Evening star., 1924-12-24

Nurmi. according TO press reports
from New York. rapidly Is accustom-
ing himself to the indoor tracks, on
which he never before has competed,
and it generally is said of him that he
Is running with less apparent effort
than any other man. Certain 1t is
that the Finn will not lack for the
best or coaching in how to take the
turns and make the best of the short
straightaways, because many fine
runners who know all those tricks
and more are anxious for him to sue
ceed
In fact, Ritola was a great runner
on American tracks before he went
back to represent Finland in the
Olympics and he can tell Nurmi about
everything the latter needs to know.
And probably if no one told the Finn
anything he would pick up the diff
ference between running outdoors and
indoors without much trouble.
No doubt Nurmi will be the greatest
attraction for the Georgetown meet
that could be procured. A race at
any distance from one to five miles
between him, Ritola and Joie Ray
would be sufficient in itself to pack
the hall.
Jimmie Connolly, Georgetown's fine
mile runner in meets last year. who
was present at the Olympics. says of
Nurmi: He is the greatest runner in
the world today at any distance from
. three quarters of mile on as far
as anybody might care TO race.
have been on tracks in all parts of
the United States and against the
best distance runners, but I've never
seen anybody who even closely ap-
proaches him"
1t is understood that Georgetown
does not desire TO make any an
louncement concerning the statement
that Nurmt is to compete in its meet.
The arrangement. however, under
which Nurmi is to appear here has
been agreed to BY the Blue and Gray
track mana cement. which is that in
return for Nurmi's and Ritola's ap-
pearance here, it will send its full
track squad to compete in the Fin
nish- American games in New York
the following week.
Every year almost a great hue and
cry rises against the forward pass in
foot ball. 1t should be eliminated, or
it should be curbed, or its scoring
worth decreased. are the statements
made at various times. However,
despite this seeming preponderance
of sentiment against the forward
pass, chances out of 10 about all
that the hue and cry represents is
~ very small minority. Sentiment in
the rules committee is strong for re-
tention Of the present system of rules.
with few, If any. changes. In fact,
one OF the changes made last year
may be revamped to be what it was
before the change.
Sentiment everywhere seems to be
against kicking off from the middle
OF the field. Everybody appears to
want the kickoff to go back to the
40-yard line.
In a QUESTIONABLE sent out recently
to all colleges in the South Atlantic
section, asking, among other things,
what changes might be suggested in
the rules, there was practically a
unanimous reply to the effect that
the kickoff should be made from the
40-yard line instead of the middle of
the field
Another suggestion for change
in The rules is that he penalty for an
offSide agairst the defensive team
should not ri e tn. offensive side
first down as we'll Is a 5-yard dis
lance penalty. II is held that the first
down plus ) yards in distance gives
penalty TO the offensive team that is
out of all proportion to the offense
committed by the defensive eleven.