236.—"In your April issue, in an article on ' The Perfect Ball,' it says that the balls should be of the same weight to a nicety. Having experienced some trouble lately in getting a set which satisfies me, and finding I am unable to get a set of absolute uniform weight, will you kindly answer the following question on your Questions and Answers Page:—By what fraction of the total weight of each ball may a set of billiard balls vary so as not to seriously affect the play? I find in actual play I can fairly easily discover a variation of 1-75th of the total weight, and I should think that even for good amateurs the balls should not vary by more than 1-150th to 1-200th of their weight. Professionals probably demand greater accuracy than that."
In an important match a featherweight difference would be sufficient to condemn a set of balls, and we do not think that there should be any difference at all, even in ordinary sets. We suggest that you make your own experiment as follows:—Use two white balls, the spot ball (say) weighing a trifle more than the other. Put the spot ball on the centre spot and play several times from baulk with easy strength for a corner pocket. Note whore the spot ball strikes the top cushion and put the chalk on the rail there.
When you find that you are getting the stroke with precision, both as to the pocket and the run of the spot ball, change the balls, continue the practice, and note the result. If there is any difference in behaviour, the difference in weight however slight, must be enough to matter.
237.—"Please let me know whether there are life stories obtainable of the great billiard professionals, and, if so, whether you can tell me where I can obtain a biography of Mr. Tom Reece."
Many short biographies have appeared in billiard annuals and other books and publications. If you mean something in the nature of a detailed life history, we think that there are very few of these, although they would be quite interesting.
238.—"In your April issue I notice that an enquirer has written you re the 'Billiard Pointer.' This interests me. Can you tell me where such an instrument is to be obtained, and the price?"
The price is 15s. and it is obtainable from Messrs. Aston & Mander, Ltd., 61, Old Compton Street, Soho, W. The price of the book is 3s. 6d. The publishers are Odhams, Ltd., 93 & 94, Long Acre, W.C.
239.—"Our head marker, believing himself to be the best player in Norfolk, is anxious to style himself ' Champion of Norfolk.' He is, of course, willing to meet anyone who has a similar aspiration. Can you tell me whose permission will have to be obtained before a match or matches can be played for the purpose mentioned? Any information you can give me I shall greatly appreciate."
We have communicated with the Billiards Control Club, and have been courteously favoured with the following reply from the secretary (Mr. G. H. Nelson):—"With reference to your letter of the 14th inst. re the Norfolk correspondent (a head marker) who is anxious to play for the Professional Championship of Norfolk, the best he could do would be for him to issue his challenge through the sporting papers, and if the match is played under B.C.C. rules with ivory balls we should recognise the winner as champion of the county. Of course, we should have to be notified of the match."
240.—"During a game of snooker the striker pockets a red ball and is snookered for all coloured balls. He declares the yellow ball. During the transit of the white ball he hits a red ball first, then the white cannons on to the blue ball. How many away?"
Two away. The stroke is completed as soon as the red is struck and the striking of the blue is merely an after incident.
241.—"I do not think, from discussions I have had with some professionals and other good players, that the following peculiarity of not perfectly spherical balls is generally known. If I take the spot ball and place it, say, on the baulk line, with the spot on top, i.e., pointing to the ceiling, and play with, say, right-hand side up the table (my cloth is quite new) the ball, instead of pulling to the right, will swerve as the pace gets slower strongly to the left. If I play with left side it goes to the right. But if I place the ball so that the axis of the spots is horizontal the ball behaves as it should, i.e., with the nap—right side pulls to the right and left to left. The cause is that the ball is bigger in diameter if measured from one spot to the other than if measured through an axis at right angles to the axis of the spots."
This is a very interesting point and we should be glad to hear further from you on the subject. On first consideration it would seem that the slightly elliptical form presents to the cue tip a distorted striking surface, with the result that from the moment of the stroke the ball direction is varied even to the extent of overcoming and conquering the contrary pull of the cloth. There may, however, be a deeper scientific cause.
242.—"What is the limit for a screw-back stroke—I do not mean the limit of possibility, but the limit of prudence and advisability?"
It is entirely a question of individual cue power and control and personal judgment. To screw straight back at a yard distance may be worse play than to leave the stroke alone and try something else. Usually, when nothing is left (except to the opponent) as the result of a difficult shot, it would have been preferable to play for safety, supposing nothing more promising to be on. The best practice for screw-backs, and that likely to prove the most remunerative, is with the cue ball behind the object ball at the top of the table and thereby making either a cannon back on to the second object ball or a losing hazard into a corner pocket. The idea in this stroke is to guide the object ball back to the top of the table scoring area after striking a side and the bottom cushion or two side cushions and the bottom cushion. Accurate contact, strength, and direction here all come in, and, from the results, mental data can be compiled for all sorts of screw-backs at other parts of the table.