In a very interesting interview (see page 4) with Mr. J. R. Hooper, which appeared in The Sydney Referee, Mr. Hooper makes the suggestion that '' cloth and balls should be standardized, in addition to the table." He also advocates the adoption of a standard cloth, with twice as heavy a nap as that in general use at present.
The proposal to establish a standard quality of cloth has been repeatedly considered by the governing body, but is found to be impracticable, for the reason that the manufacturers of the finest West of England cloths are unable even to guarantee that one end of a bale shall be of precisely similar texture to that of the other.
Desirable as it may be, therefore, the fixing of a standard texture of cloth to be used on a standard table is quite outside the sphere of practical politics. No cloth can be too fine to please the majority of the leading professional players, and after the championship of the season before last, a competitor alleged that he had a legitimate grievance, because the cloth used upon one of the tables in that competition happened to be of a slightly coarser texture than was used on another.
There is much to be said in favour of Mr. Hooper's plea for a certain make of composition ball to be recognized as the universal standard. Such a decision on the part of the governing body would clear away one of the most serious obstacles to the attainment of an Empire Championship, and would place our expert visitors from overseas on a greater equality with the most proficient exponents of the game at home. There is nothing in the existing rules of English billiards to necessitate the continued use of ivory balls, in all professional matches and championship games played in England, and Mr. Hooper is probably not very wide of the mark in attributing the compulsory use of ivory balls in these events to "old custom."
Old-established custom is very difficult to break down, and in view of the variety of composition balls now offered to the public by competing firms, the task of selecting one of these makes for adoption as the universal standard, would be an onerous, not to say invidious, one.
Apart from this, there is not quite the same "life" in any make of composition ball as is contained in a really perfect set of ivory, and consequently there are very serious objections, both practical and sentimental, to this suggestion by Mr. Hooper, although, theoretically, it may at first glance appear to be a good one.
His proposal to interfere with the scoring values is of far too revolutionary a character to be seriously entertained, and its avowed object, of reducing the big breaks made by "the leading trio," does not commend itself as a desirable achievement, nor one likely to stimulate public interest in the game.
A slight inaccuracy in a statement attributed to Mr. Hooper in this interview calls for correction, in passing. He is reported as saying, in connexion with the procedure in our amateur championship, that the championship cup "is the only emblem of victory bestowed on the successful player." This has never been the case, and, as the silver challenge cup is only held by the winner until the next season's contest commences, it was the invariable custom of the late Billiard Association to present the winner with a gold medal in commemoration of his victory, the runner-up also receiving a silver, medal, or, in later years, a smaller gold one.
During the last two seasons, however, in view of the increased financial success which has attended the amateur championship, it has become practicable to increase the value of the prizes, and in order that they may give greater satisfaction to the recipients, the winner and runner-up were requested upon each occasion to select any article they desired of the respective values of £25 and £10, and the accounts for these articles were forwarded to the council for settlement.