Evening star., 1928-02-15
BY w. w. ROPER.

meeting At the Seaview Golf
Club. Atlantic City. have for
their object the simplifying OF
the game. There were no radical
amendments Of rules.
Before the committee met each men,
be- had carefully sounded out sentiment
IL his district, so l believe the action
finally taken represents, so far as Is pos
s;ble, the foot ball judgment and WIS
dom of the country.
The meeting was the most satisfactory
have ever attended. Every shace OF
opinion was represented. In ADDITION
10 the rules committee members. therc
vas present a committee from the Foot
Ball Coaches Association.
In this group were knute Rockne,
Notre Dame: Hugo Bezdek. Penn State
and Bill Spauldine. University OF Can
for.lia. southern branch. And Walter
C5esor. DR.. Eddie O'Brien and Walter
Eckersau represented the officials. They
also were very helpful 10 the rules COM
n?itiee.
Rule =. section 3. slIperSe6es B and
c o. the 1927 code. II Is 2 big improve
r7ent on the backward pass rule OF last
year. II provides that "on any pass
other than a pass from the snapper
back. which IS Clearly thrown Instance
of approximately > yards through the
another player. tie ball. Il II hlts the
ground. is free ball. but IS dead a
Ii7e point Of recovery. counting down
j. recovered by the passing side
The 1927 rule was unsatisfactory and
hard 10 interpret. because the eleTcnt
al possession and control OF the caA
entered into the rulings. In addition.
the o!6 rule failed 10 penalize funolng
and encouraged all sorts Of double and
triple passes with no penalty III case OF
poor handing ot the ball.
Dealing With Furbles.
One Of the fundamentals u Areri-
can foot ball has been the slogan Hold
the bail" YET under the 1927 back
ward pass ruling the offensive team.
except on the pass from the snapper
hack. could tumble as much as 1t
pleased and suffer no serious penalty.
The committee recognized the differ
ence between the running close attack
and q backward OF lateral passing at
tack The latter it wishes 10 e,lcour-
age. So the rule now provides that
any backward pass thrown approx
r-ately two yards IS a free ball II II
hits the ground. but dead al the point
OF recovery. Now. IN the case OF an
incon?pleted backward pass which goes
through the air two yards the Geten-
size team can recover the ball but can
nc: run with il.
The present rule puts premium On
hard. fast charging defensive play.
which. was 10; the case under the 1927
co6e. and get it encourages the back
ward paSs 10 the extent that if the
pass IS incompleted and recovered by
opponents after il hits the ground the
bali is dead al the point Of recovery
There are Two points IN the rule
which should be carefully noted. First,
the bail must be thrown through the
ar and not handed. and second. the
bal must 60 approximately yards.
Rule 10, section 8. OF The 1927 cooe
proved unsatisfactory because Of the
difficulty Of interpreting possession and
control Under the Cd rule a punted
ball when r1uGed could be recovered
BY opponents. but the bail was dead al
the point of recovery. II case fne
Quarterback turn3ied punt after tax
ing couple q steps. the ball could
be recovered by opponents and was not
dead after recovery. The difference
between a tumble and muH is close
one.
How Changed Rule Reads.
Ttis rule has been changed 10 read
"A PLAYER who is Of side is put on slGe
a.
when kicked ba2l other than a free
E.cx Or o.e which Is blocked and does
not cross the lire Of scy.ul,nage is le-
eal.y recovered by the kIckers side, the
ball shall be declared dead a: point c.
recovery
In this rule there Is no longer any
distinction between a tumble and a
rlutt Any kicked ball touching an op-
Isy.4egt can be Tec0Tered oy the kicking
e5-v ID 49, 81
tie point q! recovery.
As an extreme illustration, lei us as
fUIae pun, is caught b. the opposing
Quarterback, who runs It 20 yards down
The field aac then drops the ball. The
opponents u.av TfcoTe- =, but eTeT here
ne ball ii ceac a. the point of recovery.
This shows hoW the question of posses
ksga a,o control no longer e..crS into
TIE rule.
Tho rule in regard 70 blocked kick
TlDt crossing the line o! Scr!mnage IS
alaO changed, As stated above. Now the
k4cker'E eide ca. recover and run with
t;le oal atag b.ocke0 Kick behind is
cxn Line - scr.m:nage. ike tt2le r,iI-
3s.g r.uct better
Take tear. kicking from The shadow
Il. Is CEr. goal lire IL case ct q blocked
pX:at behl:3c TIE goal line. TIE kicking
AIDE. uCSty TIE &c rule. could not run
3,e bail o., of G2rger. eTra !. i had
tre Dpy1rt1nliy SOW any Dipc1cd Kick
nay be recovered beh.uc tle klckln2
sides GOA 1lg.e ard run with, pyOP!ccd
the man ~t2o recoyet& II has tie ability
sf.c the opportunity " gain apy ground
Last yea. there Vas uncertainty III
regard " the th4tt T1Ie snc Tie apEu-
c2t.o1 of t1e rule " man III nIot.e2
YaS interpreted differently IL ci4cge,sl
s4c'So,.S. This r2le has beer c.&ri!led
bY change u ~orc}a2 IL RUE 8. Sc
f.p;s f. sE3e!e The words. the players, -
Aa1e Dees changed ~ al players"
Fuil slap in shift.
rtcey faia rule, .s3 all sn.tt ant
j. &ccIr plays eseFy tla yer ~. t!c %'a.f -
i..g s.ce n.1a. cpf.e ~ q t0u stop .py
c:4e .ecoflc, anc ~ n.an ran i>e Ia ,sD-
tn unt.I Z tes5ol4d i.&& ELAPSED. AFTER
%yl.c:. pHe n.&n cau u ~ uiDl!GH -
.!c ms cWn Vpa! r3fhef directly Lr
C.~aslY "a ~ of5lqi}e direction
= there u ~ SHIT ~ nIccle. org
y,an can ~ IL lssot3Oll at any ufGe as
srJfe Ci3e n1an ~ nat2ipn s& not con
;rfYec az a El..tt ~ there crtS no
i.a.e ~ re lle me aenpfc stop f@i1fc
~. hall a g9t lAtD play Any tHD
- a4f7.s eiYt unless i4e 3s gong toward
!.- pAh p.al Aten - cais ~ ~ mo-
r.y,. 6, ti.e Ing 1;1e ba!i - plt IL play
II ct15st + a H3&H starts IA mo-
'..s. tuyn IfAe 3ane al.c co.'s t.pt come
-. = >uJe Dttpse III Daij Il pat 3ntl
tas i4c Ht4et 1T t}se yards beii}i.o ne
l.g.e a. ne t.use tie ball oDe4 ~ lnp
p4y Ifstre IS ~ change - feZato y.
'.-z ,as.t H. tatt. there = f4p change
:. s.s .h.ft ggie at al. bat ~ tjlf''
Nas cpftr.rt u opjg.4f4 laAi Fali. ~"
J. s"..t.g illustrations Hiat Ut h"lli0l
.syf ~ q
>sgG DsJs4.e ms ~ 40 II Ane +
Attlts.r Co. t-,a I.alA 81 E.e tlhs aftfs