New-York tribune., 1912-02-05
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Football Sure To Be Better Game
Under Changed Rules.
CHANCE NOW FOR SCORING
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.


this column that American college football
under the revised rules was poorer game
but a better sport Under a further re-
vision however. completed on Saturday by
the rules committee of fourteen. ] am free
20 admit that when the season draws to a
close next fail will be able to say that
football is not only better sport but
better game. After two full days of pains
taking work, the committee decided on
changes which are bound TO make for good
In the playing of the game. The changes
were not so radical as some would have.
but they were radical enough TO satisfy, at
least for the present. any except the most
captious critics. An earnest effort in any
case was made to bring about better bal
ance between the attack and the defence
TO promise a greater continuity of offensive
plays and TO prevent so many unsatsfac-
tory tie games or games won by an off
chance Unless all signs fail, Walter
Camps criticism that the game was lack
ing as true sporting proposition can
not be made another season.
II would not be reasonable to assume that
the changes made will bring about an ideal
game. More experimenting may be neces-
sary-in fact, is almost sure to be neces-
sary-but everything points the way, after
a more or less superficial diagnosis of the
changes, to a game that in many respects
will be better. fairer and more natural
Scoring now should be possible by straight
rushing A powerful defence out OF all
proportion to the attack is not likely. the
last resort plays of a haphazard nature
have been discoura ged. The danger of a
free ball has been lessened. The freak OF
football by which Princeton defeated
Dartmouth. when the ball bounded over
the crossbar for goal, has been made I'M
possible. In few words, football VIII 90
more of a game and less of scramble
with a. fair chance of the stronger team
being properly rewarded. Z. K. Hall. of
Dartmouth who has proved to be the right
man for the important position OF chalr-
man of the committee, would not ac-
knowledge that the changes were radical
but radical or not they will tend to anect
the style Of play so as to bring about real
game. something which has been lacking
for two years, at least
The changes suggested and advocated IN
This column with one exception, were
adopted, and TO be frank take some little
pride In the fact that the committee saw
lessen
a defending team by ruling that the ball
hereafter shall be put in play from the
Inward line instead of the 25-yard line.
That suggestion was made for the iirst
time over a year ago, and while It was for
the 15-yard line instead of the 20, the result
is likely TO be much the same. 1t Will
serve TO lessen an unfair advantage
.l,at fCru ar5 f,aa x
over the -rne Of scrimmage is an unsound
play and opens the way 10 most danger
Gus hazard In this respect the committee
did not go quite far enough In my opinion.
The hazard may have been reduced. how
ever. BY eliminating the 20-yard zone. and
thus: fnTcing one of the defensive backs TO
play even deeper than this year TO guard
against a long pass. Time alone will show.
Some criticism also is sure TO be directed
against increasing the value of the touch
down from five points to six. 1t wiz be
pointed out that a team which carries the
ball into an opponents territory for two
drop kicks should not be beaten by
weaker team which maynap may score a
touchdown as the result Of a tumble or
blocked kick, following it up with goal
from touchdown, which still counts one
point 1t may he said, however, that with
the greater scoring possibilities under the
new rules there will be less chance for
. criticism along these lmes-oriticism which
would have been distinctly fair last fall
; when scoring by rushing was next to inn
. possible and when so much depended upon
drop or place kicks.
would like to take up and discuss each
ha
point which could be enlarged on. Space is
lacking. however. at this timc and enough
has been said to indicate that the commit
tee was fully alive TO its duties, and by en-
couragng running game has taken long
step I'm advance Needless to say. l must
confess to disappointment that absolutely
nothing was done looking TO the number
ing Of the players Hereafter, it may be
well for me 10 seek line of less resist
ance by urging one or more teams In the
East TO set the example. II would prove
so popular that other elevens would quick
~ follow the example, then perforce the
rules committee would realize the impor-
tance of making 1t a part of the code-at
least in the form of a recommendation.
II is hard for me 10 understand the ac-
ton at the meeting of the conference col
leees I'm the Middle West better known as
the big Eight" on the summer baseball
question a week ago. From reports az hand
Il appears that undergraduates hereafter
may play summer baseball with teams not
operating under the national agreement or
members OF outlaw leagues. provided they
do not receive directly or Indirectly salary
or gifts for their services. This sounds
very much to me like that old jingle:
Mother. may go out 20 swin.?" 'Yes, my
darling daughter; hang your clothes on
hickory limb. but don't go near the water"
How the evils of summer baseball playing
by college men can be cured or even allevi-
ated by this ruling is beyond understand
ing There may be some players altruistic
enough TO give their services TO some pro-
fessional or semi-profcssional team for
nothing. or just for the love of the game
and little practice. out H. is safe to say
that they are few and FAR betw cen. II the
conference believes that II can prevent men
from playing under assumed names by this
ruling and so obviate the necessity for
living and deceit, there may be some reason
for the ruling, but II the conference be-
lleves that it will work. a reform by this
method and prevent the players from ac-
ceptlng money for their services it has only
opened the door TO a greater evil. The man
who will deceive in one case will deceive in
the other, and nothing has been gained.
Attention may be called 10 the fact that
under the rules of the Amateur Athletic
Union a man who competes with profess
sto,als AUTOMATICALLY loses his amateur