"Dear Mr. Editor,
I congratulate you on your magazine. I'm sure in years to come it will be seen as the reference to the recent history of our great game. Hence I would like to clarify a few points pertaining to me in your issues. In your June '91 issue, Frank Humphries sent you a letter about Bob Marshall (who in my opinion is an absolute tremendous player) making reference to how I was, to quote, "Slaughtered in a best of 3,3 years ago." For the record, it was nearly 6 years ago when I went to Perth to play 3 exhibition matches. When I arrived from the U.K. it was billed as the World Billiards Challenge. Having to play the next day on Bob's table, jet lagged and not having played billiards for a month, as I had just played in the World Snooker (beaten by a bloke called Parrot after leading 5 - 3,) I was soundly beaten. The overall result of being in the spiders web was 2-1 to Bob.
The January 1992 issue included a letter from my great friend and mentor Murt O'Donoghue. This really has spurred me to write as he would be swearing at me reading your article about Top of the Table, also in the June '91 issue under the heading O'Donoghue and Foldvari. I feel you misquoted me and my theory on Top of the Table.
You are correct in saying that recently I have switched more to drop cannons but the way I was taught was to go to the top via the middle pockets and I still believe this to be the best. However, this is a more precise way and takes longer to get to the top. The reason I have changed my method is purely the practical one that I play little billiards due to snooker commitments, not because Mike Russell plays drop cannons. All this aside Murt used to tell me, 'You can get to the top in 4 shots from anywhere on the table' then he used to show me.
Murt used to hit me over the head while coaching me, drumming floating white into me. Your quote (Foldvari also admits to playing more floating white than he used to, but that is another story) is rather misleading. When I first started playing billiards, I did only play postman's knock making 300 plus breaks at 16 years old. When I met Murt he showed me floating white and this is what we worked on. At about 18-19 years I went to Mint's home in Sydney not having made a 500 break.On my arrival, we went to Murt's billiard room and we went through the theory of floating the white.In the afternoon I made my first 500 break by using this method. I can't remember if it was my very next visit, but certainly soon after I made my 2nd 500 plus break all in the one session. Floating white became an obsession and I made a 615 break (a world amateur record at the time) in the Victoria Championship final, nearly all at the spot end. In practice I have made 600 points without going to baulk and have lost count of how many 600 plus breaks I have made with 2 over the 1000. Dear Murt, I still prefer floating white when conditions are conducive so please don't hit me! In a perfect world, I would like to play a lot more billiards, but it was long ago when I decided I had to play more snooker due to the financial aspect and hence I feel in the past, sometimes I have not done myself justice at the 3 ball game.
But for the record, from when I first arrived in the U.K. in late 1983 until Jan. 1988, I was only defeated by Dagley, except once, in any Professional or Pro-Am. Tournament and I am very proud of this. I am just as proud of my 1991 World Championship effort being runner up to Mike Russell (who is a great player) as it was just before the Snooker qualifying. I wish Messrs. Russell, Sethi, Gilchrist & Co all the best on their entering the snooker world - Join the Club! Regards Robby"
Peter Shelley has written a most interesting letter to the BQR. Peter reports that he has not been too well recently. All readers will join me in hoping that he will soon be feeling much better. However his letter is mainly concerned with his experiences at the recent qualifying rounds of the English Amateur.
"Dear Tom,
Eight of us entered the English from our area. The dates were changed and we were duly informed in writing that the games would be played on Sunday March 1st with draw at 9.45 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. start for one match. Semi and final Sunday March 8th. I had a phone call a few days beforehand from Harry Richards, Tournament Director, he informed me that the venue would be the Dudley Snooker Centre. Our conversation ended with me saying, 'see you at Dudley, Sunday 9.45 a.m.'
The Reardon (Shelley's Club) had 100 lunches booked for Sunday and I duly worked until 3.00 a.m. preparing these. My staff were informed that I would be back for 12.45 p.m. so there seemed no problems. Believing I had covered everything I left for Dudley with a clear mind. I arrived at 9.20 a.m. and the other seven players were all present by 9.40 a.m.
At 10.15 a.m. with still no sign of any officials we confirmed the instructions - 9.45 draw and play 10.00 a.m till noon. Official arrived at 10.26 p.m. and after complaining he informed me that no referees would be present until 11.00 a.m.
Another cock-up for Billiards Officialdom. In retrospect I should have left then, but I suppose I would have been held to have withdrawn. As it was I could not hold a cue and was duly beaten by my practice partner and friend Tony Keeling who deserved to win on the day and good luck to him. When time was up I rushed out arriving back at Stoke at 2.00 p.m. The staff had done me proud and looked after things so at least that salvaged something from a disastrous day for me. Anyway, I shall have to make another come back and shall keep on practising. Yours, Peter"
Within Issue No.6 of the BQR I was delighted in reading the account of your meeting with Herbert Beetham and the story of his winning the World Amateur. Herbert describes his meeting with Irishman Bill Dennison and his need to beat Bill to win the title. I wonder how many of your readers noted on P16. of Issue 6, "Round the Regions," that under the subheading of, "Merseyside Champion of Champions," Tony Done beat Bill Dennison in the second round and went on to win the final. Yes, Bill is still alive and can regularly be seen playing in the local leagues. When you are next in the area, if you wish, I will try to arrange a meeting with Bill, who, when you can get him talking, can relate some marvellous billiard tales told in the way only the Irish can tell them. Bill, being a very modest man may refuse, but I can only try. Arthur Johnson."
Dear Tom,
Your piece about Murt O'Donoghue in the January issue of the BQR caught my eye. The attached was a sequel to a previous article of yours about Murt. After typing it, my wife said, "you can't send that, it's private." but somehow I don't think Murt would mind, and his, "most treasured secret," should interest readers. The article 'Murt O'Donoghue - unsung Master' in issue No. 2 reminded me that I had a long letter from Murt in June 1987.1 had written asking for his, 'most treasured secret.'
Among other things he said that he made a break of 529 on his 80th birthday, "I got more pleasure out of that than anything else I have done." In my letter I had referred to various billiards personalities. He Wrote, "I got a thrill from the names you mentioned and it took me back to a period we will never see again." this was followed by his comments on the players I had named in my letter.
Melbourne Inman:- A real character of his day. Spent a full day in his company and will always remember it.
Tom Reece:- Gifted cueist with exquisite touch. Great storyteller. Also good swimmer.
Riso Levi:- His books on billiards were masterpieces.
Fred Lindrum:- A character. The neatest cueist I have seen.
Herbert Beetham:- Still going strong at 77. A grand man.
Tom Newman:- Nature's gentleman.
George Gray:- A good friend. I played him in 1934. He was finished as a player then.
Sidney Smith:- Sidney was another who could express himself fluently.
Claude Falkiner:- An idol of mine from the first day we met in 1924. Claude cabled Christmas and Birthday greetings every year. I called on him at Bournemouth every time I visited England. When his wife notified me of his death I wept for two hours.
Joe Davis:- The best snooker player of all time. Strong in all departments. No weaknesses. His billiard knowledge made positional play with the cue-ball easy.
Walter Lindrum:- My God. Twice as good a player as the next best that ever lived. Always helped his opponents if they played ball with him. Explained everything in minute detail to me.
And that "most treasured secret?" Murt concludes: "Practice, Practice, Practice, and more Practice. Study, learn, never gloss over a mistake. If you make a mistake, play it over again and find out what you did wrong. Learn by your mistakes."