Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-14

,uERE is probably no phase OF SOC. .
~. wbich is less understood and
&c. ,;cb there is more disagreement
over MssiJe, Perfectly good referees
than s,o,, criticized for their offside de-
are ol'Sh hy SPECTATORS and even players
csluhI because they could not get the
ssfpree's viewpoint.
l., ouite possible for a spectator
oorrectly that n play Is not of =
20 su. n.os offside from where he saw
tde ~ 10 easy for players to seem to
H. ~ different positions when viewed
occup,l ,l;ererpnt angles, but when there is
from foroo uo On the field il is the angle In
a.h relh,b be sees the play that counts.
wnsu wnr m time q player by single
MdnS hns nut himself offside and com =
fnp fnpoir h"' ruined n pretty play not only
e'tS;;y,,self but by his mates. and not
py,.nna,ently ., ruined what might other =
inlre1h have been a perfectly good goal.
wise T,n n1id ofside law is: when a player
-. an tho ball any player of such side
Pla.' NJ such moment of playing Is
,or wnU TO his opponents goal line is
p.a ,s of play and may not touch the ball
1us 1snlf nor in any way whatever in :
nl,lf nforo with an opponent or with the
p.r tes,.'' until the ball has been again
p,as, unless there are at such mo
p'".t NJ playing at least three OF his
ln.mN lnorsnts nearer their own goal line
qppI PLAYER il not out of play when the
ii, l. kicked off from goal, when a
pam nor kick or throw in Is taken, when
.So boll has been, last played by an
.nv .nnoncnt. or when he himself Is within
~ own half of the field of play al
tbe I,S moment the ball is played by any
nlayrr of the same side.
ns the Ball That Counts
observe that it is the position OF
,be hall which counts. Therefore al
,yays be behind the ball, for no player
con % be ofrside IL he is behind the ball
when 1t is last played. That is the
fundamental principle of ofside. BE
behind the ball when it is last played,
n YOU are not behind the ball when
Il Is last played then you must see
that YOU have at least three of your
opponents nearer their own goal line.
. Then, and only then, is 1t necessary tC
bother about the number of opponents
between you and their goal line.
II, however, you find yourself ahead
Of the ball in the opponents half with
less than three opponents between yot
and their gOul, Keep Oul VI anu w no'
! IN any way interfere with the play OF
an opponent until you are behind the
ball when it is last played by one OF
your own side or until it is played by
an opponent or il you have three op-
ponents between you and their goa
when the ball is played by one of your
own side farther from the opponents
goal than yourself. That is simple
enough if the player will only think.
1t is not breach of the law for O
player simply to be in position but il
| he causes the play to be affected he
+ will be blown offside. 1t often happens
that player is offside when, after car
ryng the ball down the field, an oppo-
nent has taken it off him and cleared,
| It is then his duty to keep out of the
play until he can get onside, which he
should do as rapidly as possible.
In the instructions to referees con
tanned in the referees chart of 1919.
| 20 it is noted that "the point to notice
| l. not where n player is when he plays
the ball but where he is at the mo
ment II is played by player of thu
same side. If a player is il