The Detroit times., 1912-09-13
SEVEN CHANGES IN THE
FOOTBALL RULES FOR THE
COMING SEASON GIVEN
Fourth Down Added by Which
to Gain Ten Yards
This Year
oNsIDE KICK DISCARDED
Forward Pass May Be of Any
Length, Making Field
Judge Unnecessary

The football rules are out. They are
called more simple than the old ones,
but the reader will wish the commit
tee had drafted its views in regular
English and not in phraseology about
as clear as a hypothetical question.
The changes are few, the effect i'm
portant-the spectator will get bet
ter idea of the game.
The actual changes are:
A field OF 100 yards. instead OF ITO,
the extra 10 yards used as end zones,
back of each goal, where forward
passes may be received.
The addition Of fourth down to
gain 10 yards.
The kick-off from the 40-yard line.
On kick-outs opponents will line up
on the 20yard line instead OF the 20.
Intermissions between first and sec
ond and third and fourth periods re-
duced to one minute.
Forward passes may be OF any
length.
The onside kick has been discarded.
| The rules do away with the check
crboard field, and il is again grid
iron.
Touchdowns count 6 points.
Goal from touchdowns l point
Goal from field 3 points.
Safety by opponents points.
Hurdling in the line is defined as
jumping over a man with both knees
or both feet foremost, within Ave
Yards either side OF where the ball
was put in play.
To prevent shifting strong players
from the back-field to the line on the
defense, the rules forbid playing so
called center, guard or tackle on the
! defense, as end or back on offense, or
any shifting to evade this rule. IL
captain desires to shift one of his line
men to the back-feld. he may do so
| by speaking TO the referee, but the
| man so shifted may not return to the
| line. Any of the FIVE center men,
| however, may be taken back five
yards and return to his position at
will, under Rule Section 3, which
1 provides that any one of the five GEN.
ter men may drop back FIVE yards on
the offense, his place being taken by
one OF the back-feld.
! One player may be I'm motion, to-
ward his own goal. directly or oblique-
! ly, when the ball Is put in play. II
!. this player is an end, his place must
be filled, as seven men must be on
the line when play starts.
r. The rules forbid guards carrying
4 the ball.
IL. having signaled for a fair catch.
player takes more than two steps,
with the ball, his side must put the
ball In play, fve yards behind the
mark of the catch.
Each captain may request that time
be taken out thrice during each half.
without penalty IL time be asked
thereafter, the side will be penalized,
unless player be removed.
| No player on the side having the
ball shall use his hands. arms or body
TO push. pull OF hold up the man car
rying the ball.
Only the runner may ward on OPP
ponents with his hands and arms. No
other player on the side may use
hands or arms, save with arms close
This includes:
| Grasping an opponent with hands
or arms; placing hands upon an OPP
ponent TO push him away from play;
encircling any part OF an opponent
with the arm: using the arms to lift
an opponent. In blocking.
Players on the defense may use
their hands and arms only to get at
the ball or the runner.
/ The offense may pass the ball for
ward any distance, from a scrimmage,
providing the pass Is made from
yards back OF the line.
Should a forward pass strike the
ground in the end zones. II counts as
a touchback.
After the bail has been legally pass
ed IL may first be touched only by
snch members OF the effense- as were
at least one yard behind the line of
scrimmage when the ball was passed,
or were playing end. Any one of the
defense MAY take forward pass, and
after a defender has touched II any
member of the offense may take IT,
Tie exception is that when the bali
is in the air any eligible player may
bat II in any direction. save toward
his opponents goal, to prevent an OPP
ponent getting II.
| In case OF kickoff, or kick-out or
kick from a fair catch. the ball must
be kicked at least 10 yards toward the
opponents goal line. unless blocked.
| Striking, kicking. kneeing, or
roughing the fullback when about to
kick. is punishable by disqualification.
The position Of field Judge is dis
pensed with, leaving but three off,
cials-referee, umpire and headlines
man.