The first task awaiting the Billiards Association and Control Council upon its formation in June, 1919, was the revision of the Rules of all games played on a billiard table, the amalgamation of the Billiard Association and the Billiard Control Club having rendered both the separate codes of Rules previously issued by these two bodies obsolete.
This formidable enterprise was undertaken with great zeal by the governing body, which appointed a sub-committee of its members to draft the revised Rules, and submit the results of their labours to the Council for approval.
The bulk of the spade-work in evolving the accepted draft of the present Rules devolved upon the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, Mr.
G. H. E. Hall-Say, and Mr. S. Eumorfopoulos, both of whom cheerfully devoted an immense amount of time and labour to ensure the greatest lucidity and conciseness of wording.
Very valuable assistance was also rendered by Messrs. S. H. Fry, W. H. Fowler, A. J. Peters, and L. Stroud, whilst the Sub- Committee cordially acknowledged their great indebtedness to W. J. Peall for attending, in an advisory capacity, practically every meeting at which the Rules of Billiards were under consideration.
The Rules of English Billiards were dealt with first, their revision being a matter of primary importance, and the revised Rules of this game were issued towards the end of September, 1919, just in time for Messrs. Burroughes & Watts's Tournament for 1919-20 to lie played under them.
Snooker, Volunteer Snooker, and Russian Pool nave since been approved by the Council, so that, for all the recognized games played on a billiard table, an absolutely authoritative code of Rules is now available, and the undesirable ambiguity which existed prior to the amalgamation (when two divergent nodes were extant for each game) has been finally eliminated.
In addition to providing a code of Rules which is assured of universal recognition, however, the amalgamation has resulted in a vast accession of power to the unified governing body, including the right of suspending players. whether amateur or professional.
But it is the sincere hope of the Council that no occasion may arise necessitating the exercise of this newly-acquired power, nor do they think that it will.