Evening star., 1914-10-04

one for the plays
and policy.
A successful coach knows when to
shut his eyes to a mistake. He gets
better grip on his team.
THE HALFBACk.
As he down the gridiron, our hearts how
they swell.
He has skin and he's sand and he's brainy as
we'll:
He gets ratified. he's strong and he's
feet.
A PLAYER unequalcd a halfback complete.
good one to follow. bard one to beat.
The Interpretation meeting on foot ball
rules. where some 800 coaches. captains
and officials gathered together for an IN
terpretation of the rules. marks the real
opening of the season of 1914. DesultorX
practice and slightly quickened foot ball
interest begin to trespass on base ball
and vacation thoughts with the ap-
preach of the 1st of September. but un-
til this Interpretation meeting takes
place no one feels that foot ball is i'm
minent. From that day on. however.
things go with rush in this sport
This year there were several points of
unusual interest which came up in the
meeting-not that the rules had been
very vitally altered or that anything
that is going to make serious differ
ence in the play has been introduced
but certain of the queries in the discus
sions give an idea of the trend of the
mind of the coaches and captains.
For instance, a proposition was intro
duced providing that the center in max
ing a sideways sweep pass OF the ball
could not take more than two steps
Now. as a matter of fact, the center
cannot run with the ball at all. and
would not be allowed to take any two
steps in, such fashion The delegates
stood rather. aghast at the proposition
but were unniistakable in their express
sion of views against it.
The next most suggestive question
raised was whether a coach of team
could not act ineSman and thus be
in position the same as when he was
permitted to walk W and down the side
lines. The officials were instructed that
this should not be permitted. Then the
question was raised whether in the
usual habit of players carrying the lines
an omcial would be justified in insisting
that these men CARRYING the lines should
not be either players or coaches. This
was left to the judgment of the referee,
with the instruction that he should
carry out the spirit of the rule.
THE most Illuminating of all the in
stances of American ingenuity came
with an anonymous letter which was
handed in asking whether it would not
be aIlowab BILE when the ball was (say)
within one foot of the goal line, for the
team on the defense. all except the CEN
ter rush. to stand just inside the goal
line (Which would. according to- the
rules. make them properly on the line
of scrimmage as they would be within
one foot of line passing through the
end -of the balD and then when the ball
was kicked go down the field. claiming
to be eligible to get the ball because
on side. the contention being based un-
der Rule 80. which says that no man
cam be offside behind his own goal:
Now as a matter of fact, that rule
meant that no play that a man made
behind his own goal could be ruled out
because he was theoretically off side
and 1t had no bearing whatever on
case of the kind described The letter
was read to the assembled body and ex-
preston of opinion was asked for,
given to the officials that no men of
that side could put themselves on side
or render themselves eligible as on side
men to get kick of this kind merely
because they were standing behind
their goal line.
a distinct conflict or complication was
found in the rules regarding II ball hit
straiehtened out however. by reword-
Ing two rules so that it is now per-
fectly clear
The question was raised as to wheth-
er man throwing a long forward pass
with the intent to throw it out of
bounds instead of kicking it out of
bounds-ta method that a few years
ago was. talked about by coaches with
bated breath, thinking it was a secret
but which has been commonly known
to all for the last few years, but very
little practiced) could be ruled upon
under the clause providing that piav-
er throwing tthe ball to the ground in
front of him incurs 10yard penalty
IT was determined that the rule regard
ing the pass going out of bounds would
take precedence on such a plav
The theory of defense in foot ball
came in for heated discussion be-
tween two OF those present. but it led
to quite beneficial elucidation of what
is meant by the use of hands and arms
by the defense. The contention having
been raised. it was well to have it thor
had nut
one realizes that the defense in foot
ball has no idea where the play is COM
ing or what point is to be assailed or
In what manner. The distinctive diff
ference between the attack and the de-
fense in the two rush lines-that is the
group OF men who are within touching
distance. is that the men on the attack
may not use their hands or arms and
that the men on the defense may
This is the cardinal principle that
was INTRODUCED back in the eighties,
when interference in the rush lines
had become complicated. and has really
been the making of our present game
Starting, then. at this point. it was
brought out that the defense. not
knowing where the play was coming
but being privileged to use their hands
or arms, would endeavor naturally to
push their opponents out of the way, SO
that they themselves or their COM
rades could reach the play. The fact
was clearly brought out that no play
in the center of the line could possi-
bly, be stopped or checked if man
were not allowed to push his opponent
into the play or seize him or drag him
out of the play, SO that he himself or
comrade might get into the play
1t also was shown that this would be
true in any really successful attempts
at blocking kicks. When it reached
this point il became evident that there
was general agreement. both among
the rules committee and the represent
atives at the meeting, to the effect that
oh fhAyV
opponents in the ways described. but
that the officials should distinguish be-
tween this kind of work and what
sometimes happens. namely, holding on
to man after the play has developed
A good point was raised in the ques-
tion of kicking loose ball, the rule
row saying ION the ground" 1t is sell
dom that a ball is motionless on the
ground and usually bounding and
jumping around when the temptation
would come to kick at it. 1t was