New-York tribune., 1912-01-29
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Football Doctors to Diagnose the
Ills of the Game.
OPERATION SADLY NEEDED
Suggestions for Changes That
Might Improve Present
Hodge -Podge Code.


Hodge Podge Code.
p,fore the week is over on FRIDAY anu
SATURDAY.. TO be exact. the football rules
committee made up Of fourteen members
win meet In this city to diagnose once more
tp, ills Of the game and mayhap prescribe
o. ror,ed, Unfortunately there appears 10
hc a feeling in some quarters that little OF
nothing will be done and that the stanu-
rat" policy adopted year ago VIII he fol-
loved Il is hoped that these feelings are
cIoundless, for rarely if ever has footoah
bceu in such dire need. No changes OF
6Istinctvely radical nature are essehtid'
unless return to first principles before the
introduction of the guards back tachIeo
back and other battering ram plays can Ue
called radical Something, however, must
be done 10 provide a better balanced game
10 more nearly equalize the attack with the
defence to remove dangerous hazafd u
which tho forward pass over the line oi
scrjn1mage opens the way, 10 make the
smart more natural. The harum-scarum'
bsn.hazard game of the last two seasons
nuts TOO great a premium on luck ana
chance robbng the sport Of those very ele-
ments which have made 1t so popular III
the past.
The time has come for tho members of
the committee to prove their right to SIT
in Judgment over the rules. They have
worked long and earnestly TO enect re-
form in q game that was declared 10 DC 100
rough and too dangerous for college men,
They have succeeded in quieting for the
minute those who unknowingly to large
extent rallied and plotted against the sport
They have succeeded in measure In pro-
yiding a safer ana saner game by legislat-
ing against crashing mass plays and otner
unseemly features. At best, however the
rules have been experimental and IN JUS
tice TO the great, virie game 1t may he
said without exaggeration that some of
these have been a distinct failure. 1t Is
hard for me to understand how any coach
or critic can rise and say that the game as
plsyed last fall was satisfying. NO game
which does not provide reward OF some
scrt for good work accomplished can De
called satisfying, No game that Is so un-
natural and restricted in the arms OF the
offence can be called fair. Any game which
puts a premium on lack Of initiative is oulit
on unsound lines.
suggestions 10 bring about a more simph-
fed code and A better balanced game. In
fact. go many suggestions have been offered
that it may be hard to separate the Whea'
from the chan George Foster Sanford
than whom there are few deeper students
of the game; I'd Cochems, who has Ideas
worth considering; Glen Warner, coach OF
the Carlisle Indians; Bill Roper. chairman
OF the athletic advisory committee, OF
Princeton, have expressed their views
through the columns of The Tribune. Wal
Ter Camp Yale's football strategist and
member of the rules committee, has admit
ted openly under his own signature, that
the game as played to-day does not answer
the test Of a true sporting proposition,
while dozens and dozens OF others have
pointed out that some changes are desir-
able. I. too. have been bold enough 10
offer suggestions in this column which I
propose 10 repeat Personally, | write no
brief for these particular suggestions, al
though they were worked out only after
careful observation and many hours of dis
cussion with coaches and players. No man
who is earnestly interested in the game or
who is alive 10 the crying need for some
changes will care what method the rules
committee adopts so long as something is
done 10 furnish, as Mr.. Camp suggests the
test of A truer sporting proposition.
Space is lacking at this time TO delve
into the history of the case, and to explain
in fun why tho game as played last season
is q 'hodge-podge." as George Foster San
ford called ii. | take the liberty, however
OF repeating two or three paragraphs which
appeared in this column on December II.
Nxs xs4nx haN mt Ch fo1lv =
since then.
1t was the case last season, as in 1910,
that an eleven which could gain ground
fairly consistently IN midfeld found It
next to impossible to go any further than
the 20-yard line by running plays, for the
reason that as the approaching goal line
was reached the defence frightened up and
became more effective. This means that all
payment for something accomplished by
keen strategy and concentrated ,"ort was
left TO a hazard-a more or less wild and
desperate chance. which, if successful, was
applauded. but which. If a failure. was con-
demned. The quick accepting OF opportuni-
ties must not be put down to luck Wide
awake, vigilant players like Sam White,
of Princeton: Butch" Eyrich, of Cornell;
Huntington, Of Harvard, and, may say,
Ketcham, OF Yale, will succeed where 9TH
ers equally or more skilful, perhaps will
fail But the element of luck and chance
which is found in all sport should not be
courted, as is the case in football under the
present rules.
believe that three simple changes would
go far TO bringing about better game,
without any chance OF a return to the
pushing. pulling and battering ram tactics
that in a sense were so wisely legisated
against two years ago. These changes
may be summed up as follows: Limit for
ward pass to behind line OF scrimmage
without restrictions increase number OF
downs from four to five yards, as suggest
cd by Tom Shevlin or decrease distance TO
be gained from ten TO five yards. as sug
gested by George Foster Sanford; lessen
the advantage OF a touchback to the de-
Tending side.
was one Of the first il not the first, to
suggest that the forward pass should bt
limited 10 behind the line Of scrimmage.
and I have stated my reasons on a num-
bcr Of occasions Glen Warner. the astute
coach OF the Carlisle Indians, and Sanford
among others, have declared In favor OF the
plan BY removing all restrictions ii would
accomplish. i'm my opinion, the main pur-
pose OF the play; that is, Of spreading out
and consequently weakening tho second
line Of defence II also would remove
dangerous hazard, as the backs now come