Evening star., 1938-10-29
MANY T|[TS HINGE
ON ARB|TERS' TOLL
Penalties and Failure to
Inflict Deserved Ones
Frequently Decide.
By GRANTLAND RICE.

SpcCldl NOIIcSpOHucHt Ol 1 ne StHr.
NEW YORK, Oct. 29-The tough
est job in football doesn't belong to
the charging line. the ball carrier, the
blocking back nor the forward passer
who takes entirely too much beating.
The toughest job in football belongs
too often has close decisions to make
that could be called either way by the
margin of an eyelash-hairline mar
gins that often make or break.
Having worked few years as ref
cree and umpire in the South, don't
happen to be guessing along this line.
This is no rap at officials who face an
almost impossible job on many occa-
sions. But have seen any number of
big games changed by penalties or no
penalties-games in which players in
volved have told what had taken place
on plays that should have changed
the score from winning to losing. or
the other way around
Yale Game Case in Point.
A penalty could be called on nearly
every play in football. In the Yale
Michigan game last week saw two
leading examples.
On one occasion Michigan pasSer,
fading far back. was nailed by Yale
rusher before the ball left his hands.
The ball dribbled out sideways. Yale
recovered The ball was given to Mich
igan as an incompleted forward. 1t
happened to be 100 per cent tumble.
Later on. with Yale leading. l3 to
8, Brooks of Yale broke through and
rushed the kicker. Brooks dived, hur-
rying the kick, which travelled only 20
yards. Being unable to stop himself
in midair, he naturally crashed into
the kicker and Michigan was given
the ball for roughing the punter.
As Ducky Pond asks. How do you
stop yourself after leaving your feet
before a kick has been made?"
Needed Body Backswing.
How can you put backspin on a fly
ing body? Sammy Snead and Gene
Sarazen would like to know. Also
Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. There
Is the now famous case of Getchell
who told the Carnegie Tech quarter
back the wrong down. This probably
cost the football game. Getchell. nat
urally, should have called the play off.
Or a double of f-Side
But what can be done about it?
The interference on forward pass
often is a $3.50 matter-too close
to be figured out And vet this play
might easily decide the game. There
are % men all over the field in a
football game during which officials,
giving the best they have, often are
screened
This, again, isn't a guess. 1t comes
from a player who, after the season
had closed, told me what happened
And you often can see better in
stands high above the field than you
can below in the swirl. Just what
is the answer?
Some Suggestions.
1. To pick and train officials with
the greatest care and pay them more
money.
2. As Tom Thorp puts it, use
the best human Judgment you have
under the conditions and be sure
you are right before imposing a pen
atty"
g. What about one official high up
in the stands?
In the midst of 1t all don't forget
that an Official, working at a level
range upon the field, often with the
play blotted out. has just about the
toughest job in sport
You also must remember this. too,
as Nal Stevens suggests, If seasoned
officials can make mistakes, why
shouldn't few errors be allowed to
those young fellows on the field who
have been knocked down-who often
are dizzy, reeking with sweat. mud
or blood-boys from 18 to 2l, playing
before $4,000 or 80, 900 spectators"
Copyright, 1889