The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-23

pack OF lineman to kick, run with the
pail, forward pass OF interfere, has
been made clear. This rule relates to
The dropping back of the center, the
yards and the tackles. There was
some confusion last year as to Just
what this rule intended, and whether
1t prevented the playing of a man on
the line when his team was on the
offense and in the backfield when on
the defense, n vice versa. 1t is clear
ly stated In the rule this year that IL
the team having the ball wishes to
drop back a lineman to kick, run with
the ball or interfere. it may be done
ithou any appeal to the referee,
provided the lineman SO dropped back
IS at a point at least five yards behind
his line when the ball is put in play,
and provided a backf1eld man takes
his place on the line. If a captain
Wlsnes to make a permanent change In
a game by placing one of the linemen
in the backfield, or a back in the line,
ne may do so upon appeal to the ref
cree, but the change must be perma-
nent. And 1t is also clearly stated
that a man may play on the line reg
ularly on the offense and in the back
neld on the defense, or vice versa, and
no appeal need be made to the ref
cree regarding such change of posi-
ion. This Qualification of the rule re-
moves all doubt as to just what
changes may be made in the inter-
change of line and backfield positions.
Another change is that where the
punter-out after a touchdown makes
a feint calculated to draw the defend
ing team off side he shall not be per-
mltted to kick until the members Of
the defending team SO drawn off-side
shall have returned to their positions.
This. change is minor and of no great
nGTpNf t. &c in thn v,o+,,r1 of ~ a~~-1Ax
A relic of the early days of the game.
which has somehow withstood the
changes Of time has at last been done
away with. This is the provision for
putting the ball into play by the cen
ter by the use of his foot instead Of
his hands. This method of passing has
long been obsolete.
Another point which has been clear
ed up this year is just how far a play
er may interfere with a player on the
opposing team on a play which later
develops into a forward pass. This
question has been a serious one for
players and officials in the past. The
forward pass is made immedi-
ately after the ball has been put into
play, but the passer has always had.
SO Tar as the defending team is con-
cerned, the option Of running with the
ball. kicking or passing it. This has
made a very trying situation for the
defending team, for, if d player should
interfere with a player of the opposite
lie n II play later develop into a
forward pass, such interference would
be penalized as an interference with
the pass.
Rule Was ManifestIy Unfair.
The situation is illustrated by the
situation in which the defending backs
find themselves on a regular kick
formation of the offensive team. On
such formations the offensive ends, as
soon as the ball has been put into
play, start down the field. They would
do the same on the same formation
were they to take the pass should the
play develop into a pass. Should the
defensive back block the n coming
down, as he would have q right to do
in the case of a kick, and the play
then turn into a forward pass, the
back would, under the old statement
of the rules, ue penalized for interfer-
ence with the pass. This situation was
manifestly unfair. Under the rule, as
changed this year, the defending team
may block OR interfere with all the
players Of the offensive team until the
pass has been actually made.
These are the changes effected by
the rules for this year, and it will be
seen that only one is apt to affect the
e in any material Way-that be-
ing the removing of the restriction on
the kicker. The other changes are all
merely Qualifications of the old code.