The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-22
EXPERTS REVIEW OF REGENT
 CHANGES IN FOOTBALL RULES
By J. S. ooUNsELMAN

The question is frequently asked: Why are they continually changing the foot | ball rules?" Little thought is given to the necessity and demand for such changes or their effects, but complaints are freely made by football lovers that the game is not now played as in their college days
 A brief survey of the demands, causes and results of such changes should be of interest.
 Previous to 1905, the universities of Co., lumbia, California and Leland Stanford abolished football on account or It's great danger to life and limb, besides the seem ing absence of skill or anything else other than brute strength and weight in playing the game. Soon after the close of the season of 1895, representatives of the west ern conference, including at that time the universities of Michigan, Wisconsin, Chi cago, Minnesota, Illinois, and others, passed a resolution to the effect that un- less the rules committee made radical changes in the rules with view to eiiml- hating mass play and freeing the game of it's great dangers, football would be immediately abolished by these institu- tlons This drastic resolution was the natural outcome of series of demsnds upon the committee for rule changes. These demands had been made from year to year, but nothing was done for fear of ruining q great game.
 The Original Changes In view of the actions already tuken by many leading universities, besides the gen. eral outcry against football all over the country. the rules committee made up their minds after the close of the season of 1905 to change the game for the better CT worse The radical changes which followed were three in number and briefly stated were as follows;
 i. The distance to be gained m three plays or downs was changed from five to ten yards.
 g. One forward pass was allowed in each play by the team in possession or the ball
 & A so-called "onside kick" was intro duced. which often enabled the offensive team to regain possession of the ball after it had been kicked into the enemy's ter ritory.
 Since the introduction of these three radical changes in 1906, we have been witnessing what is generally known as the 'New Game" of football. In behalf of these changes. it was argued that ten yards could not be gained by the old Ducklnk game, u lOTiu ol H'feHo if.'s' "''. that the forward pass. onside kick. and variety of end runs and trick plays. would necessarily be brought into play in order to gain the required ten yards In three downs It was also argued that as little man can pass and Kick ball about as well as a large one aud can of- tener outrun him and get it. value had been put on skill and speed rather than brute strength and avoirdupos. That the rules committee had not guessed wrong was made evident by the great record of the light Carlisle Indian team and the success of Maryvtllo college of Tennessee in tying Georgia Tech, ant holding Alabama to a single touchdown the following year. It was soon discov- cred however. that player In the act of catching forward pass with his arms up and his eyes fixed upon tho ball, was | unable to guard himself. The resulting l violent tackles often proved serious It i was also found that ball rolling along l the ground with half dozen or mora 1 players making a mad rush and finally | diving for it, gave cause for numerous l injuries and often fatalities.
 To Prevent Accidents 1 When players. anxious to play the game
 to the limt of their ability, learned to | take full advantage of these rules. the
 result was record of injuries anI deaths which had never been equalcd, certainly
 not exceede1 What cotld no,v Ie dime