Evening star., 1916-09-13
ISTICS OF FOOT BALL
NOT ALTERED BY RULE CHANGES
Many Ambiguous Parts of Gridiron Code
Cleared Up, Though, and inconsistencies
Removed-Ethics of Game Cited.

tionS and Qualifications. the following set
of ground rules is approved
Ia. A kickoff or free-kick or any kicked
ball not scoring a goal. which crosses the
goal line and goes into the stand or among
the spectators shall count as a touch
back
b. A blocked kick. which. after being
blocked, crosses the kicker's goal line
and goes into the stand or among the
spectators shall count as a safety.
C. a ball passed backward across the
goal Hne> which goes into the stand or
among the spectators shall count as
safety.
"a. A blocked kick which goes over the
side line fence or among the substitutes
kick at the point where the ball crossed
the side line.
b. A fumbled ball which goes over the
side line fence or among the substitutes
shall belong to the side whose player
last touched it in the field play at the
point where the ball crossed the side
line. Note-This rule does not apply to
forward passes.
These ground rules may be changed to
suit any specific occasion upon agreement
between the officials and captains of the
two elevens.
Gives Code of Ethics.
The rules committee has done some-
thing this year that it has not before
published what it considers the honor
code of foot ball. Under the head "The
Foot Ball Code" the committee gives
what is an explanation of it's endeavors
to construct the rules along lines cal
cuiated to bring about the best condi-
tons and at the same time an appeal
TO players and coaches to aid it in
maintaining the high standards by OBJ
servance of the spirit of the true
craftsmanship and by holding to the
highest possible ethics of the game.
The code of ethics as announced by the
committee follows:
Both in play and by tradition foot
oaH Is dlstinctively academic game
the game of the schools and the COL
leges. The friends of the game must
accordingly rely on the schools and
colleges for the preservation of its
past traditions and the maintenance of
the high standards of craftsmanship
IN its play, which are to be expected
IN a dlStlnctively academic game
In some sports it is possible to at
tain reasonably high standards simply
py the adoption and enforcement of
rules. but this is not true in foot hal
ton. the action is SO rapid and so con-
stantly Sh1ft1ng, that it is impossible
for any official to discover every pos
| slble lnfraction of the rules
The committee, in the remodeline Of
the rules that has gradually taken
place during the past ten years. has
endeavored to prohibit and suitably
penallze all forms of unfair tactics
and practices. 1t has also endeavored,
SO far as possible, without affecting the
integrity OF the game itself to re-
move special temptation or opportun-
ity for unsportsmanlike play.
SO far as the rules themselves are
concerned, the committee feels that il
has done about all it can do, and it
has been with continually increasing
satisfaction that the members of the
committee, in common with all other
lovers of the game, have observed the
rapid Improvement in the standards of
play during the past ten years. Each
year there has been less attempt on
the part of the players TO beat the
rules" and unfair tactics have largely
disappeared. The anything to win
coach is disappearing. Officials are gen.
orally more efficient and fearless and
their rulings are more and more being
accepted without quibblng.
There are, however, still many school
teams, and even some college teams,
that seem to fail to recognize that the
first obligation of every foot ball play
er is to protect the game itself, its
reputation and its good name. He owes
this to the game, it's friends and its
traditions. There can be little excuse
for any college player who allows the
game to be smirched with unsports-
manlike tactics.
In the case of the players in the
rctool teams, however, the committee
- te''nve that unsports-
nsnlike play Is due largely to igno-
.AIc proper standards are
m. what the great host of eN-foot
ball players and friends Of the game
expect from the boys who are just
learning it.
For the benefit of those who are just
beginning to learn the game, the rules
the official book of rules the following
suggestions:
Holding.
Holding is prohibited by the rules
because it does not belong in the game
of foot ball. 1t is unfair play. 1t
eliminates skill. The slowest man in
the world could make a forty-yard run
in every play If the rest of his team
mates would hold their opponents long
enough. The game is to advance the
ball by strategy, skill and speed with
out holding your opponent.
Perhaps good game could be in
vented. the object of which would be
to advance the ball as far as possible
opponents, but it would not be foot
ball. 1t would probably become a
team wrestling match and, unless dras-
tic rules rfgidly enforced prevented it,
you how to gain distance without hold
ing your opponents get another coach.
1t is fsir to assume that he does not
understand the strategy of the game.
Side Line Coaching.
Coaching from the side lines is pro-
hibited in the rules because it is con-
sfdered an unfair practice. The game
is to be played by the players using
their own muscle and their own brains
If an onlooker. having seen all the
hands in a game of cards, undertook to
tell one of the players what card to
play the other players would have just
cause to object.
"Beating the Ball."
Beating the ball" by an unfair use of