Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-22
Percy Whiting Weighs Changes
Made for 1912 Gridiron Game

I'Ilb elimination or the on side
kick (change No. d Is not par
ucularly important. 1t tends to
weaken the offense a trlhe. But
the play has been little used of late
years and was not over successful
on Atlanta fields when 1t was used
Its removal from the code will not
be keenly regretted
IT HE rules committee has been
adding with the matter Of the
number of points scored by touch
downs, kicks and such for as long
as anybody can remember. They
nave added another change to their
hddling symphony this year by
making the value Of touchdown 6
points instead of 3 (change No. 81.
But the real change which they
should have made, the elimination
Of the goal kicking after the touch
down, they did not touch. And that
most ridiculous feature of the game
will persist, despite the fact that
1t Is as indefensible as piracy and
not half rs picturesque.
IT HE death OF the famous and
troublesome "20-yard zone"
(change No. 81 caused but slight
mourning. At its best the 20-yard
zone was a mess and It made the
task of officiating so complicated
that brave men turned green at the
sight OF a rule book. Just what
this change will mean from the
players viewpoint can't he told off
hand; but from the spectators
slant the death of the 2O-yard zone
will be a blessed relief.
IT HE elimination OF the field
judge (change No. 81 will rob
a lot Of honest young gentlemen of
free transportation and remunera-
tive Jobs But otherwise II will not
be missed. BY making the head
linesman look after off-side plays
in the line of scrimmage and by re-
curing him to keep time, all the
real duties Of the field judge will
be absorbed, now that the 2O-yard
zone is gone.
1t was vitally essential that the
number OF officials be cut down.
Either the head linesman or the
field Judge had to go, The former
had some real duties while the lat
ter was largely a cross between
nothing at all and absolute zero.
Hence the elimination.
THE reduction Of the number Of
L men allowed on the sidelines
(change No. 100 is desirable In
another year or two they will so
further and rule that nobody shall
he allowed on the sidelines while
game is In progress. After that
maybe they'll try that one of con-
finiug both coaches In separate
cages in the grandstand and then
we shall have the games played by
the teams and not by the coaches,
which will be altogether desirable.
THE elimination of goals scored
by bounding balls tChange No.
10 was made necessary by the fact
that last year in several games balls
kicked in an attempt at a field
goal ran along the ground aways
and then. taking a freallish hop,
cleared the Crossbar for what, un-
der the old code, had to go for a
field goal The new rules will cut
out all hukes Of this character.
THE reduction Of the time allowed
between the first and the sec
oud and the third ana fourth quar-
tiers from two minutes to one
tchange No. 12) was doubtless pre-
lmluary to cutting out all rest be-
tween quarters. Somehow this di-
vision into quarters hasn't made
the hit that was expected. The play
ers claim that they become stiff and
that the rest does them more harm
than good. II this is true. the game
ought to revert back to the old
idea Of halves" Certainly moth
ing could he more farcical than a
one minute intcrmisslon in game
that lasts an the afternoon.