The Washington herald., 1916-12-10
QUARTER NO Longer
Pivotal POSITION
Center. in Present Game. Either Makes
or Breaks a Team.

New York. Dec. 9.-Quarter backs. once
the most vital cogs in football machines.
have become unimportant parts Of the
new jUygernauts. And il is all because
of this new football game that has come
among us.
In the olden days the entire team was
built around the quarter back. He ig-
ured in practically every offensive play.
Now teams play-and win-With quarter
backs doing little more than chanting
signals.
Almost all the tossers of the forward
pass are full backs or half backs. Most
of the receivers are ends or associate half
backs. The majority of punters and drop
kickers are half backs or full backs. So
IL can be seen that whenever a forwaT d
pass. a punt or a drop kick is made the
quarter back has nothing to do but sing
out a few numbers-an easy Job which
any other player could do II the pivot
man wasn't in the immediate neighbor-
hood.
a quarter back is useful in an offensive
mass play or in dashes around the ends
but he isn't an essential member Of the
team even then. Direct passing from the
center to the man who is TO carry the
bass has made the quarter back unneces-
sary as a relay man. Very frequently
games are played in which the quarter
back handles the ball only two or three
times in period. unless he is a husky
quarter back, Of the Charles Barrett type,
who can smash a line or circle a wing
with the power and skill OF a half back
or full back.
The new game, while decreasing the
value of a quarter back. has heightened
that of a center. In the bygone days. a
center needed to be little more than a
husky person to open holes in the other
line and with skill in making a short
two or three yard pass to the quarter
back. varying occasionally with a long
shot at a man about to make a kick.
But the 1916 center must have the con-
troll of a Mathewson and must be able TO
mix 'em up He IL called upon for
all sorts Of pitching now. He must be
ready to throw far back and have the
ball go in high 10 a man about to make
forward pass; short low passes to
men coming in on the run for the ball
preliminary TO making a lunge at the
line; waist high pass for the prospective
punter or drop kicker; low passes for
placement kicks; short passes for trick
plays when the quarter back takes the
ball first.
Contering. in this era. is indeed an
art
And the ends. too. have become alI-im-
IN a game IN Ine Gays OIL
Hinkey the most that was required Of a
wing man was speed. tackling expert
ness and fearlessness. Now an end must
have ali those qualifications and a few
more, such as skill in Tagging forward
passes, and ability as a half back. He
should be a punter or drop kicker. too.
"Tacks" Hardwick. of Harvard, wal
the ideal type Of a modern end. He will
stand out for years TO come as the mosl
versatile man the new play has produced
He could handle both ends OF a forward
pass, was a wonder when pulled back OF
the line OF half backing chores. a won.
derful runner and a sure. hard tackler
full back of the bygone DAYS
wouldn't At in very well now. He was
Of the type that inclined to bulk more
than speed. All that was required Of him
was power to bowl over the enemy lines
| lnen. Rarely was he asked to skirt ar
end, simply because he was too bulky tc
do it with any degree of success
But the modern full back is a halt
back. OF course. he must have enough
weight to swat a line a good swat, but
most necessary CT all is speed. II a mar
who aspires to do bit OF full backing
lacks speed. he won't realize his ambi.
tion unless he is as fast as a half back
II you haven't got speed you can't be.
long these days.