It is often asked why more women have not, and do not, take up the game. The question of Indies and billiards is one where a forecast of Riso Levi proved to be very wide of the mark - unusual for him. In, "Billiards in the Twentieth Century," Page 91, in an article entitled, "Billiards for Women," he writes:-
"I believe the time is coming when billiard halls will be patronised as much by girls as by their fathers and brothers."
Well Riso, that didn't happen. A few lady players have made their mark in the game - Joyce Gardner, Thelma Carpenter, and Agnes Morris, are names that come to mind. There are some very good lady snooker players, and one of them, Karen Corr, can play a useful game of billiards. But on the whole the game has remained very much a male preserve. Whatever the various reasons may be, one of them is, without any doubt, the fact that there has never been the same opportunity for girls to start to learn the game when young as there has been for boys. This may be due for a change, and where else would such a change begin than on Teesside. The Teesside Boys Billiards League now has three girl players. They'll have to start thinking about changing the name.
11-year-old Melanie was the first girl in the League to collect a trophy - as a member of the K.O. Cup Runner -Up team. (Ormesby.) She has won two games and has a top score (Half-hour) of 93 points
Leane, aged 15, played twenty games, and though not managing a win, averaged 56 points per game with a top half-hour score of 65. She plays for the Hemlington team which includes her 12-year-old brother
Penny was the first girl player in the League. She has been a regular Cleveland county player at Pool - remarkable for a 14-year-old.