Editorial
Alan Chamberlain
Well-known referee Alan Chamberlain has been interested in the administration of the game for over twenty years, the last twelve as a professional referee. He has recently been elected as Chairman of the Professional Referees Association - the body which provides the officials for all WPBSA tournaments. The PRA will work in liaison with the EASB in their initiative to replace the old B&SCC scheme. for the examination and certification of referees. For some time Alan has been tournament director for professional billiards, organising events in the efficient and professional manner that players, reporters, and spectators alike, have come to expect from officials of the PRA. Alan confesses to never having been more than an average player but still enjoys a game of billiards now and again with his friend Bob Sconce when there is time - which is not too often these days with the demand for quality refereeing ever on the increase. One only has to think of Blackpool!
Ruth Harrison
Mr Harry Smith of West Kirby asks about Ruth Harrison. It seems that Ruth was a cousin of Mr Smith's father and he wonders if she is still alive. Ms Harrison was Ladies Amateur Billiards Champion in 1931, and she was Ladies Professional Champion in 1934, '35, and '39. I don't know whether she is alive or not but, if she were, she would be getting on a bit now. Anybody out there know anything?
Walter Lindrum's Grave
Readers may recall that in the April Issue I mentioned that a Mr. A Tomlin had written to, "The Australian," lamenting the state of the great player's grave and saying that it was forgotten and neglected. I have since heard from Mr Graeme Walters of Victoria, Australia, who tells me that this is most definitely not true. Mr Walters is a friend of Mrs Dolly Lindrum and it seems that Dolly was most upset at the report as she regularly tends the grave. I apologise for any distress my report may have caused. I have the newspaper cutting of a letter by a Mr Arthur D. Tomlin published in "The Australian," of the 16th March, 1994. Graeme has no idea why Mr Tomlin should have written such a letter in the first place - and neither have I.
Tournament Reports
A number of readers have complained that the last issue published only the winner's name of the Master's Tournament; the Under 19s; and the Under 16s, and that there were no detailed reports of these important events. I am sorry. However, it is impossible for me to present at every round of every tournament though I do try my best. I can therefore only publish the information I receive, and in the case of the tournaments mentioned I received only the name of the winner. I do not blame any of the officials of the EABA as they also can only forward the information they have, and I believe that they have had some difficulty getting in and collating results. This problem is not confined to the EABA. The EASB were not able to publish detailed results of every match in their billiards competitions. Now that the two bodies are happily married, it may become easier to obtain more details of the various events.
Tom Newman and getting the left leg over
And I mean getting it well over to the left in order to make a stable stance in the manner of the modern snooker professional. Newman also condemned the player whose right elbow stuck out away from his side. A number of readers have written commenting on this. Well, in Newman's day, players undoubtedly did have their left foot much nearer to the line of the shot than they do in these days of standing almost square on. As regards the right elbow, Tom never saw Ray Reardon, or for that matter, Roxton Chapman. But he most certainly saw Walter Lindrum's left elbow. It is most likely that the article in question was, "ghosted," and that the writer did not represent clearly enough what it was that Newman actually said. We shall never know.
World Professional Championship
I am hoping to visit Bombay at the end of September for the Championship. I have never been to India and I don't suppose I shall ever go again. By the time this issue is published I expect to have been and gone and come back. Full report in January issue.
Turnout for ABC
Readers will notice that the turnout for the season's first ABC tournament (Guildford) was pretty awful. We want to know why. Please write - in confidence if you wish.
Christopher
My youngest son Christopher recently went with a school party on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme to a camp in Shropshire. On the first evening a camp-fire stove blew up. Christopher just happened to be standing over it at the time. The results were pretty dreadful and very distressing - mainly for Chris of course. It put an end to his wanting to play in the BQR golf though he did have guts enough to caddy for me. I am happy to report that he seems to be healing up and the hospital reports that he will have no permanent scarring. Quite a few people have asked after Chris. Well, he is doing OK and thanks for your concern.
