News from the Editor's Chair
I sat down recently and looked with interest at the newly compiled list of E.A.B.A. members, what a wealth of talent, knowledge and experience encapsulated in a common interest, the love of billiards. Members are drawn from so many various walks of life, it's truly amazing. Those of you who know me well, can probably see how my mind is working at this moment. I'm looking at this expertise and experience, and looking at the possibility of harnessing these personal skills to help us in a quest. I'm a big believer in tapping the experts for their skills, their knowledge and their guidance. The assets of any organisation must be the sum of the combined personal knowledge of its members. What a wealth of experience we have amongst our ranks, as they say in Pateley Bridge, “Th'a should want for now't”. Excuse the Yorkshire dialect. It seems that all overtures to the International Body on the preservation of the amateur status of our game falls on deaf ears. It also seems that those who organise the game at higher levels do not only not understand the game that they are organising but do not want to listen to those thousands of people who do understand the game. All this is leading to a situation whereby those who have the interest of billiards are left with the responsibility of safeguarding its long term interests.
In the absence of any support to further the interests of amateur only billiards players there are strong feelings afoot to fill the gap which is being left by the so called custodians of the game. To stage a separate, amateur only, World Amateur Billiards Championship. If this situation arises, the International body has only itself to blame for not heeding to the reasonable and ethical demands of the billiards fraternity at large.
This brings me back to my original point. If it so wished the E.A.B.A. could call upon any amount of expertise and resources to guide it through the possible staging of a World Amateur Billiards Championship. It would prefer not to move in this direction but would not hesitate to act if further erosion of its principles developed.
An amicable meeting of officials from the W.S.A. and members of the E.A.B.A. took place recently at Stoke on Trent. A frank and forthright exchange of views were expressed by both parties with discussions on relationships, referees, and development. The E.A.B.A. stated its present position and gave a clear indication of its aims and objectives. The W.S.A. party of Mr. Jason Ferguson, Miss Freya Broad, and Suzanne Goscombe, left on good terms to consider the E.A.B.A. position. The W.S.A. will report back at a later date with a possible proposal.
Only twenty four hours before Peg and I and several of our billiards playing friends leave once again for New Zealand. We are all looking forward to seeing our friends down under again after the Loose Cannons tour of 2000, and looking forward to visiting their wonderful country once again. Not so many billiards matches on this occasion but an opportunity to relax for a few weeks, soak up some New Zealand sun and breathe in some of that wonderful fresh air.