The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-22
FOOTBALL RULES
AS THEY ARE NOW
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sides the general outcry against foot
ball all over the country, the MEM
hers of the rules committee made up
their minds after the close OF the
season of 1906 to change the. game
for better or worse. The radical
changes which followed were three in
number and briefly stated. as follows:
First. The distance to be gained In
three plays or downs was changed
from 1--WE TO ten yards.
Second. One forward pass was al
flowed In each play by the team In
possession OF the ball
Third. A so-called "onside KICK
WAS introduced, which often enaoieo
the offensive team to regain posses
sion Of TIE ball after it had been
kicked into the enemy's territory.
Since the introduction OF these
three radical changes in 1905. we nave
been witnessing what is EeneranS
known as the new game Of roo'oah
In behalf Of these changes, 1t was
s-gued that ten yards could not be
Gained by the old buckins game.
form of mass plag. and that the for
ward pass, onside kick, and vafle-
tv of end runs and trick plays. would
necessarily be brought into play IN
order to gain the required ten yards
in three downs. 1t was also argued
that as a little man can pass ana
kick a ball about as well as large
,ne and can oftener outrun him ana
pe, it. a value had been put on skill
and speed rather than brute strength
and avoirdupois.
Eject Of New Rules.
That the rules committee nao no'
Guessed wrong was made evident by
tbe great record of the light Carlisle
indian team and the success OF Mary
Vile College, of Tennessee, In tying
Georgia Tech and holding Alabama
IN a single touchdown the following
year. 1t was soon discovered. how
ever, that a player in the act OF
catching a forward pass with MS arms
II, and his eyes fixed upon the pan
was unable to guard himself Inc re,
su,tinp violent tackles often proved
serious. 1t was also founo .hae q
ball rolling along the grounu WI
half a dozen or more players "aAins :
20 rush and finally diving for 1t
rave cause for numerous injuries anu
often fatalities.
when play ers, anxious to play the
,ne 70 the limit of their aoiiity'
Isa-nes to take full advantage OF these
rules. the result was a record OF IN
,urias and deaths which had never
heen eoualed, certainly not e1ceeoeu
VIVA. could now be done? II seeMeo
that all legislation for the past two
years. had come to naught IN Inv
sttempt TO solve the problem OF Sc
r,ous injuries, numerous RESTRICTIONS
were made from time to time. Cover"
a., ,be use Of the forward pass tne
Is, ,mnortant of which was to the
.rect that q player who Is tryIns
oa,.b forward pass must not De
,,+c-fered with in any way by an op
na,o,, except in the opponents Doha
"a. .,t.nnt To catch the forward pass
himself
Many Scoreiess games.
The effort made 20 decrease ,.E
juries resulting from ,ne Iii when
NV the requirement that the paH
kicked must strike the ground twen
~ Yards in advance OF the point "neI
II was put IT. place, practeAs 80
mated this play Wthou, 20,
use of the "onside kick ana the
~ account OF .ts numerous restric-
lions. the following results from nis
grade teams in 1911 need no eApis
nation:
Yale o: Harvard. o.
Princeton. o. Navy. o.
Indiana, 0: Illinois. Q.
/ Ohio state. o; Obcrin. o.
| Alabama Tech, 0; Georgia, o.
| Alabama. o: Tech. tGa-D. U.
I Their. are only few OK the Iaree
I number Of contests. which resulted IN
The Inability Of either team 10 score
a touchdown. TO say nothing OF the
. numerous games which were won On
7 ..-lUkes" and which could not be on
GOT nv NOR. skIllfuI opponents on ac-
( count of fhe 1911 rules being 80 I'M
favo-sbI. 70 offensive play.
In order To provide for more scorins
and s.ul not affect the excellent leg
islstion agaIns. unnecessary rough
Tess and opportunities for injuries n
general. tho FOL owing changes appear
in the 1912 rules:
gtpst rhsaGes-
+ Ftrst-Four plays or downs iHst.a'
or three are allowed to gain TIE neces'
SIrE 'rn yards.
grrcad-Thc restriction that for.
ward pass could not go over tweutS
Yards has besn removed. ANY distance
j. uo7y allowed FOR the forward pass
Third forward pass successfully
excepted across the goal Inc counts
90 y touchdown provided the ball doc
10; 90 over ten yards beyond thi'
line
Tho .or-th DOWN has been tecIare'
by some 90 - step back toward,
the Oh hgs ing * To-. Th!z complaint
t.vSrsr yaa hardly he Justified "
WOW - ;he following ruI~ which va,
Introduces since the new game" wa
se-r n fo"s:
No rlaysr - the sid. ~ possession
90 thc ball shah use MS hands. arm
or body 81 DIsh. pui' ~ hold gpon ~
- H.. I.TT