Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-22
By Percy H. Whiting.

~HEY were coming back from
the Georgia-V Vanderbilt foot
L bali game. How can you tell
asked she, what the penalties are
for?"
why, that's very simple said
he. sagely. a ive-yard penalty
is for off-side, fifteen yards is for
holding. half the distance to the
goal line is for roughness."
How interesting" said she.
And 1t was
THE man who can tell the PEN
L atty that has been inflicted in a
football game by the distance as
sessed is a wonder indeed. At that,
however. it is entirely possible to
get a slight line on it in that way.
For instance. three penalties are
absolutely conclusive If team is
soaked two yards 1t must inevitably
before taking out time more than
three times during half. II
team is set back ten yards you
NAV know that the defensive side
has interfered with an opponent in
the case of a forward pass before
the ball has been touched A 20
yard penalty is passed out because
team is not ready to start play at
the beginning of the second half.
There is only one two-yard pen
atty only one ten-yard penalty and
only one 25-yard penalty, and the
offenses mentioned are those which
they punish.
THERE are nineteen offenses for
L which the penalty is five yards,
fourteen offenses for which the
penalty is fifteen yards, two for
which the penalty is loss of half
the distance to the goal line. four
for which a down" is lost, ten for
which the ball is lost, three rules
which. if broken. lead to suspension,
two that result in disqualification,
and three that are punished by for
fixture of the game.
So it isn't so awfully simple after
all.
IT HE offense that most often calls
for a penalty of FIVE yards in the
average game is that for off-side
play. Six varieties of this offense
are specified. Tricks intended to
draw opponents off-side get the
same penalty-likewise interfer-
ence with opponents before ball is
put in play. SO does unreasonable
delay-though you seldom see this
rule enforced Holding by the de-
fensive side is in the same class, as
far as the penalty is concerned. It
will be recalled that after the ball
has been put in play, players on the
side not in possession of the ball
may use their hands or arms to
get at the ball or the player. but
must not tackle or hold their oppo-
nents. II they do, they are soaked
five yards. Another fve-yard pen
atty is given for flying tackle or
for tackling below the knees-with
certain exceptions. The rule says
There shall be no taekling below
the knees, except by the men on
the line of sCrimmage on the de-
Tense. and of these. the two men
occupying the positions on the ends
of the line of scrimmage may not
tackle below the knees" A foolish
~ complicated rule it seems 10 us.
a COUPLE Of ifteen-yard pen
alties are important The rest
are seldom assessed. The most
familiar is the penalty for holding.
This is an important penalty. The
rule reads After the ball has
been put in play the player carry
ing the ball may ward off oppo-
nents with his hands and arms. but
no other player Of the side in pos
session of the ball shall hold or use
his hands or arms Except with the
arms close TO the bodv) to OBJ
struct an opponent"
The other important rule which
has a fifteen-ysrd penalty is that
for pushing, pulling and interlocked
interference. This is one of the
newer rules and was passed to do