Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-08
PRESENT RULES
FOR FOOTBALL
PROVE POPULAR
Changes Make TOuchback of For
ward Pass Striking Goal Posts
After Ball Is Touched.

Chicago, Oct. s.-That the pres
ent football rules are meeting with
popular approval of fans and those
who teach the game was shown at
a recent meeting of eastern
coaches and officials in New York
city. The rules were taken up in
order that a uniform interpreta-
ton could be drawn, and only two
points OF note came up for discus
sion.
The angle which caused most
discussion regarded a forward
pass being caught by a play as the
ball strikes the goal posts. Section
5 of rule IS reads:
IF the ball, after having been
legally passed forward. strikes the
goal posts or crossbars, before or
after it has been touched by any
eligible player and before it
strikes the gorUnd inside the end
zone, or any obstruction or spec
tator in the end zone. or If it
crosses the end line or side line
extended before touching the
~roTud it becomes dead and shall
count Us a LouChbaCk to the de-
fenGegs Of tie goal"
Not f. Co as TouCAback.
1t will readily be seen from the
foregoing rule that any ball which
strikes the posts from a forward
pass would be dead and touchback
would result. No provision is made
for the ball coming in contact with
the posts after it has been caught
by player or IL the catch and ball
hit the posts at the Sc me time
Ordinarily the proper thing to do
in such cases would be to call the
ball dead and give the defeL ders Of
the goal a touchback. The point
was weighed from every angle and
it finally was agreed to allow the
catch 10 stand the same as if it
was made in midfield and not take
into consideration the fact the ball
hit the posts.
tumble If Dropped.
Those who were opposed to
amending the rule then brought up
the point of what would happen to
the ball in case the maj dropped
it, because Of his collision with the
posts. Some thought 1t then would
be ruled N incompIeted pass,
while others thought 1t should be
a plain tumble. After another long
the ball a tumble, providing the
catcher momentarily held the ball.
This is a delicate point and may
happen only once in a season, but
it might occur IN an important
game. Coaches and officials should
tahe notice OF the eastern ruling
so that all will share opinions on
the point.
The other point was in regard
to the resumption of time after the
infliction of penalties for incom-
pIete forward passes. Some
thought time should be started
when the ball is actually out in
play. 1t finally was decided to re-
sumo playing when the ball was
put in play and not on the whistle.
Clipping Is UnspOrtsmanlike.
Clipping or knocking down op-
ponents after the ball is declared
dead should be discouraged, &C
cording to the meeting. Taking |
players OF by hard interference /
when the bail is in play is consid- |
cred good football. but it is a sim
pie matter to knock a player down |
when he is relaxed and in no posi- !
ton to stand the brunt OF a hard !
interferer. II was agreed to ais /
courage this feature as far as pos
slble.
Side line coaching and the send |
ing of substitutes to give informa- |
ton also was discussed and all !
agreed to discourage the practice !
and place the teams on their own |
when they are on |
the field.