Taking into consideration the way that billiards has advanced in public favour in recent years, one of the most surprising things to me is that women do not take a more prominent part in the game. Lack of opportunity may have a lot to do with it, yet the fact remains that ladies have never really taken to the game.
It is difficult to say why this is, for of all games one would think that billiards is one in which they would be the most likely to excel. There is no game that makes a plain woman appear more graceful or a pretty woman prettier; and is not that an argument in favour of women playing billiards? Further than this, billiards (according to a medical authority) provides just the exercise that is needed to enable a woman to retain her good looks. He says:—"There is just sufficient weight in the cue to try the muscles of the right hand, and the position of the left hand resting on the table creates a slight strain on the muscles of the left arm. When a woman leans over the table, stretching her arm to make a shot, she exercises the muscles of the waist. This stroke is excellent for the shoulders, too. The movement of the arms, with the bending of the shoulders and waist, make a combination of movements seldom realized otherwise. Add to this the necessity of making a stroke and you have an ideal exercise."
This medical authority I can support, because I know a lady of over seventy who told me that she would not. be able to sleep without playing; a hundred up. She thought her remarkable physical and mental activity were greatly due to her playing a game of billiards almost every evening of the year.
It is interesting to note how largely women loom in the early history of billiards. One of the earliest references to the game is that in which Shakespeare makes Cleopatra summon Charmian to billiards. This would seem to have happened in the year 30 B.C. History also hath it that Mary, Queen of Scots, was fond of the game, and regretted greatly that she could not have her billiard exercises and recreation whilst in prison. But (according to history—such as it is) both these ladies were pretty good at most games.
To me it is rather surprising that we have never had a really good lady billiard player. There has been a lot of time and money expended in trying to produce one. The late John Roberts, who was a very good judge in these matters, knew that there was a heap of money waiting for the first lady player of really first-class ability, and he took several promising young women under his tutorship and management; but to no lasting purpose. Other players have also tried.
I believe that a great lady player will turn up one of these days, and, meanwhile, any lady who shows real talent and skill at billiards should be encouraged. By real talent and skill I mean the ability to take 3,000 in 9,000 from the professional champion, or to meet on level terms the present amateur champion.