The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-15
STADIUMSGHANGE.s
FOOTBALL STYLE
Inability to Hear Signals
Causes Players to Confer
on Every Play.
BY BILLY EVANS.

In every sport plenty Of acton,
speed, Is the fundamental feature
II tho game Is to continue to. meesA
with popular favor.
Since the introduction Of tho for =
ward pass, which features the open.
style game, football has rapidly adj
vanced in public favor because the
game has been -speeded up.
The open game has supplied Sths
element OF uncertainty, It has en-
abled the spectator to more closely
follow the ball, which, Of course.
means follow the play. But best 81
Ill 1t has speeded up the action.
The increased popularity Of foot;
ball during the past 10 years has
caused any number Of the leading
colleges to build new staGiums tf2t
would house the crowds anxious to
see the big teams IN action.
These new stadiums have been
e great thing for the spectator. hut
In one respect they have slowed up
the game. am wondering Il the3
Is any solution for 1t.
The acoustics Of the football
stadinms arc such that when AZ
crowd starts cheering It Is abtst
lntely impossible to hear signals
called. Tho shout Of the quaftef
back calling the next play faces
into nothing before the yells OF the
rival students and alumni
For that reason It Is necessary
that before each play the team liasf
ing possession OF the ball so into
a close conference. At such cosg
ference either through the use *
the regular signals or IN some 9TH
er way the quarter uniolds to hla
teammates the next play.
1t Is possible that It doesn't take
much more time to give the signals
in this manner than by the ordinary
lineup in which the signals. are
called after the players assum
their respective positions. Itseems
twice as long.
However 1t Is the looks OF the
thing that hurts. II takes you back
to the days when rival teams wound
be selected from n bunch Of boys,
and. Of course. having no set OF Sig
nails, It would be necessary 70 hold
conference before each play and
decide who should carry the bali
and how the play would be ATTEMPT
ed. j <
The idea Of well.coached college
football teams having a conference
before each play certainly lookS
very amateuris1
To me there always was a ser
tain thrill to see the teams lind Nm,
and then listen TO the quarterback
shout, tumble OF numbers that
meant little or nothing to the spec z
tators, but carried message 10
every player on the team In pos
session Of the ball.
The acoustics CT most o. the new
stadiums have eliminated that faa,
ture OF play, which ! am sure is faI
more pleasing 70 the eye than TIL
next.play conference as now held.
Another question arises withtthis
new stadium condition which makes
II impossible for those on the play
ing field to hear because OF the
shoute OF their supporters. JUST
how much time snail ateam be'per
mitted to take In holding such 4
conference?
II team in certain period mad
a brisk wind blowing against them
there might be a desire to delav
things as much as possible to Kill
time. Late in the game the sanie
tactics might be adopted with
profit. Several times Saturday
noted the officials warning the Tvs
teams about using up TOO much time
in the before.play conferences.
However, It seems to me theiueN
stadiums, with all the advantages
offered, have added one undesirable
feature = these conferences. 1t
wouldn't surprise mo II this feature
came in for some consideration ~
the rule makers.