The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-08
WALTER CAMP LEAVES
COMMITTEE SHORTLY
Selection Of lSar Football Eleven Will Be Last Act and
VIII Mark Epoch In College Game-Has Been Selecting
Mythical Elevens For Many Years.

Of Yale, will submit an all-American
football eleven. The eleven will be
the eleven, as Walters selection has
long been regarded as final. For a
long time he has been prominently
identified In the gridiron sport and
has been an authority OF the high
est rank. However, this will be his
last Official act as at the session of
the international football rules COM
mittee last January. he announced
that he would retire from member
ship upon the committee The pass
ing OF Mr. Camp from this commit
tee marks such an epoch in In
tercollegiate football that 1t invites
especial comment.
The first game of football un1er
the intercollegiate code was played
at New Haven In 1875. between Har-
rard and Yale, and the second game
was played in the same city two
weeks later between, Princeton and
Yale. Both of. these games Yale
won. Upon that original champion
fifteen Walter Camp played at
haifbsck. Two years later he ap-
peared as Yale's delegate in the in
tercollegiate convention, body
which correspondent to the present
rules committee. Mr.. Camp. at the
time was Yale's captain. From that
day to this. a period of thirty seven
years, Walter Camp has participated
in every session OF the rules making
body.
II was Mr.. Camp who invented the
side of the eleven thus breaking
away from the Rugby "ffteen"
Again II was Mr. Camp who devised
the dimensions OF the. American field
of play and introduced the method
Of an orderly possession of the ball
by one side, our "scrimmage." thus
doing away with the English serum
mage" ana making possible the use
OF preconceived plays. tactics and sig
nails. In his senior year at Yale this
genius introduced TO the game the
safety a. scoring play Prior there
to the safety had been regarded as
q t0uchback is today. All of these
great inventions Walter Camp ac-
complished while still an undergrad
uate at Yale.
A year or two later it was Waiter
Camp who solved the perplexing
problem presented by the block
game" which Princeton had invented.
By which one side was enabled to re-
lain possession OF the ball through
out an entire half Mr. Camps So
ution was the invention OF the fairs
and downs" by which one sfje was
permitted to retain the bah only SO
long as 1t could advance IL at least
Ave yards in four downs.
A fair" was name applied to
putting the ball in play from the side
line when out OF bounds Il was this
Invention which gave the final twist
to the Intercollegiate game. wrench
ing II wholly away from English
Rugby and making fl dtstincttvely
American style OF play. 1t was also
The establishment Of the fre-yard
rain In four downs that led to the
ttriping of the field with lime, which
has giyea 1t the familiar name of
Erldiron.
hat resulted in the numerical sys-
fem of scoring by which values were
assigned the scoring plays, Pre-
vi0usly 1t frequently occurred that
neither team could tell which had
won the game on account OF the con-
fusion between the relative worth Of
kouchdowns. goals from touchdown
md goals from neld.
In 1888 Mr.. Camp originated the
gsry institution of the rules commit
- itself, presenting TO the intercoi-
eIiAte convention in that year a
romprehensive plan for such a body,
which ne styled a graduate advisory
c0tnmittee of rules and appeals"
This plan the intercollegiate conven-
Ion adopted, and for four years both
b0Aies existed together after which
The intercollegiate convention hav-
n4 dwindled down to Pennsylvania,
Princeton and Yale, finally disappear
ID.
Mr.. Camps leadership in the rebel
ion OF 1898 In still wildly recalled
Harvard and Pennsylvania at that
ime had highly developed the mo-
nentum mass play. Yale ana Prince
ION opposed this style Of attack. The
controversy became 80 fierce that the
rules committee broke in two, and the
next year the country had two sets
pf rules. In 1897. however. union
was effected. but Mr.. Camp had won.
Tor the momentum mass plays were
not retained.
HlS lateat innovation along the line
bf major achievements with the rules
wAs his introduction in 1912 OF an
additional down for the offensive
cam to batter out the necessary ten
yards. thus restoring the balance be-
ween the offence and defence which
had been disturbed by the abolition of
nterlocked interference.
Political Fable.
There was frown on Miss Pros
,srity's pretty forehead.
I'm WONDERING" she said. how