New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-16
FEW CHANGES MADE
IN FOOTBALL RULES
Billy Langford Named as a
MeInber-at. Large of the
Committee.
PENALTY FOR BEING LATE
Failure of a Team to Report or
Time After InIermission
May Mean Forfeiture
of the Game.

| William s Iangford, who ranks as tn.
/ best referee on the gridiron. was ap-
pointed "A member-at-'arge of the football
rules committee at It's second session. yes
] tcrday morning, IN tho Hotel Martinique
| II was considered that his counsel and
advice on questions of tho rules would b.
big asset Just to show, perhaps. the
respect in which his judgment is held. nc
was AT once appointed 4 member Of the
codtication committee. on which also
! William Morice. of Pennsylvania, and
Walter Camp, of Yale. will serve.
| II was decided that the rules, with the
slight changes made. should be published
! by June IA decided Improvement over
| last year. as more time will be given for
those interested more thoroughly to ia
miliarize themselves with the code.
| Only two important changes were made
yesterday. One had to do with the sub
stituton Of players. Heretofore man
who left the game could return only AT
/ the beginning OF new period. but the
/ rule was so amended that player can
row return once at the beginning of any
|
! the fourth period
The other change OF much interest
| refers TO the return OF a team to the field
at the beginning OF the second half. II is
now provided that If one side or the
other fails 10 report on time the
referee is authorized TO put the ball in
play by giving il TO the team on the grid
iron. This practically means forfeiture
of the game. and is aimed TO prevent one
! team purposely delaying return to the
| field while tho players of the opposing
eleven are getting chilled. The case grew
out Of an experience in Yalc-Princeton
game two or three years ago
What other changes were made were o.
a minor kind. for the purpose of clarity
| ing the code and clearing up disputed
toints. and the wording in each case was
left TO the codiication committee.
| Or. James 4. Rabbit. OF Hayerford,
who vas unab BILE TO attend the first session.
on Friday evening. was on hand yester-
day and reported for the central board OF
officials This report was warmly sp-
proved and accepted. II was voted to
carry on the duties of the board for the
coming year in the same manner a. last
season. The following board WAS ap-
pointed.
Dr. Rabbit: Crawford BlaSden, oil ltar-
ward Parke n. Davis. of Princeton: pr.
". l.. Dudley. of Vanderbilt: Dr. G. W.
Savage. of Oberlin: +. X. Hall, OF Dart
mouth, and Walter Camp. OF Yale. pr.
Rabbit will send list of officials 10 each
member of the committee for approval
and suggestion.
The board was empowered by the COM
mittee TO interpret the rules. as hereto
| fore. but this action must be rat'red
| hereafter and incorporated I'm tho ruies.
! The changes made on FRIDAY evening
and published i'm the later editions Of The
/ Tribune Yesterday may be SUMMARIZED IN
order 10 make the action of the commit
tee complete.
! The restriction OF PLAYER BENG I'VE
wards behind the line OF scrimmag' on
/ a kick vas removed. This means slight
weakening of the defence 10 guard
against the unexpected. or in any ease
! slight strengthening of III attack py
giving a team the acGcd weapon OF
short punt or quarterback kick from close
10 the line.
The question OF numbering the players
was left TO the teams. The members oI
! the committee. or rather ma)orl'! VI
J them. were opposed to framing a RUE or
even offering a recommendation, on inc
ground that it would place an unnecss-
sary expense on the smaller colleges ana
| xtsffh
| incc of the committee and one WHY"
! each eleven should decide for itself.
! The penalty for not reporting TO me
referee when substitute goes on inc
field was reduced from fifteen yards T"
! five yards The penalty for illegal re
turn TO the game was fixed at disquahn'
/ cation of the player and halt the dstan's
10 the goal line.
Points discussed but not acted upon
were as follows: Moving back the goa
posts, eliminating the punt oft attee
b touchdown. providing rule TO preN'"'
a fake forward pass. imposing h'e'
/ yard penalty for an incomp.eted iot-
ward pass and frightening the game H's
minutes in each quarter.
West Point was not represented put
otherwise the full committee was on
! hand as follows:
f. *. Hall. of Dartmouth; Wa''e.
Camp, of Yale; Crawford Blagdeh' V
Harvard; Parke III. Davis. OF Prlnce'o"'
( Professor Paul j. Dashiell, or Annapo"s'
/ Captain j. ". Beacham. L. = n, to',
nell; J. NJ Sheldon. of Chicago III PH''
/ OF A. A. Stage: William Moricc oil fe""'
sylvanla. DR.. W. L. Dudley OF 'dnu'l
bil,; Professor {. W. Savage, OF oo'
| lin: :. {. Williams. OF Iowa; Dr. Harry
/ Williams. of Minnesota. and Or. JAIN"
I i.o.rA