Red Ball Experts
It Would Pay Them to Study Other Movements
Practise using the Rest
MR. J. S. THOMPSON, of Grantham, writes to me concerning my remarks in last month's issue of the BILLIARD PLAYER, about the "75" limit off red being unusual in amateur billiards. He says: "I have kept a record of the breaks that I have made in games since 1928, 50 and over. Up to the present time I have made 532; of these, 81 were entirely off the red ball, and 19 were 75 and over, entirely off the red. Some of these were in the nineties, two over 100. I have no doubt the limit is made all over the country each week. Although I have made all these breaks of over 50, I have passed the 100 mark only eight times, my highest being 148."
I fear Mr. Thompson under-rates his skill as a red-ball player, and suggest that if he turns his attention to other phases of the game, particularly at the spot-end, he will make his century breaks more regularly.
"Foul Shot!"
From Congleton, Mr. F. N. Barlow sends me a newspaper cutting wherein he is credited with no fewer than 30 consecutive" short jennies "off the red into the same middle pocket.
Surely an exceptional run of losing hazards, but why did not the marker stop him after the" 25 limit "was passed?
Let me congratulate Mr. Jack Marden, of Darwen, who has made his first" big break "of 128, at the Billiard Hall, Bridge Street, Darwen, and entered it for my competition.
Unfortunately, this break is not big enough to take a prize, but I feel sure he will not be content to leave it at that. The same applies to a break three points higher made by Mr. C. Mathers, of Grimsby, whose effort of 131 at Jack Middleton's Tower Billiards Saloon was made against Mr. Harold Bryant, Amateur Champion of Grimsby.
Another break of 146 by Mr. H. Ennis, of Barnsley, is a personal record of merit. The game, played at the Imperial Billiards Hall, Cheapside, Barnsley, was only 200 up. My opinion is that a break of this size is a fine performance for an amateur, and I am pleased to award him one of my book prizes.
402 in Consecutive Breaks
The "break of the month" is 247, made by Mr. Glyn Jenkins, at the Lucania Billiard Hall, Blackwood, Mon., in a match of 500 up.
At his previous visit to the table, Mr. Jenkins scored 155, and made a total of 402 in a couple of "pops."
I sincerely hope that his opponent, Mr. Howarth, of Blackwood, did not give a "safety miss" at his turn between these two fine breaks. Oh! the mortification of it, if he did!
Hearty congratulations, Mr. Jenkins.
Will you have" cigars or nuts "? — in other words, a nice new cue and case, or a set of crystalate billiard balls for the first break prize this month?
My "hard lines" break is one of 204, by Mr. Arthur L. Bray, of Leeds, playing at the East End Park Working Men's Club, Leeds, to whom I have much pleasure in awarding a copy of my book, "Billiards Up-to-Date".
A good break of 132 is entered by Harold Pace, of Leek, Staffs., who compiled it in a handicap game of 250-up, at the Trades and Labour Club, Leek. The shot that beat him is shown at the spot end of my diagram. White and cue-ball are almost touching. The stroke is awkward to get at, and he played without using the "spider" rest. Mr. Pace will know better next time.
By the way, I have rarely known amateurs to practice shots with the rest. Many appear to have what amounts to a natural aversion to its use, but the fact is that often a good break at billiards or snooker has come to a premature end when the proper use of the "jigger" would have kept things moving along.
On the right of the diagram is a stroke Mr. Pace played in his heat against Mr. E. Beech, in the BILLIARD PLAYER Junior Amateur Championship.
The run-through cannon is not "on," and, although the cannon "straight across" via the opposite side cushion looks an easy way out at first glance, it is not so good as the screw-back played. With both object-balls tight up we might just ricochet the cue-ball off, and miss our cannon, so for the player who has sufficient power of cue, the screw-loser is the shot. Our entrant said it "brought down a crowded house" - it also brings him a match set of crystalate balls for my stroke prize.
Leek, Staffs., is again prominent with a century break by George Perkin against B. Fowler, at the Alexandra Club. The game was only 100 up, and Mr. Fowler's sole contribution was to "break off," his opponent making the necessary points at the first visit to the table, a rare performance for which I am pleased to award Mr. Perkin a special book prize.
My recent successful tour of the Temperance Billiard Halls in London revealed to me a lot of amateur snooker talent I had not seen in action before, and I am not in the least surprised to have a fine break of 62 sent in by Mr. Neate, of Brixton, witnessed by J. Sansom, manager of the Temperance Billiard Hall, Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, where the break was compiled. Six blacks, one pink, one blue, and one extra red made up the total of 62. This is the best snooker break before me, and wins my book prize.