Evening star., 1932-02-16
WILL FAR SURPASS
PRECEDING GAMES
Foot Ball Changes Fail to
Take Kickoff Receiver
Into Consideration.
BY III. c. BYRD.

success. Indications are that the
games, to be held next week
should far Surpass any of the
previous competitions and actual
ly be so big that the Brookland
authorities are becoming alarmed
lest they outgrow the gymnasium
About five times as many colleges
as usual are sending squads and
practically all the high and pre-
paratory schools of this section
and the athletic clubs as well, are
to be represented.
1T begins to seem that we shall
have an even bigger meet than we eX-
pected," said Athletic Director Berg
man this morning, "as We are getting
entries from good many more col
legeS than we thought probable. The
meet is beginning to assume such pro-
portions that 1 am becoming somewhat
alarmed about it, concerned as to
whether or not We shall have more en-
tries than We can accommodate. l
guess that is rather peculiar situa-
tiOn, to show fear that an event OF this
kind may be too big, but that is about
the way it sums up with us right now.
Coach Dorsey Griffith deserves lot
of credit for the way he has built up
track team at c. U. and also built up
this meet. The track coach has
worked untiringly and actually is sue
ceeding far beyond our expectations"
The Catholic U. indoor meet was
first held several years ago under the
direction of Charley Moran, who then
was athletic director. Moran saw the
possibilities of such an event, and pres
ent indications are that Moran had
true vision.
In the meet next week the Brook
land authorities report that Navy, Vir-
einia, Maryland, Hopkins, Lafayette,
Iehigh and a good many more college
will send teams. Practically all the
events are running, either relays or IN
dividual races, as the space mcloSed by
the track is not big enough to allow
much in the way of high jumping,
shot putting, pole vaulting, and SO on.
y7HE change in the foot ball rules, as
i announced by the Rules Commit
tee which will require at least five
PLAYERS of the receiving team to be on
the 45-yard line on the kickoff, IS
something of surprise. Rumors OF
al kinds of changes have been heard,
but not that one. As matter OF fact,
though, it probably will lessen the
chances of protecting the runner With
what ordinarily is termed the flying
wedge and the absence of such protec-
ton will lessen the likelihood of a
player of the kicking side being hurt.
But when one searches his memory
It is difficult to find an instance of a
player having been hurt on the kickoff.
What seems to have been missed by
the committee is the fact that under
such a condition the ball carrier needs
some protection. Under this arrange
ment he may get half killed. SO many
players of the kicking side are likely to
filter through. A ball carrier who faces
an avalanche of players coming down
on him is in far greater danger OF in
jury than any defensive player ever Is.
Two ends down the field with a fair
shot at the man catching the punt
sometimes knock the ball carrier groggT
and what II men down the field on
a man after the kickoff has been
caught will do possibly may be prob
lematic to everybody except the foot
ball player who has been in such a
position with the ball under his arm.
The change which forbids defensive
players to charge against the offensive
linemens heads is good and should
help a good deal In fact, it will help
far more than the average foot ball
follower has any conception OF. The
change which forbids flying tackle or
a flying block is more or less useless
because it will never be enforced. That
rule has been in the books off and on
for many years but no official has ever
called any violation of it, so far as the
writer knows.
T7HE so-called liberalization of the
l. substitution rule may not be much
of q liberalization after all If an
ether change is made, as announced,
which change is that team will be
charged with a time out every time 1t
makes q substitution, except for in
juries. With time out allowed only 2
certain number of times IN hall 1t
would not be long before distance
penalty would be inflicted for every
substitution. Instead of relieving the
firing player by enabling him to rest
and 90 back into the game, this prob
ably would mean that coaches would
make far fewer SubStitutionS than there
have been. This would be such joker
that there must be some mistake about
the way press reports have covered the
announced changes.
THE decision to cover all hard paos
l. with at least tnree-el6hths inch
Iavcr Of rubber or some other
eoual.v soft substance also is oeSir-
able change. This could have been
made better change by DONG away
with all papier mache and aluminium
protection 50 that the players coulo
wear nothing but soft pads
About the only change is that when
uroyides when a ball is dead IN the
r1Ssession OF a player. which will be
whpn any portion Of the players BODY
hits the ground except his hands or
feet This is done TO prevent crawling
and piling on when man Is ooWl.
Penalties for piiing on IN many cases
have been very unjust, because 1t was
the only way TO prevent player squirm-
ing along the ground for more yardage.
A MEXICAN UNIVERSITY is the only
II local college basket ball team TO
play tonight. Tbs Methodist
school meets the Bridgewater College
five and expects to add another victory
to its string.
virginia. which some time ago an
nounced it might eliminate lacrosse
from its sports curriculum. apparently
intends to continue It. Word has come
to Washington that 1t is arranging a
schedule again for this year.
CECRGE WASHINGTON UNIVER-
" SITY found Just what was expect
ed it might-that playing DuqueSne
here is far different matter from
PLAYING Duquesne at Pittsburgh. The
Colonials were whipped last night by
the Smoky City quint, 3s TO 81, for the
first defeat they have suffered this
season.
However. it is not disgrace for 9
basket ball team to drop game on q
foreign floor. and time was in year:
gone by when one was hardly expected
to do anything else.
And George Washington made an i'm
pressive showing even in defeat. Du