The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-05-25
SIX CHANCESIN
PRO GRID RULES
FOR'4O;SEASON
Owners Want to DiscOur.
age Declining of
Penalties

Chicago, May 25-Six changes In
the National Football League play
ing rules for the 1910 season were
announced here today by George 8
Halas, owner-coach Of the Chicago
Bears and chairman Of the leagues
rules committee.
HalaS, In making the announce
ment, emphasized that the altera-
tons are not radical, but Of far
reaching importance. He said:
1.-THE changes are designed TO OBJ
tain equitable enforcement, and tc
eliminate as far as possible declina
ton, Of penalties. The changes were
suggested to large extent by q
comprehensive survey Of eleven
league games last year, which was
conducted by Hugh Ray, the
leagues technical advisor on rules
At the same time, we think we
have made Our game more enter
tanning and easier TO understand"
Something New
The six changes In the pro foot
ball playing code follow: !. Penal.
ties enforced from q specific spot
between the goal lines shall not
carry the ball more than half the
distance TO the offenders goal line
Formerly, this rule applied only 10
fouls committed by the defensive
team, inside Its ten yard line, but
now II also applies TO the offensive
team and on all fouls, except In
case OF pass interference by the
defensive team behind the goal line
This rule Is intended TO prevent
either Of the specified five and IS
yard penalties from placing the
ball on the vineyard line when Inn
posed inside the ten and 30 yard
lines, respectively.
2. When there Is pass interfer-
ence by the offensive team behind
the defending teams goal line, the
defensive team will have the option
Of the enforcement Of 16-yard
penalty and loss Of a down from
the previous spot against the Of
fensive team, or @ touchback. Pre-
viously, o touchback was automatic.
3. Penalty for foul during q
running play will be enforced from
the spot where the ball ID declared
dead, unless the foul IL commit
ted by the offensive team behind
this spot, In which case the en-.
forcement will be from the spot Of
the foul. When the foul Is by the
defensive team at spot behind the
offensive teams goal line, enforce
ment Is from the goal line. This
change eliminates refusal by the Of
fensive team Of q penalty during
such q play and prevents the penal
ty from being diminished or aug
mented by the relationship Of the
spot Of the ball TO where the bail Is
declared dead.
4. Limitations on time-out by the
offensive team during the last two
minutes OF the second-half have
been extended to apply TO both the
first and second halves and 10 both
the offensive and defensive teams.
This rule, which was adopted last
year to prevent players feinting In
juries In order 10 obtain time for
additional plays by stopping the
watch, allows fourth time-out
during the final two-minute period,
without a penalty, for an injured
player only, and he must be desig-
mated Immediately and removed
from the game. Thereafter, time
out Is allowed only for an injured
player. who must be designated
Immediately and removed from the
game, and q fiye-yard penalty Ia
assessed.
Not So Bad
5. The penalty for an illegal for
ward-pass not from scrimmage has
been reduced from IS yards TO five
yards. This change was made 10
rationalize this penalty with the one
for an illegal forward-pass, thrown
from beyond the line OF scrimmage
which Is the loss OF a down and
five yards from the spot Of the pass
8. The penalty for clipping has
been reduced from IS yards to Is
yards. Experience indicated that
more rigid enforcement results
- L.