The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-07
FOOTBALL RULES BODY IN FAVOR
 NUMBERING MEN
Spectators Unable to DiStin- guiSh One Unnumbered
 Player From Another
By WALTER CAMP
Special Correspondent to The Age-Heral
 Copyright, 1921, by The ARe-Herald)'


 Copyright, 1921, by The Age-Hernldl
 New York, August Especial )- When the football rules for 1922 make their appearance, as they will shortly. it will be found that the alterations directly affecting play are few. Some urgent requests are made, however. by the committee which are of con siderable importance and which, it Is hoped, will bear fruit. Formerly the rules committee was content with merely resolving that the players be numbered. Now the committee goes on record as urging strongly that this be done.
 The reasons assigned for not mak- ing numbering of players obligatory is the extreme difficulty of enforc- ing such rule. The committee would be obliged to specify the size and visibility of such numbers, assign penalties for failure to carry out the provisions, instruct officials what should be done in case of a short age of numbered uniforms when many substitutes are used and guard against various other contingencies.
 On Muddy Days
 For example, on muddy, rainy days, half the numbers would become in- distinguishable within a few moments. Would 1t be necessary to withdraw players whose numbers could not be recognized until they should put on dry Jerseys with plain numbers or would penalties be inflicted If this were not done? Would the remaining wet players be left standing on the field or sent to their dressing room!
 If a number was stripped off in play or disfigured so it could not De distinguished, would time be called until he put on a new Jersey or could the opposing captain demand this?
 question also might be raised in cases of teams, the state of whose finances did not warrant the pur- chase of large supply of numbered uniforms to equip substitutes.
 These are only few of the diff culties which have complicated the situation. The committee has every wish to accomplish the desired end and the wearing of numbered unl" forms must come in the interest or the public. which has right to de- mand it. Thousands of graduates throughout the country also are clam moring for it. Even mean who played on the team themselves are at loss when they return the next sea son, to pick out the new star half back they have been reading about, while graduates of an older period are absolutely at sea in distinguish ing the players The confusing for the general public is even greater.
 Coaches
 When the members of the faie football squad report for practice September 5, they will find Tad Jones Charlie Taft and Comerford ready to put them to work, together with that old reliable coach, Billy Bull. Jones and Taft will direct the general policy of the team while Comerfords special job will be to develop the ends and correct the astonishing weakness which the 1920 team ais played at either end of the line. Tart an oId-time line man, will take Art Brides place and break in the TOT wards, while Jones and Billy Bun will look after the back field mate rial
 Already football players are gath- ering at other places for light pre- liminary workouts, for the season soon will begin to take form.