The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-11-20
KICK AFTER
TOUCHDOWN
is OPPOSED
Some Claim II Is Unfair 10
Make One Man Responsible
For Win or Loss

Chicago, Nov. 20.--tP)-Thc kick for
a point after touchdown is due for
another panninr this fall.
This play has come in for some hard
knocks in the past, and the fact that
several OF the most important grid
iron contests of the season were lost
because Of the failure OF Il young
ster to boot the ball over the cross
bar after his team had worked might
lily to score a touchdown, has caused
renewed ranking in the breasts Of
the partisans Of the teams who were,
in a manner of speaking. the goats
Of this play.
Coach Fielding n. Yost led an at
tack on the try for Il point after
touchdown several years ago, and it
is an odd coincidence that his team
was the beneficiary of this rule i'm
the terrific struggle with Ohio State
last Saturday. Clark, Of Ohio State,
failed to bump the ball over the bar
after his team had scored a touch
down, giving Michigan one point
victory. the score being 1916.
Another Case
Another outstanding case of a
game in which the one point after
touchdown decided the issue was that
ut Los Angeles, when Stanford nosed
out Southern California. Cornell had
u one point margin over Dartmouth
last Saturday, and there were other
games in which the victors ran off
the field with "A victory because of
failure to boot the oval between the
uprghts.
Those who are opposed to this play
contend that the Importance of the
kick is all out Of proportion. After II
team has battlcd its way down the
field and logged the ball over the
goa line, some football men believe
ii is not right that the team scoring
should be compelled to kick field
goal for one little point, which may
or may not win or lose an important
game.
The proponents Of the kick after
touchdown put forth good arguments
One Of the stock arguments is that
this always has been part Of the
touchdown play. The rules specify
tina. even if time is up and team
scores Il touchdown, the kick follow
ing is to be allowed as it is part OF
the play. Also it is pointed out tina,
the kicking game would suffer il
this feature Of the game were thrown
out Field goal Eickers of necessity
must practice for hours, and the me-
cessity of booting the ball after the
major score encourages this rhase o.
the fall snort.
Reason for System
The present system of scoring was
arrived at with the idea Of balancing
the difference between two fielt
goals, and a touchdown coupled with
the added point earned by the kick
A touchdown is considered the majo,
score, and if completed gives seve,
points against two field goa, whiel
count six
The contention is advanced that
touchdown alone should count sever
points, abolish the kick after scor
ing, and the balance would still b.
maintained.
Some football experts contend tha
the drop kick is not the correct meth
cd of kicking after touchdown. Kick
ing from placement is considered
more certain, and is almost sur,
method Of getting the ball over tn,
bar if the kicker and the player hold
ing the ball work together with til,
center in long sessions of practice
But the question reverts to the con
tention of some followers of the sport
which is: Should one man be re
sponsible for winning or losing :
game after the entire team Of clever
men have worked as a unit in putting
the ball over the goal lines?