THE

HARVARD MONTHLY

VOL. XLIII

OCTOBER, 1906

No. I

FOOTBALL IN NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SIX.

In view of the general interest taken in football, it may be profitable to make a brief survey of the changes in the game which have been effected by the new rules, and at the same time speculate on the effect the changes will have on Harvard's prospects for a successful

season.

At the close of the 1905 season there was such a universal clamor for reforms in football as it was then played, that a new rules committee was organized. This committee set about its task of remedying the existing evils of the game, with considerable energy. To enumerate all the changes in rules that were made would be to enter into a number of details unintelligible to all except players of the game. Lest, however, the uninitiated may with some reason be led to believe that the rules committee has been actuated more by the desire to change existing rules than to improve them, let us briefly consider the ends they had in mind, and the means by which they set about attaining them. These objects were to render the game more open, and to do away with injuries in so far as possible.

The two most radical changes in the rules are designed to open the game. These are the rules increasing the distance which a team must gain in three downs from five to ten yards, and the sanctioning of the forward pass with certain restrictions. This first rule will doubt

less increase the amount of kicking, as few teams will be able to make first down consistently. In this connection, the new rule, which places any player of the kicking team on side as soon as the ball strikes the ground, will tend to promote on the part of the backs accuracy in catching and more brilliant open field work, especially on the part of the ends.

The heavy mass plays, characteristic of big games for the past few seasons, will tend to disappear this fall. By the new rule, only one man can be dropped back from the scrimmage line in order to form interference; and if this man is either a guard, tackle or center, he must stand at least five yards back of the ball. It really would seem as though the famous "tackle-back" formations were now things of the past, as much as the flying wedge of the early '90's.

The committee has been most active in its endeavors to formulate rules that will prevent injuries. It has shortened the length of each half to thirty minutes, created an additional umpire, established a neutral zone between the two scrimmage lines, greatly increased the penalties for all forms of foul play, and in short done its best to eliminate all forms of slugging. From injuries received merely from hard play, nothing can protect a player but good physical condition and a certain amount of good luck. Indeed, it is this very element of roughness in the game which has endeared it to so many and makes it such fine discipline. From all forms of slugging and wilful attempts at injury, a player under the new rules is as well protected as he can be by any forms of legislation. From now on, the success of football is in the hands of the officials and is dependent on the efficiency with which they enforce the rules.

Another extremely important factor in intercollegiate football as it will be played this fall are the new eligibility rules which have been.