Bisbee daily review., 1912-02-13
tBy Touchdown


 After six years of experiment and considerable bHngling. the football rules committee has decreed a game for the 1912 season Of play in which the balance certainly appears to be strongly on the right side That is 10 say, the games Of 1912 for the most part are to be decided by su- periority in rushing the ball from sCrimmage, while al the sama time the defense has its chance, and is eXUOsed to no form of attack which can be considered unreasonably and even cruelty unfair. An additional rush, or four in all. with ten yards to gain. 1sstores the rushing game Americans love
 Forward Pass Is Retained
 The forward pass has been re, tained in the game. but the op- ponents Of this particular hazard and non-football measula may console themselves. It hps been retained. but in all probality its chief func. tion will become that of keeping the defense loose. so that the running game can have a better chance to operate. Games will be decided oc- casionally by a lucky forward pass, but in general the team which has R well, organized rushing attack and which has been properly coached on defense. will be able 10 disregard this play It will be used so seldom that the very obvious and real dan ger of serious injury which its uss occasionally involves is minimized If of all this contrary turns out to be the case. it Will be time enough to renew agitation against the for ward pass.
 The on-side kick has been abol. ished and its passing causes little regret, for. although this was a pret- ty and exciting play. the elements Of luck and danger entered so largely into it's successful execution, as to offend the general sense of fairness. It is even more important that the abolition of the on-side kick makes possible the giving of better support to the defensive line. making tEp game fairer and lessening the dalger cf contact injuries caused when a back comes through hole wi.h speed unchecked and is met head-on by a member of the secondary defense who comes up fast from a point ten yards or more behind his own line.
 Field of Play compressed
 Nevertheless, the forward pass Cer- tainly means still considerable loose ness on the part of the defense, and radical changes were necessary in order to retain for the forward pass its character of enforcing this loose ness of denfense in the vicinity of the last white line" Thus the s. called field of play was compressed 10 an even 100 yards Of length. Bur for ten yards beyond each goal line a forward pass may be legally recover ed by the side making it. with q touch back the only penalty for intercep- ton by opponents or failure other wista. Then the committee reduced the value of a touchback, so that hereafter the ball will be brought out to the 20 instead of the 25 yard line
 The field Of play having been shortened. the 4O-yard line will hence forth, it was decided, be the limit from which the ball shall be kicked of It will take a 6O-yard boot to send the ball into touch The team which loses the toss will now have its choice of goal or kick at the be- ginning of the second half. The yalDe Of a touchdown will be six roints, onsetting two field goals, still valued at three points each.
 Goal Posts a Menace
 The actual extension Of the foot. ball field, with compression of what is called the field of play, leaves the goal posts standing up like sore thumbs, an ever present source of danger from collision. Retention of the forward pass, it will be seen, is responsible for all of the more i'm