Evening star., 1912-02-04
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

Special Dispa ch ~ III, Star.
NEW YORK. February :.-Lightning
hit wierc least expected in some OF the
changes which We're agreed up by MEM
bers of the foot ball rules committee, in
session here today.
First of all. the shortening of the play
ing field was a radical departure from
time honored theory that playing dis
tances were so well balanced as not TO
require any alteration of the gridiron.
Prior to the assembling of the commit
tee suggestions which embraced change
i'm the area of the sridiron had been
frowned upon as Il departure from GUS
tom and established standard. The adop-
ton Of shorter gridiron for the season
to come indicates a disposition on the
part of tie members of the committee
TO concede that the former gain of fifty
i've yards from center 10 score upon
the defending side is too much of tax
upon the attack, Il concession to the stand
which has been taken that the present
game or the game of 1911. to be more
accurate. was not well balanced.
Naturally, the taking off OF five yards
on either end OF the gridiron is slightly
in favor OF the team i'll possession or tae
ball, for ii the attack has five yards less
to gain, the defense has five yards less
in which TO resist the advance of the ball
Though the change may be slight. It is
a frank concession which should and,
even though IL be slight. TO the chances
of a better team where two elevens. one
of which is very slightly superior to the
other, are engaged in a contest.
There. was very much argument in re-
gard to the matte: of downs to be allowed
to advance the ball by rushing or run
ming plays against or around the de-
Tending line of forwards.
Same Proportions.
The propositions before the rules COM
mittee were principally based upon four
downs for ten-yard gain, three downs
for a straight eight-yard gain, or three
downs for a seven-yard gain between
the center and the 20-yard line, combined
with three downs for a Vineyard gain
from the 25-yard line to the goal.
The shortening of the sridirOn con-
ceded something to the attack and prac-
tically eliminated the suggestions Tor
threedownS, with q shorter distance to
gain than ten yards.
Then the question came of adding to
the number of downs to be gained in
ten yards. Again the members OF the
committee conceded something to the side
in possession of the ball, and probably
helped better to equaiiZe the general at
tack by sanctioning four downs for ten
yards.
The advocates Of eight or seven yard
gains for three downs believed that it
would assist in making better foot ball
At the same time most Of them also
favored four downs for ten yards, if ten
yards were to be retained as the distance
to be gained on downs.
Either suggestion appeared tu be bet
ter for the game than the present rule
The western members of the committee
y IL,
any change which would shorten the dis
tance to be gained on downs, fearing a
return to mass play.
Their fear was more in the nature of
bogey man than in possible result, as a
little investigation into the records OF
contests for the last three years would
have proved, but ii matters little one
way or the other, for the four-down con-
cession seems likely to work out effectual-
ly and to be a change forgood.
1t is well worth the trial.
Forward Pass Stays.
The forward pass still holds it's grip
upon the game and abtains greater
prestige by being made legal to point
ten yards beyond the goal line. In other
words, a forward pass can be made to
score a touchdown. 1t must be confessed
that there are many foot ball enthusiasts
who are not very enthusiastic over the
forward pass. but 1t is play of which
the best must be made. and with its
present status there Is reason to believe
that it will be employed more than ever.
The elimination Of the onside kick was
not unexpected. There was opposition to
it on the ground of its danger where
players scrambled for possession of the
ball. The same argument could be al
vanced against scrambling for forward
pass. but 1t is belived that restrictions
on the forward pass will initiate to SINE
extent against the possibility Of injury.
The abolislment of the twenty yards
zone is taken to mean that all res.ric-
tons in the rules specifying the conduct
Of players within a limi. of twenty yards
after kick or "a forward pass have been
eliminated. In other words, where a kick
has been made players are not restricted
from using their hands or arms to p. sh
opponents out of the way prior 10 the
time that they have advanced twenty
yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
The elimination OF the twenty-yard
zone also makes it possible for a forward
pass to be legal IL it goes fifty yards
which viii clear upon a point in dispute
several times during the past season. In
other words, teams may return to the
old practice of a forward pass half the
length of the field if they can make one.
This play was originally legal, and it was
Yale with its long forward passes in the
first year of the new rules which demon
strated the efficiency of this maneuver.
There will be no arguments next fa.i as
to whether players transgressed the
sacred twenty-yard zone" by the matter
of a few inches, a fact which the most
expert officials some times found it oiffi-
cult to rule upon.
The kickoff is set back to point five
yards further than was the case under
all previous rules. Heretofore the kick
Oft has been made from the center of the
field, a distance from the defenders goal
Of fifty-five yards. In the future the kick
ncf ha Ia frnyS ha ixfu nd
line counting from the defending goal
This viii tend to eliminate long kicks
into touchback.
In the first half tho side in posses