New Britain herald., 1924-12-26
FOOTBALL SCORES
 ARE BIG TOPICS
Coaches Will Discuss Probable
 Changes in Rules
By rhe AmoeIntet P.css.

Ry Ths Associated Press.
 Now York. Dec. Scoring wit be among tho problems facing the American football coaches when thoy gather for tacir annual meet Ing haro next week.
 A'r"aly 1t has lacu suggested that the pom, after touchdown ne sImi0a'eI and ,hat tue touchIonn scored from reception Of a forward pass count only thrro points, tno sane as a goal from rne fold. scheme designed 10 eliminate The da'uEe of passes at the end of gam9 when a losing team mes;es a last effort 10 recover. The present scoring syst.m, with slight changes has stood for many years.
 Another proposal. which has been made annually for several years past, has had 10 do with eliminating tie games ty providing an extra period Of play or deciding the will ner by giving an extra point for the team which made the greatest mum. Der Of first downs or gained the most yards during the regular play ing period.
 In the early days Of the presen, century weight counted more than speed, for the rules provided that an eleven might gain a first down by advancing only five yards in three attempts. where now the distance is ten yards in four. Those were the days of sh!nguards anl noseguards, hccouterrnents unknown to modern gridirons. Hurdling and flying tackles had not been banned, so players went into a contest protected from head to foot with thick pads on shoulders and elbows. Injuries were numerous and deaths from football injuries came too often 10 suit the American sport loving public.
 Then came the forward pass and inc longer distance to make, with more downs in which to accomplish the task. Pads and guards were hurled to the sidelines as speed be- came one of the necessary elements. The average line weight dropped about ten pounds, for where for merly the effort had been to obtain a "stonewall" to hurl back the heaviest fullhack, the coaches de- veloped a group of chargers to worry kickers and passers. The game had opened up.
 Football gained a tremendous fol- lowing, with small universities plac- ing light but clever passing teams in the field and soon the squads mount ed into the thirties and the artists took their place in the game. They were the experts at drop kicking bunting and passing who were rush. ed into the contest when an oppor' unity for field goal or touchdown loomcd. With the new open game the fields were crowded and foot ball became financially profitable and able to care for the increasing numbers of participants.
 Tn the old days a touchdown meant five points, the following goa one. And the goal after touchdown had to be kicked from the angle O the field Is yards from the poin where the ball went over the lin' unless it was punted out safely t' some more advantageous position,
 Later it was deCreed that the eN tra point must he made from post tion IS yards from and directly il front of the goal posts. This prov ed to be too easy and there Wer toernen who scored immense total of consecutive goals. Now any kin of play is permissible with the bal put in scrimmage five yards iron and fin front Of the goal posts. touchdown has come 10 count si points in order that the combinauo of a field goal and a safety may no equal the fruits Of a gruelNng al vance. But the surprising score 10 a forfeited game stin remains to although in baseball where ID counts only one the forfeit fgur, are to 0,