Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-13
FOOTBALL CODE
PERFECTED FOR
SEASONS PLAY
Few Changes a Tribute to
the Good Work of DR..
j. A. Babbitt
POINTS IN THE REVISION

with the exception Of few minor
changes. the football rules for 1915 are the
same as compiled by the Rules Commit
tee last winter.
For the first time in history. football
officials and coaches accepted the playing
code without urging numerous changes
and the meeting In the Biltmore Hotel IN
New York Saturday night was the short
est on record Each rule was gone over
carefully. but no flaws were found and,
save for a few changes in the wording
and one additional note, the 30 sections
were unanimously approved.
The action Of the football officials, who
are the real interpreters of the rules.
shows that at last the code is Standard
tied and settled. IL has been the custom
in these annual gatherings to spend half
Of the night in squabbling and making
changes. After the rules had been torn
apart and patched up. the Rules Commit-
! toe would send out pink slips to officials
and coaches showing where the changes
were to be made There is no cause for
delay this year and IL is doubtful whether
the usual pink slips will be sent out
TOO much credit cannot be given pr.
j. A. Babbitt, of Philadelphia, chairman
Of the Central Board on officials and
memocr OF the Rules Committee, for the
present condition of the playing code.
For nine years DR.. Babbitt has borne
the brunt of the work, not only In ap-
pointing officials for all of the college
games i'm this section of the country,
but also in gathering data to Simplify
the rules from year to year. That his
work has been appreciated was shown
when the 200 football men at the meet
! ing rendered him vote of thanks.
There was but one real argument at
! the gathering, and ii arose over the ques-
! tion to when a referee should OF
! snould not blow his whistle after the
! play began X was a trivial thing at
Gtsgt but int n hfnC
! tons ana for a short time the meeting
/ had all the appearances of Socialist
convention.
Soon after the meeting was called to
order by Walter Camp, judge James
! Evans, of Little Falls. y. Y, discovered
/ note under section l2 of rule 6. This
! note stated that "a referee should never
| blow mis- whistle to indicate foul while
/ the ball is in play but II he inadver-
I tently does so, the ball is dead and
| the play shall stop" Mr. Evans asserted
that this should be changed and allow
| the referee to stop the play Immediately
| when an Illegal forward pass was made.
A torrid debate followed, all members
| participating. Two factions sprang up,
one led by Morice, OF Penn, and Lang
ford, of Trinity, and the other by Evans,
| Okeson. of IehCh, aUd charlie sCarthy.
! Of Germantown. Each side v-s endeav-
orng to prove that tie other 1H~ 4 the
! wrong. and hot speeches few '.sci- and
forth as the perspirng officials e.'.ul@tsd
Patrick Henry. When the orator. was nt
its height they discovered that both sides
were arguing for the same thing, and
Mr.. Evans suggestion was approved
without a dissenting vote.
It also was ruled than when a kicked
ball hits player on the l<icker's side the
penalty, which is loss of the ball on the
spot where the foul occurred, can be
declined. This means that If the ball
after striking an ineligible player. Is re-
covered by an opponent and long gain
results. the offended side is allowed tc
: decline the first penalty and keep the ball
where il was downed. Another ruling
was that i'm case the ball is in the air
ana a foul is committed, the ball goes TO
the offended side on the spot where the
toul occurred without any distance PEN
alty
If player Intentionally 'roughs" the
fulbacl he is disqualified and his team
! penali~ed Is yards II the foul is not de-
| liberate only the 15-yard penalty Is given
| Another point brought out is that 1t is Us
intention of the Rules COMMITTEES to make
pIavers on the offensive team conform 70
the conditions on the line of scrimmage or
else retire a full yard.
Here are the changes in the rules:
Rule VI, Section 12-At the end OF the
note add except as provided for an IL
legal forward pass
Rule XVII. Section tb)-lnsert ths
word "player'' at the end of next to the
last line. making the rule read: 80
from getting at a player of their own side
who Is endeayoring to get at the ball or
'playrr' who is carrying it,"
Rulc XIII, SectlG Under the third
penalty eliminate tn last line and sub
stitute place of Ii. distance penalty. :
The nenalty now reads. "lf the olfense is
committed behind the goal line a touch
back shall be allowed in place of the dis
tance penalty"