The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-02-08
Games to Be Fought and
Won on Their
Merits.
ELEMENT OF LUCK
WILL NOT FIGURE
That Action Of Committee Will
Meet With Approval Is
Assured.
By WALTER EcKERSALL.
Former Chicago University Star Picked
On Camps All-America
Eleven

AS a result of the drastic action taken
by the intercollegiate football rules COM
mittee' at its meeting, in New York, the
game of football, as It will be played
next fall, will be much more interesting,
the games will be fought and won on
their merits, and the element of luck
VIII not be such an important factor as
1t has been since the adoption of the
forward pass and 1O-yard rule.
That the action of the committee will
meet the approval of all Interested in
the great college game is assured. All
authorities today are loud in their
praise of the solution of a problem
which has confronted the rulemakers
since the reform wave struck the game
following the fall of 1905.
The changes which have been adopted
are bound to work to the advantage Of
all teams, and some of the resolutions
are going to bring about an equality of
ohense and defense--a feature of last
years games which brought forth so
much criticism.
In the days of the old mass plav, the
spectators complained of too much nil
ing up. They wanted more kicking The
rules were adjusted to SUIT their de-
mands. Then the howl went up that
there was too much kicking which
made the game monotonous, and a
onange in the code was inevitable Then
the forward pass was inaugurated. At
the close Of last fall the cry was too
something had to be done to discouraged
throwing the ball, and the manner In
which the committee has handled this
problem Is worthy of commentator.
Useless to Fight.
AS soon as the rule makers favored
the retention of the forward pass. II
was useless to put up a fight for its
abolition. In order 10 discourage the
play as much as possible, the four-down
rule was adopted and this amendment
Is sure to discourage forward passing.
More rushing and end running, in other
words. moro football. will now feature
the game, and forward passes will be
used sparingly
Under last years rules 1t was unjust
to expect a man unasssted to make
ground against a team when three or
four of the opposing team could tackle
him. 1t was this inequality of offense
and defense to which the East was cp-
posed, and in the adoption of the four
down clause the Eastern legislators won
valuable point. Forward passes were
used but little in the East The de-
Tense was too much OIL the alert to
allow them to be made successfully, and
in all the big games the play was used
only three OF Jour
There are many who believe the UNI
pire should be placed in sole charge of
the field, the players, substitutes, and
side lines The umpire has to do all
the dirty" work anyway, and there
are many things he can nee which es-
cape the referee, who. under the pres
ent rules, is boss of the situation. The
umpire is responsible for the character
Of the game, and " he makes the play
ers conform to the letter of the rules
there will not be so many of the UNI
pleasantries which have featured con-
tests in the past.
Less Important.
With the increased value placed on a
touchdown. field-goal kicking now will
not he as important as formerly. Under
last years rules It took Two field goals
tc equal a touchdown, and its subse-
0uent goal. Under this years amend
fnent 1t now will take three field goals
to Offset touchdown followed by a
goal, as the value of touchdown has
been raised from five to six points. and
o goal from the touchdown will make 1t
seven points.
Field-goal kicking wns becoming too
common aud 100 many games were won
through the efforts of one man. In
MANY cases q stronger eleven has gone
down to defeat before the proves of
20 score from the field. Under the new
ruling more football will have to be
olayed, II will take the efforts Of eleven
njaYers to win games and the contests
will be lost or won on their merits.
The elimination of the 2e-yard zone IL
q mighty good thing. The old ruling
HnIv made innumeratle complications
and there was constant wranglnE be-
t,reen players and officials over mert
technicalities.