April 1 1906 (Sunday)

NOT JUST A PASSING FAD: It might be April Fool's Day, but this is no joke: The American Intercollegiate Football Rules Committee announced yesterday that it has come up with some new rules for the 1906 season. (That's the 1882 Rutgers team in the picture, by the way.) The biggest change is that a FORWARD PASS will be allowed. Also, the offense must gain 10 YARDS for a FIRST DOWN, not just five yards. The Daily Nevada State Journal (Reno) put the story on the front page. The Syracuse (NY) Herald has a pretty complete story. Some of the rules are geared to player safety, which shouldn't surprise those of you who recall the death of Harold R. Moore of Ogdensburg, a halfback for Union College. He died Nov. 25, 1905 in a game against New York University. Here's one way a player can get disqualified: "striking a runner carrying the ball in the face with the heel of the hand on defense." That's probably illegal in boxing, too. Player behavior is part of the focus. The rules now say a player will be suspended who uses "abusive or insulting language to opponents or officers." No mention of any concern about endzone celebrations.

BE NICE TO YOUR BILL COLLECTOR: Here's a shocker out of Lowell, Mass. A man shot and killed the man who ran his boarding house. He also shot and injured the dead man's brother-in-law. Why'd he do that? Arthur Lafond "told police that he had become exasperated over the continual nagging" of the two men because of his outstanding board bill. The total came to $11. He didn't want to pay for the food he'd eaten. He did, however have enough money to buy a revolver shortly before the shooting.

IS IT A MARRIAGE BOND OR A MARRIAGE NOOSE? Mr. and Mrs. J.W. McEwen are back together after a separation of almost 20 years, according to a report out of Savannah, Ga., and printed in today's Washington Post. They were married in 1887. Their parents intervened at the time and forced them apart. At the time, the bride was, er, 14 (remember, that's in Georgia Years) and the groom was 18. The couple lost track of each other. They're back together now. She has been married two more times since then. She outlived husband No. 2 and, presumably, outran No. 3 a couple of months ago after learning that husband No. 1 was, in fact, still alive. Now, they're back to Square One. They've evidently learned something. The article says, "They will live together now without the formality of another marriage."