Evening star., 1913-02-16
MAY MAKE CHANGES
Colleges to Form New Rules
for Certain Events.
CORNELL'S HARD SCHEDULE
Ithacans Will Play Most Difficult
Foot Ball Games in
Years.
BY EDWARD r. BUSHNELL.

When the intercollegiate Association
of Amateur Athletes of America meets
in annual convention Saturday in New
York it will have to pass upon more i'm
portant legisla ton than for long time.
Several important changes affecting the
rules which govern the annual track
and field championships have been recon-
mended to it for passage by the eXecu-
tive committee. The chances are that
most. at least two, of the changes will
be adopted. These changes in the order
OF their Importance are:
l. Increase the weight of the hammer
from sixteen TO twelty-one pounds and
reduce the length OF the handle from
three feet to two feet six inches. Like
wise have the hammer thrown from a
. wire cage and declare a foul every
throw outside OF a definite angle.
>. a rule that the winner OF race
touches the tape not that both feet
must have crossed the finish line.
3. A rule that in relay races conducted
by colleges within the association the
contestants shall pass baton to one an
other as a substitute for the present
, method Of touching off.
At least two Of the foregoing sugges-
tions are good ones and will probably be
| most likely to meet with objections is
that changing the weight of the ham
mer and the length of the handle. Not
many good words have been spoken OF
this suggestion. Everybody knows that
the hammer throw as now conducted in
this country is a dangerous event, and
that 1t should either be abolished or
some provision made for the protection
of spectators and athletes. All that
could be accomplished by increasing the
mad radt ,oin ha
length of the handle would be to reduce
the length Of the throw. Such change
would involve much expense i'll securing
new hammers and much unnecessary
hardship in coaching men to throw 1t.
1t would likewise decrease the number
OF candidates for the event, because no
enc but a. man Of prodigious strength
could throw such a heavy missile.
The dangers Of hammer throwing cou.d
be reduced to minimum by insisting
that ell throws be made from n wire
cage similar to that used at Stockholm
last summer in the Olympic games. The
Swedes deserve the thanks OF the whole
athletic world for their clever invention.
BY means of the cage it was possible ia
throw the hammer from point directly
in front Of the crowded stands, and with
the other athletes and officials stationed
back Of the cage no mans life was
threatened. AS an additional precautiOn
the Swedes ruled that fair throw must
The Swedish suggestion as to the wire
cage and the angle of fair throws has
already been adopted by the New Eng
! land Intercollegiate Association. 1t Is
| A. A., with the likelihood that the propo-
| sition to increase the weight OF the ham,
mer and reduce the length of handle will
| be forgotten.
The suggested change in judging the
| finish is made to compel athletes to fin
fSl1 III, DIR c1e9n1y rather than throw
| themselves at the tape. If the rule thai
| relay racers shall, be compelled to pass
! the baton is adopted the United States
| will have to thank Sweden for it also
| This method of running relay races was
| inausurated at the Stockholm games. Al
| first the Americans disiiked the innova-
| ton. but they were speedily won over to
| it and 1t is now the consensus of expert
opinion that q rule compelling runners to
pass the baton will correct one OF the
most serious objections to relay racing in
| this country. At nearly every one OF
| the University Of Pennsylvanias annual
| relay carnivsls several teams are dis
qualified because athletes fail to properly
| touch hands between relays. S;nce the
| baton must be actually passed. and with
| in a definite zone. the new rule will cor
rect serious abuse. 1t Will likewise
make matters easier for the officials.
To Select Location of Meet.
For the 1lrSt time III a SOCU many yed1 >
the association will not receive any rec
concentrations from the executive COM
mittee as to the place for holding the
annual meet. The committee would have
recommended Harvard but for the fact
that this institution cannot manage the
games this yeai. Through an under
standing the association has been letting
the games alternate between Harvard
and Pennsylvania. AS the games were
held on Pennsylvania field last year
under this arrangement Harvard should
have them in 1913. But on account of a
curious provision by which Soldiers Field
was decided to Harvard, the Crimson is
not able to manage the preliminary meet
May 10. The provision referred to is that
no games OF any kind shall be held on
Soldiers Field Memorial day because the
field was presented to Harvard as a me-
mortal to the soldiers who fell in tie civil
war. If the games We're held under the
auspices Of Harvard ii would be necessary
either to hold the preliminaries Thursday,
May -, or Saturday morning. May 81.
Neither compromise is satisfactory, and
for that reason Harvard made no formal
application for the games.
With Harvard eliminated the only in
stitution capable OF holding a meet of
these proportions are Pennsylvania and
Syracuse. The only objection to Syracuse
is that the New Workers do not have a
suitable 220-yard straiehtaway for the
220-yard dash and the 22o-yard hurdles
Because the 220-yard course ends beneath
a stand which has to be lighted with
electricity The association has twice re-
fused to award the games 10 Syracuse
and this precedent is sure to have much
weight in deciding upon the location of
the 1919 games. Under the circumstances
it is quite likely that Franklin Field will
be favorably considered once more If
the Quakers get the games the associa :
ton would likely let Harvard have them
in. 1914 and 1915 provided 10 other ;nsti
tuition with suitable equipment makes ap-
plication.
Cornell's Hard Schudule.
In view of the disasters which well
nigh overwhelmed the Cornell foot ball
team last year, the Ithacans are GER
tainiy very bold In arranging their 1913
schedule. 1t is considerably harder than
that of 1912, for it includes three new,
opponents much more powerful than
those dropped. State College. Dart
mouth and Williams, all of which sound
ly beat the Ithacans last fall, have been
dropped, and in their places the Indians.
Harvard and Lafayette have been SUBJ
stituted. Evidently the Ithacans do not
observe the unwritten rule Of some in
stitutionS not to drop from their
schedule team that has been victorious
over them without first turning the
tables. Probably if Cornell had to wait
until all the 1872 defeats were wiped
out it would be a long time before very