Evening star., 1925-03-12

But il more points could be gained
by launching some play other than
ekick there is not the slightest doubt
that coaches would turn their minds
10 making something of this oppor-
tunity.
One thing is certain: There would
he fewer tie games than have been
played in the past, and the thrilling
aspects of the game as a game would
be immeasurably enhanced.
Under present conditions the play
after touchdown is almost as super
nuous an appendage as was the free
kick that formerly obtained. 1t is
pretty hard to get the committee to
do anything radical, but here is one
step that should appeal to this body.
In all probability one change at least
will be made The kick off point will
he moved back to the kicking teams
40-yard line, and a tee of not too
great altitude will be permitted. The
stipulation under which the ball was
kicked from midfeld and not teed
up worked out badly, first, because
the ball usually went over the goal,
and secondly, when it did not go over
the line 1t whizzed down the field at
fat trajectory, and thus made the
prompt covering of the boot by the
kicking team an extremely difficult
matter.
Kicked Ball Offers Puzzle.
Something will have to be done
about rule XVIII, section 8. which,
among other things, holds that any
player may recover a kicked ball
which has not crossed The line of
scrimmage. There has been variance
as between the East and the West
over the Interpretation of this rule.
The rules committee held that il
ha L -nd hyy trily
team A player. the ball not going
over the line, 1t will count a down.
If the ball does go over the line the
team A, it was ruled, may not
have 1T, the ball going to team B,
where touched. Western officials, 1t
appears, did not agree with this in
depreciation, and something will have
to be done to bring about unanimity
between the sections.
There will proba bly, be a tightening
of the duties of the referee. at least
so far as watching for roughing of
the kicker is concerned. This duty,
1t Is likely, will be delegated to the
head linesman.
1t is likely, too, that when defend
Ing team is offside the team offended
agSinst will not receive a first down
in addition to the yards-unless
the distance thus gained covers the
present the penalty Is an unwar-
ranted affection to the defending
team offside. -.- -,.-----.- -
May Not Recognize Records.
1t is now practically certain that a
lot of these records which have been
hung up by Nurmi and Willie Ritola
this Winter will not be officially
recognized as world records.
This is to say, that many of the
distances run by these men, distances
that never before nave figured in
track meets or in the record books,
will not receive official sanction.
Informal comment to date by men
this belief.
At the same time no effort has
been made to discourage the efforts
bf promoters to give spectators that
thrill which comes of record-shat-
tering achievements by dividing dis
tances into eighths and quarter miles
and so on.
What probably will happen will be
the Incorporation of the records for
unrecognized distances under the
heading noteworthy performances of
1926" or something of the sort
Uptown today gossip was running
wild concerning a reported intention
on the part of Nurmi to become a
citizen of the United States. The only
foundation this appears to have had
was Paavo's silence upon the sub
ject.
But. since he is silent upon every
subject, there was not the slightest
reason why any significance should
have been attached to his reticence
on this matter.
The truth is that Nurmi has not the
slightest intention of expatriating
himself, and this information comes
from source convincingly high. He
will shortly be homeward bound and
probably glad that he is.