The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-19

free ball, subject to recovery by either
team.
2. Allow no pass of greater distance
than fifteen yards.
3. Penalize all incomplete passes.
In regard to No. /. the forward pass
was put into the game to weaken the
defence, which was too strong for the
offence II We cut down the number OF
players eligible to receive the pass we
automatically make the play more diff
ficult to complete. Suggestion No. /
would certainly do this. The backfleld
would have to be used to protect the
passer as In kick formation. Then. too.
the play would be so risky that il
would never be used. We do not want
TO eliminate this splendid play. To
make every incomplete pass free ball
would add unnecessary roushness.
2. Limiting the pass to fifteen yards
This means more complicated measur-
ing Discussions would arise as to just
where the man was when receiving the
pass and IL would require an extra set OF
llnesmen to keep tabs on the play. There
would be delay and disputes. all of which
are to be avoided II possible. The long
pass is a spectacular and sound play re-
curing skill to execute and Ii should be
retained.
g. Penalizng incomplete passes. This
would not be practical as l analyze IT..
In the first place, II a loss of distance be
the penalty. unless II were at least nve
yards IL would have no effect. and If 1t
were five yards or more the risk of this
loss would again practically eliminate
the use of the play
I think am conservative II | say that
review OF the last season will show
that In the big games not more than one
forward pass out of four was completed.
except in the last five minutes Of the
Princeton-Harvard game. when Har-
ward completed five or six passes in sue
cession. Conservative teams would soon
eliminate play which lost five yards
three times out of four.
Luck Against skill.
In conclusion. the forward pass is n
most spectacular play and should be re-
| tanned In the game. But tho haphazard
throwing about of the ball by defeated
team which has nothing 10 lose In the
hope Of getting one over should be made
impossible. AS this play stands II is
putting q premium on luck against skin,
which is not a good sporting proposition.
! offer the following suggestion as a
solution of this question: Allow ono
/ forward pass after each first down.
| This would not interfere with the play
/ u,
| knows when Il will be used. 1t auto
matically would make for scientific
development OF the play. If completed
for the necessary ten yards the pass
could be used again and again. To my
mind Il would make for much higher
development OF forward pass formations
and would eliminate the haphazard
throwing about OF the ball II would
require that n team develop other parts
s.ft nff faf ar1 Wit
the pass. It would not compllcate the
play. would require no extra measuring
and would retain the play In the game
IN the proportion II deserves. The num-
Der Of passes used In n game would de-
pend entirely on the teams ability TO
successfully execute it.
My second thought Is TO stop all dis
lance penalties at the 10-yard line of
the team on the defensive. There Is
but one violation OF the game, I think.
which justifies penalty so severe az
10 place the ball inside the i0-yard line
OF the team on defence, and that IL the
violation which rules a player out OF the
game No one wants 10 win n game by
gaining points In this way. Distance
penalties become relatively more severe
the nearer you approach the goal line
An offslde play on the 10-yard line
calls for n penalty Of so per cent. OF
the remaining distance to the goal line
or course there should be some penalty
for violation of the rules at this point
but / think all distance penalties should
automatically stop at the 10-yard line.
Offslde play Inside this zone might be
punished by playing over again without
the loss OF a down, and unnecessary
roughing by the same ruling with the
addition OF removing the offending
player from the game without substitu-
tion until the ball changes hands. Some
such rule as this would be more just
and far moro satisfactory TO all con-
cerned.