Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-27
SIMPLE CODE IS BIG
AID TO SPECTATORS
Not Even Coach Always Sure
Why Team Is Punished.
Three Games Here.
BY H. c. BYRD.
w YHAT goes on in a foot ball
Nv ball game just about
half the time is Greek to

nail the Time is creek u
the average spectator
while the coach who sits on the
bench and presumably know;
what it is all about is often not
much more enlightened. What is
that penalty and what for, is
asked nearly every time an official
steps of the yards to punish q
team for an infraction of the
rules.
This Fall, however, the officials have
got together on a revised set of signals
which they are to give after every
penalty or delay In play, which are ex-
pected to keep the crowds in the
stands Informed about almost every
thing.
There is not much doubt that a spec
tator, If he will make some little study
of the signals to be used by officials,
can keep himself pretty well informed
of what is being done. In past years
about the only sign that the stands
have really understood is that in which
the referee raises both arms above his
head to designate that a score has been
made. Hardly ever a play near the goal
line, never an attempt at goal, that the
crowds do not look Immediately at the
referee to see that signal Of a score
The spectators know that sign, and they
can become just as familiar with the
others.
HERE is list of signals the referees
i i will use this Fall:
Unnecessary roughness will be
designated by a military salute, which
Is nothing more nor less than the rails
ing of the hand. palm and elbow at As
degrees to the forehead in exactly the
same way an officer in the Army is
saluted by one of lower rank.
Oh-side plays are to be denoted by
placing the hands on the hips.
Holding will be shown by grasping
one wrist with the other hand.
Pushing or helping runner with the
making q pushing movement to the
front with his arms hanging vertical.
A player illegally In motion is to be
shown by moving either hand in a
horizontal arc in about the same way
that bather Srnoothes out a pile of
sand on the seashore.
Incomplete pass, play to be made
over, missed goal, to be indicated by
moving both hands in horizontal
plane
When team refuses penalty the
referee will fold his arms.
An interference with a forward pass.
or when a pass touches an ineligible
player, the referee will push his arms
forward from the shoulders with his
hands vertical.
An Illegal forward pass will be shown
by waving one hand behind the back.
And the tenth signal Is the one pre-
v1ously nentioned-that of raising both
arms above the head. This will be va
ried when safety is made by bringing
the palms of the hands together while
the arms are extended over the head
THESE signals are not difficult to
i learn and for the most part could
be picked up easily by any spectator
who would clip them from this column,
take them to game, and follow them
through Just one afternoon. And there
Is not much doubt that knowing these
signs and what they mean would add
much to interest In the game, because
It would tell instantly what transpires
on the field.
LOOT BALL games today for local
j. teams are likely to be something of
q real task in many ways. In the
FIRST place, teams In their practice ses-
eions have had about the hottest
weather they have ever gone through,
the average temperature probably be-
ing Just about as high as it usually is
down in the Gulf States this time of
year. In the second place, all the
schools have had q lot Of injuries and
not one Is likely to be able to put its
full strength on the field. Again, every
one of the schools have had special
problems to deal with, about every one
having had difficulties in bringing their
lines up TO standard. Because OF heat,
because of injuries and because OF lack
of material for certain positions, not
one Of the local schools which open
their schedules today has been able TO
get in the scrimmage work and the
other kinds of rough practice neces-
sary to weld group OF men into a
precise machine.
Three Of the games are scheduled on
local fields, but what is likely to be the
most dif1cult and hardest fought, that
between Catholic University and Bos-
ton College, Is at Boston. The Brook
Ianders went to Boston with some
what crippled eleven. but figuring that
they have san outside chance for VIC
tory. It would not be surprise If the
local school were TO bring home the
bacon. Georgetown entertains Mount
St Mary's, American University plays
Shenandoah and Maryland hooks up
with Washington College. AL three
games are to begin at 2:30 pm. and
all are likely to show some good foot
hall. Possibly the Georgetown-Mount
st Marv's game will be the best Of the