman, could handle any game. As
ii WAS last year, II took eight men to
look after the duties on account Of the
rrutral some. There were too many to
r.ve decisions, or even to suggest them.
AZ there was always q conflict, and the
referee was always IN trouble trsing
TO straighten out the difficulty, and his
solution was often to u great extent un.
satIsfactory. True, the umpire has
number OF duties imposed upon him
since the rules have done away with
the field Judge; but he has 10 neutral
zone to look after: and. with capable
cad Mnesman, he can work very nicely
with the referee: and the three OF them
should be able to pull on game to the
satisfaction OF all.
The rules, In my opinion. In their pres
ant form, with the few suggestions Of.
fered, arc as they should be. Injuries