Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-15

season began Dut IL
r. W. MAXWELL was deemed advis-
able to get the men together while the
game was fresh in their minds. Twenty
Ave officials attended, and the meeting
was n success in every way.
Charles J. McCarty, of Germantown,
presided. and soon after he called the
meeting to order II was discovered that
a number of plays cropped up last fall
that were not fully covered In the rules
The first important discussion arose over
the rule which protects the kicker. Last
fall many penalties were given for rum
ming into the player after he kicked the
ball, and the question arose as to how
long Is n player kicker and when does
he cease to become one?
RoUGH1NG PENALTY.
According to the rules, an opponent is
penalized II he knocks the punter OF
his feet, whether it is intentional or
not. 1t is easy to give the penalty
while the kicker's foot still is in the
air, but some doubt arose as to whether
1t would be right to enforce the penalty
after both feet are on the ground and
the punter had taken one step forward.
S. Tyler, of Princeton, held that as soon
as the kicker took one step forward he
ceased to become n kicker, and could be
"clipped" or knocked off his feet by the
opponents. They contended that the
player then was tackler, and no PEN
atty could be enforced. This was the
consensus of opinion. and the Rules Com
mittee will be asked to make the ruling
clear
Fred Gillender. of Penn who coaches
St.. Luke's and ofiiciates in many of the
big Eastern games declared that the
rules were violated in every big game
played last fall. and the offenders got
away with IL. He read rule 8. section
1. which states that the backtield men
must be at least one yard behind the
line OF scrimmage when the ball is put
into play, the only exception being the
man who stands behind the centre and
first receives the ball. That meant that
the quarterback could crouch behind his
centre and remain in the one-yard zone.
provided he got the ball on the snap
back
IL was shown that the quarterback in
many plays simply held his hands out
and the ball was passed to the fullback.
In cases of forward pass, the quarter
would slide through the centre Of the
line and the ball was thrown to him. This
was one OF the best plays used by Wash
ington and Jefferson against Yale; Prince
ton, Harvard. Dartmouth and others also
used II, but not once was 1t called II
Is against the rules as 1t Is now worded
and clearer Interpretation Is asked.
McCARTY'S SUGGESTION.
Chairman McCarty brought up a ques-
tion which Is not covered in the rules.
Rule IS, section /, states that a ball passed
out OF bounds by the snapperback before
1t touches n player on his side, the ball
shall go to the opponent at the spot where
H. crossed the side line McCarty cited
a case where the ball was on the often
sive teams two-yard line, near the Side
line. 1t was fourth down and the ball
was passed out of bounds behind the goal
line. This gave the ball to the other team
behind the opposing goal line. OF course.
this has been ruled a safety, but there
Is nothing in the rules which prevents
IL being called touchdown McCarty
asked that the Rules Committee insert
a word in the rule clearing up the point
and say that 1t Is a safety.
The rule which says that an incom-
pleted forward pass behind the goal line
is a safety was attacked by James A.
Moffett Of Princeton. Moffett pointed out
that in all other cases an incompleted
pass results In the loss OF a down and
the ball is brought back TO the spot where
II was put into play. He declared that
the rule should be enforced behind the
goal line the same as In the middle or
the field and was upheld by the other
officials. This. too, will be put up to
the Rules Committee
In one OF the games last fall, punt
out was made, and the man catching
the ball fell TO the ground. The ball
touched in the field OF play and the try
for goal was allowed. 1t was held that
the fair catch had been made, and the
OF the ball TO the ground did
not Interfere with the try for goal. The
officials were OF the opinion that no try
for goal should be allowed. and asked
for definite ruling on what constitutes
fair catch?
Down South they have many peculiar
plays and a college In West Virginia
pulled the funniest one OF the year. There
vas a big tackle on the team, and every
time his side got close to the opponents
goal line he would dash across and stand
there with his hands on his hips. Then
an end would climb on his shoulders and
y hile there receive a forward pass. The
play was worked several times. and It
was difficult 10 get a ruling. DR.. Jack
keough held that IL was a clear case Of
assisting the runner and a l5-yard PEN
atty should be inflicted. The others.
however. held different views, and the
question was left open until the rules
committee had a chance to act.
Here Is another one for the solons TO
puzzle over. A fullback standing behind
MS own goal-line received the ball from
he snapper-back and fumbled. Instead
IF picking up the BAN. however. he kicked
T. What is the ruling?
Another peculiar play was introduced
- Charles Price. Mr.. Price did not
ltate where Il was used, but II is as fol-
oss. The team with the ball signald
-.