Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-17
FOOTBALL RULES
SATISFACTORY
AT LAST

With the exception of some minor
alterations and the clarifying of a
couple of points, the football rules
probably will remain unchan ged for
another year.
II seems to be the general opinion
that the game is better in 1912 than it
has been at any previous time since
the wholesale remodeling of the code
following the 1905 season. Scoring is
easier than it was in any of the six
preceding seasons and the results of
the games are showing something of
the real merits of the contenders. i.
Fears that the attack had been CIV
en- too much of an edge over the de-
Tense do not seem to be borne out by
this seasons play. While team can
make its distance much more fire.
auently than it could year ago, it is
seldom that in game between elev.
ems OF equal rank either one will be,
able to indulge in many steady march
es UP the field. There Is more line;
smashing than there was a year ago,
but not enough to make the game. te..
comes necessary fairly frequently.
While the forward pass has been
used with excellent results by many
of the big elevens, its principal value
remains in the threat it implies rather
than in what it actually accomplishes.
Realizing that one of the heaves may
be cut loose at any moment, the side
not in possession of the ball has to
arrange its defense accordingly and
thus weaken its protection against
line assaults.
Would Strengthen Defense.
If the pass was legislated out of ex,
istence and the other features of the
present rules retained, gaining would
be altogether too difficult, for without
assistance there are few backs who
could make ten yards in four tries
with ten men ready to stop them,
which would be the arrangement if it
were not for the menace of the for
ward pass. H..
There are several minor points in
the rules, that ought to be cleared up.
One OF these is in regard to whether
b touchback or safety scores When
n man on defense picks up ball
Tdmbled By the attacking side behind
the defending sides geal line and is
thrown while trying to rush it out in
to the tield to play.
Joe" r endleton, the veteran East
ern official--one of the best in the
country, by the way-who acted as
head linesman in the Michigan Cornell
game, was asked his opinion ON the
matter and said that it was a touch
back when the impetus which brought
the ball across the goal line was sup
piled by the attacking side.
Disagree Here.
Football officials disagree on this
point" said Mr.. Pendleton. Person
all, / cannot see how it could be rul.
cd other than a touchback, because
the impetus clearly came from the at
tacking side and the ball never is
taken back into the field of play.
Others say that if the player on the
defending side makes any effort to
rush the ball out and then is thrown
behind the goal line it is a safety.
The rules, however, mention nothing
about the progress of the ball while
behind the goal line in possession OF
the defending side, merelysspecifying
Low the original impetus is received.
IF the attacking team brings the
hall over the line and it does not re.
cross the line before it is downed, | +
can't see how the defenders can fur
nish any additional impetus in this di-
leCtion unless they take it out and
are forced back. if the ball. is once
ever the goal line it certainly remains
over until taken somewhere else. It'll
might be carried a mile, but if it
never got back into the field il could
not cross the goal line from that di-
rection again.
Il shall take the matter up at the
next meeting Of the rules committee
snd hope to clear it up 80 that there
will be no further occasion for dis
rutes."
Mail and passengers leaving here
on December 10 in the Pacific Mail