The Washington herald., 1912-02-04
RADICAL CHANGES
IN GRIDIR0N CODE
Football Rules Committee
Makes a Number Of Varia.
tions in the Game.
DOWN ADDED
Four Instead of Three for a Team.
Restriction on Forward Pass Is
Rsmoved-Neld Shortened.

New York. Feb. 3.-After two days
detberation on the rules governing foot
ball. the joint rules committee OF the
intercollegiate and Football Rules asso-
Citations effected a number Of radical
changes, with the object Of better bal
aneins the offensive and defensive power
Of the game and of allowing the stronger
teams the greater possibility Of scoring
Here, briefly. are the changes that will
be distinct departures from the former
mode Of play:
A-The forward pass will be allowed
to cross the goal line and be completed
10 yards behind that mark
B-The playing field proper will be
shortened from no TO 100 yards.
/ Can additional down has been added
giving the offensive team one additional
chance to carry the ball before II has to
be surrendered
D-The on-side kick has been entirely
eliminated.
E-The 2O-yard zone relative 10 the for
ward pass has been eliminated The
pass may now be made anywhere and
for any distance. The provisions for in
reference within the 2O-yard zone. as
formerly. now apply to all parts OF the
field. Consequently, in case Of a kick.
NHc ECSultAAOu5 vi EllAll-
mated.
F-After a touchdown the ball shall be
put in play on the 2O-yard instead Of the
25-yard line of the team that has been
scored upon.
Con the kick-of the ball, instead OF
being put in play in the center OF the
field, shall be put in play on the 40-yard
line Of the offensive or kicking team.
This will iengthen the distance from the
"a ~. 10
90 yards.
H-The 5-yard restriction on the for
ward pass behind the line OF scrimmage
was retained.
1.-The value of a touchdown was in
creased from five to six points.
Besides the above changes a number OF
rules OF minor importance were modified
Hereafter at the beginning Of the first
half the winner OF the toss will be privi-
legged to choose whether his or the op-
posing side shall kick OF. The loser Of the
toss will have the same privilege in re-
CARDS 20 the start of the second half The
between the first and sec
ond and third and fourth periods have
been reduced from two minutes 10 one
minutes each. The field Judge has been
eliminated from the list of judges. Here
after the head lInesman will keep time
and jduge all ofiside plays In the line OF
scrimmage. Hereafter a bounding ball
can in no case score goal The number
of men allowed TO walk mp and down the
side lines for either side has been reduced
from three to one
A codifying committee. composed OF
Walter Camp Percy Haughton. and W.
NJ. Morice, will make a report on the de-
taoiled changes necessary and decide
the rules committee shall ratify
the new code at another meeting iD-th
future, or effect the changes by mail.
II was voted 10 get out the book Of rules
as speedily as possible, so that the grid
iron candidates may familiariZe them
selves with the changes long before the
football campaign arrives
Committee Explains Rules.
1t was explained by the joint rules COM
mittee hat the value OF a touchdown
was increased so as TO offset the value OF
two field goals. Every one thought that
with luck eliminated one touchdown
would be more dificult to effect than two
goals from the field. The committee be-
ieved that the addition of an extra down
would in no manner tend to bring back
he oId-fashIoned pounding attack. now
hat pushing and pulling have been elm
mated from the present style OF the
game. Ten yards OF the distance be-
ween the respective goal lines were
opped OF so as to make feasible the
addition Of the ten-yard forward pass
.one behind either goal. These zones
will give a field for the forward pass Of
20 yards. ten yards further than for
nerly, and in a number Of the present
'ollege fields there would not have been
oom for the additional space had the
Id distance Of 1lO yards between the
'oal lines been retained.