68.—"Having studied your notes in The Billiard Monthly I have now begun the course of lessons prescribed by Mr. Wallace Ritchie in his book published by you. I find, however, that the attitude prescribed by Mr. Ritchie is difficult, if not impossible, to adopt in one particular, that is, to bend the left knee and lower the body at the hips, so as to bring the chin down over the cue and at the same time to keep the right leg unbent and the right foot about 12 inches only behind the left foot. To keep the right leg unbent, I find it necessary to stretch it out 2 feet or more behind the left foot, which is surely an ungainly attitude and occupies a good deal of space. I am within the limit of height mentioned in the book, viz., about 5ft. 8in. or 5ft. gin. Another point I notice is that if I stretch out my right leg straight, the weight of one's body is thrown partly on to the bridge hand on the table, which seems to make the bridge firm. Would you kindly forward this letter to Mr. Ritchie and ask him if he can give me any help in my difficulty?"
We have done so, and have been kindly favoured by Mr. Ritchie with the following reply:—"If your correspondent will examine the illustration contained in the book—the one giving a full-length view of the player—he will see that it is quite possible and not at all difficult for the attitude I recommend—and which is undoubtedly the correct one—to be adopted. Here the feet are perhaps a little more than 12 inches apart, but not much, but it must be remembered that this distance is between the heels and not from toe to toe. Of course, by keeping the right leg straight, this throws the main weight of the body on to the left side, but this is as it should be, as it thus leaves the right arm perfectly free to make the stroke. This also, as your correspondent says, tends to make the bridge firm, which is one of the most important essentials."
69.—"I wish to thank you for your answer re screw-back in The Billiard Monthly. I have been trying for months to do it, everyone whom I asked telling me a different way. Now that you have explained it, it seems so simple. I do not mean to say that I am certain of the shot, but do it fairly well for the little practice I have had. Again thanking you and wishing The Billiard Monthly every success."
We are very glad. Few strokes give greater pleasure to either striker or spectator than well-executed screws. We may add one or two points to our previous answer: (1) The cue point should traverse an equal distance on each side of the ball. (2) The force should always be on the gentle side in practising, and only increased where found to be absolutely necessary. (3) Substitute fuller contact for force where position can be maintained thereby. Screw-backs are really the same as ordinary screws, but with fuller contact.
70.—"What is considered to be the best method of practising billiards? My own plan is to use the spot and the white alternately as the cue ball."
A very good plan this, and one that is adopted, together with long losing hazard practice, by the best players when preparing for the season after the summer's rest.
The all-round practice from positions as they are left by the balls is excellent for getting the eye in, and the long loser practice calls for precise aim and strength, combined with freedom.
For learners, however, there is a better way still, and that is to practise individual strokes until they are mastered once and for all. The student should make himself able to execute any useful stroke on the table and should—which is equally important— feel confident that he can always make it. Watch good players engaged on a screw or run-through stroke. They will make it for a certainty and they know that they will make it. They are certain because they know how it is made and why it is made.
And this sort of confidence comes only out of specialized practice.
When a screw is missed the cue ball has not been struck where intended, or the aim has been too full or fine, or the strength too great or little. When a run-through is missed or badly played the same set of circumstances is present. The essentials of cue and ball contact and strength must be taken in detail and mastered both singly and collectively, after which the strokes can always be played in the same way and with the same result.
71.—"Has billiards ever been played in the open air?"
The game was at one time played on a lawn like modern croquet. Some authorities consider that, in this form, it was introduced into Europe from the Orient by the Crusaders. The ball was rolled or struck with a mallet or cue (with the latter, if Strutt's allusion to "inconveniences" is correct) through hoops or rings. A later form of lawn billiards enjoyed a brief popularity during the latter half of the nineteenth century. It Was played on a lawn in the centre of which was a metal ring about 5½ inches in diameter, planted upright in such a manner as to turn freely on its axis on a level with the ground. The players, two or more, were provided with implements resembling cues about 4 feet long and ending in wire loops somewhat smaller in diameter than the wooden balls, which were of such a size as barely to pass through the ring.
72.—"I see that, to an interviewer in Australia, Reece is reported as saying: 'Ivories are very much livelier than compositions, and are lighter. I have carried out tests with a suspended cue over a table striking composition and ivory balls with the same force, and found that the ivories travel about three feet further than the composition balls down the table after striking the cushion. The difficulty, then, is in a player adapting himself to the new strength.' Is there really all this difference?"
We should say not. The aim of the makers of composition balls is to exactly match ivories in point of weight, and we should doubt whether composition balls differ from each other and from ivories more in this respect than ivories, which are sometimes purposely made too large to allow for turning down and are sometimes turned down too much. We are quite sure that the difference in the run of composition and ivory balls after striking one cushion only cannot possibly be three feet or anything like it, and think that Reece must have been misunderstood by the interviewer.
A better test than the suspended cue is to allow the balls to gravitate down a grooved and slightly declined plane.