Post by Coach Campbell on Sept 27, 2005 17:49:19 GMT
Despite changes in the rules, the game was still very rough and dangerous. In 1905 there were eighteen deaths in American football games throughout the United States. President Roosevelt called together representatives of Yale, Harvard and Princeton, and told them that the brutality within the sport had to stop.
In December 1905, more than sixty representatives from college teams met to try and solve the problems facing the game. Captain Pierce of West Point sat at the head of the meeting. The Intercollegiate College Athletic Association was formed. In 1910 it became the NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
In 1906 major changes were made to the rules. Playing time was cut to sixty minutes, the forward pass was allowed, a neutral zone was made for the gap between the lines of scrimmage, and the number of yards to gain was increased to ten.
In 1910, the biggest problem, interlocked interference, was banned, along with pushing and pulling of the ball carrier. The game immediately became safer, but also more defensive, so in 1912, the number of downs was increased from three to four.
The length of the field was also reduced to 91.4 metres (100 feet) and end zones were added. The limit on the distance the ball could be thrown forward was scrapped, and the points awarded for a touchdown were increased from five to six. That was in 1912, and there have been few major changes since then.
In December 1905, more than sixty representatives from college teams met to try and solve the problems facing the game. Captain Pierce of West Point sat at the head of the meeting. The Intercollegiate College Athletic Association was formed. In 1910 it became the NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
In 1906 major changes were made to the rules. Playing time was cut to sixty minutes, the forward pass was allowed, a neutral zone was made for the gap between the lines of scrimmage, and the number of yards to gain was increased to ten.
In 1910, the biggest problem, interlocked interference, was banned, along with pushing and pulling of the ball carrier. The game immediately became safer, but also more defensive, so in 1912, the number of downs was increased from three to four.
The length of the field was also reduced to 91.4 metres (100 feet) and end zones were added. The limit on the distance the ball could be thrown forward was scrapped, and the points awarded for a touchdown were increased from five to six. That was in 1912, and there have been few major changes since then.