The Detroit times., 1912-10-19
Since Football Has Been Regu-
lated There Have Been
4 : - Four Changes
OF THESE MINNESOTA
SHIFT is THE LATEST
Flying Wedge Was First, With
Direct Pass and Place
Kick Following
By JOHN r. RICHARDS,

0H JOtIN NJ UfOttSnbog
FOOTBALL Coach, Ohio state University.
COLUMBUS, o.. Oct ls.-Since
football became a really scientific
game regulated by a definite eod- of
rules there have been only four
changes IN style OF play of'importance
Before 1883 football was in a hap
hazard way I'm this country. II was
~.played before the SOS in the east and
adopted about that time In the west.
by 1890 II was universally played In
-.the west.
The latest football development is
!. 20 recent and has been referred to 30
.loften, that the story Of It's origin and
,uses may be interesting.
The regular formation, as II Is
ycalIed, OF an aggressive line. shows
three men on each side OF center. The
-}rtiIss require seven men on the line
-lsf me moment the bah IL put IN play.
Elf these men take their places slowly.
.fthe defensive team will, OF course. ad-
t'5ust itself TO be in the best position
10 meet what is likely to happen.
Many plays have been. devised in
: the past to get more than three on
= one side of the center. so as to throw
IN superior number of men AT q
Numerically weaker defense. But this
$shifting was always done In such q
way that the defense had time to re.
adjust itself before the attack. Tho
shiffing Of lire men from one side TO
the other was done by having them
70 directly from their places on one
wing TO The other side.
The -Backs mient orr mtght not,
shift at the same timc- ffowevcrs the
process cOuld-not-prevcnt-a -an-alert de-
fense from shifting- and bringing up
relnforcemeats-,t the point threat
ened
-Three years ago this problem OF
: out-nanking was giYen---a little ad-
: ditional strategy. BY DR.. Harry W.
. liams. coach. at Minnesota university
: Therein Dr. Williams contributed the
fourth really tundamental develop
ment TO football
Df. Williams Is practicing ply
sician. OF Minneapolis. HIS fecreation
Is footb ball coaching and planning.
ii 1yUg Mfnnesota worked hHyoc
WIN Their rivals by-means Of a new
fnift principle. Two iinemens usual
ly tatkles.-were -puiied out-of-the line
ana stationed back OF eenters- The
holes they Ieft were not closed and
= WMIlEr lucUtteAMIklTb nlo1U -nCuAIQ sAAAC
line. the defense could not tell which
side. would be reinforced,
The tackles suddenly jumped into
) one of these holes, the other hole
closing and the backs shifting In
the same movement Bang went the
(. play before, the defense could call up
reinforcements or while so doing
By this strategy. Minnesota sue
ceeded In getting relnforcements over
9 per cent near the point Of attack
before II could be determined where
they were going.
During the season of 1910 Yale had
n hard sledding. The Army beat Eli.
Brown murdered 1t 81 TO O. Novem-
her arrived and Harvard and Prince
ton remained to be faced. Help!
Help!" was the cry from New Hav-
en-. -a ~ ---
Tom Shevliu, former Yale captain.
living at Minneapolis, and one OF DIR.
Williamf' aids, heard the call and
hurried TO New Haven. He took draw
inRs and ideas Of the Minnesota
8hifts with him.
Shevlin was given command on
Yale field and behind closed gates be-
gan teaching Minnesota's plays.
Two weeks later the team beat
Princeton.. en-. absolutely unexpected
5: outcome. A week later, Yale tied
Harvard, thus redeeming bad sea-
son. A new idea from a western col
leee did It.. too, ..,, ....o. ..,.
Al new way Of scoring was invented
with first use Of the place-kick from
scrimmage This kick is made by
placing player from eight to twelve
ykr1s behind the center. to whom the
hall Is passed by the center. Another
player stands few feet back Of this
frst man, and as the bail is placed
on the ground and held In position.
the second player kicks 1t.
All this Ia done while the line ana
Iisengaged backs are blocking op-
ponents to prevent spelling the kick.
i The place II a little slower than the
droprkick.. ..,sa..a.
f. The piace-kick was used long before
<he application Of the kick in a scrim.
mage was thought out Place-kicks
for goal after touchdown had been
IN use for years. Place-kicks follow
ine falr-catch, wherby the catching
aide had earned the right to free
kick. were long in use.
The idea OF using the place-kick
under the trying circumstances OF a
scrinrmage> developed into tangible re-
rnlts In 1907. The first time II was
uscd was In game between. Notre
Dame and Chicago universities,
The Notre Dame coach. Earl Her.
ing. developed and practiced the
IIay before going into the game, but
NJ doubted its legality.
herring consulted the referee be-
tore the game, explained the play,
Ind asked his opinion. John G. Karel.
~ wisconsin. known 20 football fame
4. -Ikyr Knrei was the referee. and
n. decided the play to oe legal Karei
n now Judge Knrel OF Milwaukee.
|nr|ne This game Notre Bame
..<|| he ~tail into Chicago's terri.
.-. ..I on-fhe nrsi attempt nekoti.
|.| = seal -<Fon> >placeDent from the
/..II I|0.. .scoriDe i've points.
.||1@ina the Iotrodnction of the
~ <ofre Dame. u 1897. 4 be
-- ;; TIE iooibsIl teams Of