Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-02
ONE MORE MAN
TO RUN GAME
Another Official Is Needed to
Enforce Rulings Strictly
in Foot Ball.
MIGHT ALSO ADD
TWO EXTRA PERIODS
In Order That Decision Might
Be Reached in Case of Tie at
End of Regular Time.
BY II. C. BYRD.

! ing on One more man is needed to be
| in close contact with the play if the rul-
| lngs which govern the game are to be en-
forced strictly
An arrangement of officials which would
| De more to the purpose and which would
accord better conducted game would
be to have two umpires, the referee and
] the head linesman, allowing the last-men-
| toned to do nothing but keep the dis
tances. Under present conditions, the
one umpire who is on the field is play
ing off to one side and the head linesman
is supposed to watch holding or other in
Engagements on the opposite end. This
is almost impossible for the head lines
man to do, since during a great part of
the time he must be so far away from
the play that he cannot see everything.
Also with the head linesman and the
umpire watching play from each end of
the two lines, there may be a lot of hold
ing and unfair play among the five center
men which cannot be seen.
The better arrangement would be to
have four officials. Let one be the ref
cree; have two umpires, and let one sta
ton himself directly back of the line of
scrimmage and the other off to one end
of the two lines. The umpire who is back
of the line of scrimmage might place
himself off somewhat diagOnally in order
that he might also watch plays coming
around the other end. The head lines
men would have no duties other than the
keeping of time. the counting of downs
and the keeping of distances
While there has been no great deal of
fault found this year with officials. it has
been to large extent because the teams
have played clean foot ball. Under the
present arrangements no officials in the
world can hope to see every bit of unfair
play there is. There is no doubt that
there have been fouls after fouls in
games which have not been penalized be-
cause the officials have been unable to
detect them from their positions.
There seems to be one referee in the
country now who stands head and Shout
ders above his rivals and who is in gen.
eral demand. He is Langford of Trim
ity. Langford has refereed practically
every big game this year and his work
test has been registered. He has a knack
of running off a game of foot ball which
is possessed by probably no other man.
There is one reform suggested in foot
ball by a northern critic. which will
probably eventually receive recognition
by adoption. That is to provide for a
continuation of game for a reasonable
length of time in order that a decision
may be reached. 1t is a fact that foot
it is possible to play without ever
reaching a decision. In basket ball extra
periods of five minutes each are provided
in order that the decision may be reach
ed when a game is ended and the teams
are tied, and why could not the same be
done in foot ball? A foot ball game
which ends in tie is very unsatisfac-
tory, and II some ruling could be adopt
ed which would do away with that it
would benefit the sport. In base bail tie
games may be played. but in those cases
it is generally provided that the contest
shall be played over.
The general trend seems to be this year
that the changes in the rules have bene-
fitted the sport immeasurably. 1t is
claimed among practically all the follow
ers of foot ball that the work of the sea-
son has been above the standard of any
game is now nearer what it should be
than has ever been the case.
In discussing the value of the sport I'M
der the new code one critic who has
watched all the big games this year has
the following to say:
THE more important games played dur
ing this season showed clearly that foot
ball is far more natural than in the last
two or three years; that better balance
has been struck between the attack and
the defense: that a greater continuity ex-
lists, more SO even than in the old days
of pushing and pulling with only 5
yards to go in four downs or three tries,
and that an opportunity has been pro-
strength and the fulfillment of the true
purpose of any spOrt-reward for the bet
ter team. In my opinion there is no COM
parison between the game played last
year and this. The defense is no longer
so strong as to be out of all proportion to
the attack.
1T is now possible to gain ground by
straight rushing, even when teams are
evenly matched. and to gain this ground
as readily inside the 25-yard line as in
midfield. No longer is it necessary to de-
pend upon some wild, haphazard play or
an off chance to score. The running
game has been encouraged, but not at
the expense of punting and drop kicking,
or even, one may say. of forward pass
Ing. 1t is true that there is less punting
and drop kicking than a year ago. but
this is it should be, as they had as
sumed an importance far beyond their
college foot ball. as originally designed.
The good punter the good drop kicker.
are still most necessary parts of the
game this year. but not so all important
as to overshadow line plunging and end
running
An error of omission and a penalty gave
the Navy its chance to secure its first
score against the Army Saturday. Leon
ard had punted 50 yards over Prich-
ards head and the latter turned to run
after the ball. AS he turned it took
slight bound to the side and barely
touched his leg. Prichard. taking ad-
vantage of the ruling, which does not al
low the kicking side to recover the ball
before it is touched by member of the
other eleven, took his time about falling
on the oval. Gilchrist had come tearing
down the field and h, had noticed that
the ball had touched Prichard's leg. He
scrambled by the Army quarter and fell
on 1t. He then made his claim to the
referee. who appealed to the head lines
man for advice, in which the ball was
awarded to the Navy. On the next play
Rodes ran the ball out In front of the
goal posts and was tackled SO fiercely
that the Soldiers were penalized fifteen
yards for roughness. Then the field goal
was made from practically that position.
The Fogel verdict was passed upon.