The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-07
Football Rule Makers Adopt
Resolution Recommending
Popular Move to Teams.
ST BSTITUTES NOT ....
TO CARRY ORDERS

their biggest victory since the move
ment for numbering was inaugurated
when the Football Rules COMMITTEES
mending that all players be numbered
In future games. The committee. which
met at the Biltmore In a session that
lasted for siN solid hours, with no
respite for lunch. was not willing to
require numbering by hard and fast
rule, but it is probable that th, recon-
mendation will be almost as good as a
rule and will be followed generally by
the teams next season.
Another matter OF Importance that
was passed upon. although no new rule
was made was the practice of sending
IN substitutes for the purpose OF carry
ing instructions from the coaches to the
quarterbacks or captains. resolu-
ton was passed by the committee de-
predltlng this practice, and IL will be
irowned upon as unsportsmanlike from
this time forth
In addition to the passage OF these
two resolutions, number Of changes
we're made In the rules themselves Few
Of them were Of more than minor inn
portance, for IL was the unanimous
important respects the rules as they
now stand proved most acceptable TO
both players and public during the 1914
season. When the meeting began each
member Of the committee was asked
to state whether o. not he considered
the rules satisfactory. and there was not
dissenting voice.
As usual few minor changes were
made In the rules governing the use OF
the forward pass The most important
OF these was the making ~ a provision
that forward pass which goes out OF
bounds shall be an incOmpleted pass
whether 1t strikes q player or not. and
the same provision governs or all four
downs. This change viii so away with
the intentional throwing OF pass out OF
bounds on the fourth down, a practice
which has been recognized as hardly
fair The forward rass was deal: g:!.h
in two other changes I'm the rules Here
after no penalty will be IMPOSED WHEN
two eligible men are going down the
field under n pass and the ball touches
first one and then the other II will he
deemed an incomp!eted forward pass.
BY the old rule the second player be-
came ineligible to touch the ball AZ
soon rs IL was touched BIZ the first man
and so penalty resulted, a penalty
which the committee considered unfair,
II also was decided that hereafter The
position OF the feet OF the payer Catch-
ing the ball and not the position of thu
ball itself shall determine whether or
not a forward pass is caught out of
bounds. II the players feet are out OF
bounds the ball will be considered out
OF bounds
The manner OF making substitutions
also was changed slightly. The priH-
lege OF resubsiituting players-thdt lis.
putting in players after taking them
IN llAh o..
stltutons may be made only at the be-
ginnings of periods. The old rule per-
mtted them at the beginnings OF periods
and at any time during the fourth quar-
ter The substitute entering the game
will he required to report Immediately
to any official In the past there has
been nothing to require an Immediate
report and that loophole has been taken
advantage OF on several occasions.
Several changes were made in The
penalties for various infractions of the
rules Running into or roughing the
back who has Just made a kick Is one
instance in which the penalty was
changed. The old rule provided for
disqualification for roughinG the kicker,
but the new rule provides for "A penalty
OF fifteen yards for running into him.
and fifteen yards and disqualification for
both running into and roughing him. A
similar provision wasIrB artu for unsports-
manlike conduct. such as abusive lam
gunge unnecessary rouRhness and Of
fences Of like character In the past
the only penalty has been disaualifca-
ton. and II has been found that offi-
Clals are loath to inflict so severe a nun
ishment for minor violations OF the rule
To correct this, a penalty of fifteen yards
has been provided for unsportsmanlike
conduct, with an added penalty OF dis
qualification for especially fragrant cases
a penalty of fifteen yards has been
provided for throwing the legs about In
such a way that the lower leg hits an
opponent above the knee The rule
against tripping has taken care OF cases
where the opponent was struck below
the knee, but the tripping rule made no
provision for cases where the striking
was above the knee. A ten yard PEN
atty will he inflicted for unnecessarily
running into a player OF the other side
after the whistle blows This rule will
give the officials a good deal OF lali-
tude I'm determining whether the running
into the opponent was necessary or could
have been avoided.
The field Judge was restored al the
meeting yesterday, and hencefarth .thera
must be four officials, referee, umpirq
llnesman and field Judge Last yeer.
the use OF a field judge was optional
The TASK Of timekeeping has been taken
has enough else to occupy him, and
has been turned over to the field iuds-
who will have entire charge OF keeplng
track Of the flight Of time as the game
progresses
The work OF the Central Board OF
officials was passed by the committee
and the board was reelected unani-
mously II consists Of DR. James
Rabbit, Walter Camp. Harris @ Cope.
Parke Davis, T.. X, Han. Percy Haugh-
ton, G. w Savage and Alonzo 4. Stage.
A special vote Of thanks To Dr Rabbit
was passed for his excellent work as
chairman OF the board. The secretary
Of the committee, Walter Camp. was in
structed to add to the rules book a list
| Of approved rulings.
Those who attended the meeting.
which began with a session on FrjdaN,
evening. We're r.. X Han, Dartmouth /.
Walter Camp, Yale; Or, James A. Bab.
hit, Haverford Or Carl Williams
| Pennsylvania Percy n, HauRhtor
Harvard Paul DashielI, Navy, Hari,
O. Cope, Sewanee; Pafke II Davis
| Princeton Capt, u, !, Sultan, Annv :
| c. W Savage, Oberln: 8. c, William.
Iowa A, A, stagg, Chicago Or. M T.
Williams, Minnesota, and II, w. I3ut,ar
| Cornell NN~''