New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-15
Clear Road Now for the Giants
to Another Pennant.
FOOTBALL TO THE FRONT
Game Promises To Be Better
than Ever This Fall, with
Rules Understood.
By Herbert.

hulGS opONN'
By Herbert.
,no,ber week has passed and with II
,ust about the last hope or the He"..''e
Phillies 10 overtake the Giants III ''e ~"
tional League pennant race. Inc tli'le "a'
not exactly come for the rams mere W
cheer and be glad. but the chances loi
Now York TO lose the pennant are now
so slim that even the uncertainties Vi
baseball are not considered serious zen
dovs ago a feeling of anxiety arose ouC
this now has passed with the return Oh
the Giants TO something Ike their true
form Nothing, II would seem now out
an earthouake can rob the fans" Of an
other worlds series in this city, and ar
guments are already being heard aheh'
the respective merits Of this New Aofh
PLAYER or that and the Athletics. II Is
now necessary for the Philhes 10 WIN
TWENTY-FIVE Of their remaining tWehtN-slA
games while the Giants are only treaN-
ing even I'm their twenty games TO capture
the remnant 1t looks Ike hopeless tash'
more particularly as Charley Dooin's men
must plav sixteen games I'm ten days after
they return from the West-seven with
Roston I'm four days. four with Brooklyn
in three days and five with the Giants In
three days. Pitchers are not made OF
iron.
The Washington Senators started their
run. as they say in racing, just a OIL 100
late TO seriously threaten the Phliadeiphia
Athletics I'm the American League, out
I'm winning FIVE straight games from
Cleveland last week they just about
snuffed out the last hope Of the Maps
even if they did not clinch second place
for themselves The team PLAYED The oeSt
baseball in the American League last
week. and. in my opinion. would prove
harder foe for the Giants in the world
series than the Athletics. 1t Is not be-
yond the possibilities. OF course, that the
Senators will Yet capture the proud place
at the top now held by the house or
Mack. but it is highly improbable, as the
following cold figures will show. Phila-
delphia has eighteen games TO play, and
If the team wins nine and loses nine the
standing will read: Won 81, lost 81, for a
percentage of $50. To equal this the
Cleveland Maps must win their last six
teen games in a row. AS a matter of fact
the Athletics must travel below the 500
pace TO give the Maps or Senators even
an outside chance.
Before many days are over college foot
ball will be crowding close on the heels
of baseball. but interest in this most in
MIGRATING of all fall sports is bound TO
lag until after the worlds series is set
tied in favor of the Giants. Bits of foot
ball news, however. have begun to crowd
their way into the sporting pages. as the
candidates Of most of the larger colleges
in the East have reported for work and
are doing light practice to get in condi-
ton for the opening games Of the season
the latter part of this month. The an
nual Interpretation meeting on the rules
also is at hand. the date having been
fxed for September g. This will prove
Of less Importance than usual, as no
changes Of a radical nature were made
in the code last winter; but there are
many points of minor importance which
must be discussed although the rules
themselves are clearer and less subject
20 misconstruction than I'm number OF
years
Fortunately for football no further
tnkering with the code was considered
necessary at the annual meeting Of the
rules committee last February. \ game
was evolved In the fall of 1912 that was
far more natural than had been the case
for four or five seasons. Thanks to the
careful study and hard work of those
who made up the committee in revising
the rules the previous winter. better
balance was struck between the attack
and the defence. while greater oppor-
tunity was providtd for proper express
sion of offensive strength and the fulfill
ment OF the true purpose Of any sport
reward for the better team. With the
defence no longer so strong as TO be out
Of all proportion TO the attack a greater
continuity exists and 1t is now possible
10 gain ground by straight rushing, even
when teams are reasonably well matched,
and. better yet the 2j-yard zone is not
so impregnable against this form Of at
tack as to make it necessary TO depend
upon some wild. haphazard play or an off
chance to score. In short. the running
game. winch ~ lit Ifdl bd'hbpH' u
American college football, has now been
returned TO it's true Importance. although
not duly emphasized at the expense OF
punting. drop kicking and forward pass
ing. Two or three years ago punting and
drop kicking assumed place out of all
proportion TO their relative value I'm the
game as originally designed. but now.
while a good punter and a good drop
kicker are most necessary to any we'll
developed scheme Of attack, plays of this
kind do not overshadow line plunging
and end running After almost ten years
~ experimenting football has been es-
tabl,shed on what appears TO be firm
foundation.
The changes made by the rules commit
tee last February cleared up several
noints without in any way affecting the
character of the game. The attack was
strengthened slightly by removing the
old limitation on the kicker Of forcing
him 10 stand at least five yards behind
the line OF scrimmage. This VIII bring
about a return of the old quarterback
kick and serve I'm measure TO furtner
cover up the point Of attack-a step In