The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-08-07
FOOTBALL RULES
SHOW CHANGES
Committee fighters Down
on Football Rules for
Season of 1924.
IMPORTANT CHANGES

COuplGIGO ny l14S 1OOtOeNAA A04So ~SAAA
mittee's subcommittee on codifcation,
and it is now possible to outline in
brief the principal points of interest
to coaches, players and spectators,
from which an idea may be formed as
to what changes in coaching and play
ing will be necessary.
For a year or two there has been
discussion as to whether Offset goal
posts were legal. They have been
used in some fields, but the majority
of the old school players have pre-
ferred the somple standard upright.
One instance occurred last fall where
offset goal posts were objected to by
the coach of the opposing team, and
an examination of the rules showed
that there was no provision whatever
for Offset goal posts. The coach's
objection was sustained. In order to
make it possible for fields, where offset
goal posts were used, toacontinue their
use, the committee decided to pass
ruling that offset goal posts were le-
gal, though their use is not made COM
pulsory.
There has been an increasing COM
plant, voiced particularly by the sur
geons, who have had charge of foot
ball players, that the matter of pro-
lection to players has been carried so
far as to constitute a menace to OPP
ponents. Protectors made of stiff
leather without proper padding on the
outside had laid low many a tackler,
and there had been protests also that
some of the new cleats on the shoes
developed within the last few years
were so sharp and projecting as to
be positively dangerous.
Must Pad Outside.
The committee took cognizance of
this and has made ruling that all
stiff shoulder guards and protectors
must be padded on the outside as
thoroughly as on the inside. Moreover,
that cleats must not be dangerously
sharp. The committee has given in
structions to the officials that they
shall carry out these rules without
fear or favor and send off the field any
man whose equipment is dangerous to
the opponents.
To show how strict an interpreted
tion the committee wishes of the rule
barring a substitute talking when he
goes on the field, an approved ruling
was added that if this substitute even
calls out the word "Signal!" his team
is to be penalized.
The ruling was made also that any
part of players person being out of
bounds, counted just the same as
though his foot were out.
The committee handled complaints
regarding shift plays by stiffening the
legislation of last year with the spe-
cific instructions to the officials that
the players must come to an absolute
stop and remain stationary in thei-
new positions a sufficient length of
time so that there may not be any
doubt in the minds of the officials as
to the legality of the play.
They also PERMITTED the scrimmage
for the try for point to come up to
the three yard line instead of the five
yard line.
Try to Quicken Game.
Every effort was made throughout
the entire session of the committee to
with the unnecessary and unreason-
able delays which have sometimes
crept in. They put into the hands of
the official the power to arbitrarily
call time whenever he thinks team
is unreasonably delaying putting the
ball in play, and in order to stop the
abuse of the constant calling of time
for substitutions or for other reasons.
If the official thinks this is being
done with the intent of lengthening
the game, he has authority to instruct
the timekeeper not to out.
The duties Of the field judge were
somewhat more extended toward those
of an assistant to the umpire.
The tendency of the so-called
Screening" of a forward pass was
recognized and ruling made that in
eligible players must keep out of the
way of the players of the side which
did not make the pass, and if they do
not do this they are liable to penalty
for interference.
The committee also forbade a man
running out of bounds and then COM
ing in to receive a forward pass. He
must keep within bounds all the time
or he is not eligible.
ties was eliminated when the commit
tee ruled that international throwing
of a forward pass to the ground
should be penalized fifteen yards in
stead of ten.
The committee also cleaned up the
whole affair relating to on-side kicks
by ruling that if a kicked ball crosses
the scrimmage line no one of the
kicker's side can either touch or re-
cover the ball until it has touched an
opponent. Neither can the kicker's
side recover return kick until he has
touched an opponent. 1t is permits
sible, however, for any man to recover
kicked ball, if that kicked ball has
not gone over the line of scrimmage.
1t has been made possible to decline
practically all the penalties incident
upon a forward pass.
The rule regarding interference by
coaches or others has been broadened
out by making it include any one con-
nected with the teams.
When a foul is committed behind
the goal line, which does not involve
change of possession of the ball, the
penalty of one-half the distance to
the goal line from the spot where the
ball was put in play in inflicted.
It has also been made obligatory
upon the referee to explain alterna-
tive penalties to the captain of the