Sir,—I have read with much interest your notes on potting the white, and must confess myself amazed at the opinions expressed by your correspondents, with many of whom I have the pleasure of being acquainted. To pot the white always has been, and always will be, a most ungentlemanly method of scoring two at the expense of the feelings of a presumable friend. I propose shortly to see a professional match, Inman or Smith, if I can, but I think I can say with some confidence that I am not likely to see either of those players deign to score two by such a low practice.
Sir,—Our Club takes in your paper, but we intend to cease doing so if you continue to support such a low-down game as potting the white. In the final of our club handicap, when both of us required one point for game, my ball was in the jaws of the right-hand middle pocket. My opponent's, whose turn it was to play, was in the jaws of the left-hand middle pocket. The red ball was on the baulk line, touching the cushion on the left side of the table, dead angled from the striker, who could only hit it by playing off the opposite cushion.
The game was to all intents and purposes mine You may judge of my surprise and disgust when my friend—my friend no longer— deliberately aimed at my ball, though it was manifest to everyone in the room that he could not touch it without putting it down.
He did so and won the game, to the horror of all true sportsmen, except about half of the spectators, who had backed him to win.
Sir,—Playing a friendly game of 100 up with a gentleman I made my record break (31) off a rather flukey opening (I missed a very fine cannon off the white and went in off the red).
Eventually the game was called 99 all, when my opponent, playing for a square" in-off " the white, missed it, but potted the white off three cushions. When he saw I was really angry he declared it was a fluke. Ought such a stroke to count? He pointed out that it was his only fluke, whereas—however, I need not trouble you with his remarks. I contend he should have been too proud to win by a fluke, and that the game was a draw.