Some readers may recall that it was reported in the last issue that Albert had has a pretty rough time of it recently. A lot of people asked after him and wished him well. Things are picking up for the genial Teesside Boys secretary and EASB Billiards rep.
Dear Tom
Many thanks for your kind thoughts in the recent BQR and to the many billiards folk who have been concerned over my well being. On the domestic front we suffered ten break-ins, plus other damage, to my property, and have had threats and intimidation to my wife and family.
Things got so bad that we had to move and be accommodated in Hostel accommodation as a homeless family and this took twenty weeks to resolve. We have been permanently re-housed and I'm delighted to say that the kind of problems we suffered previously are no longer.
I then discovered that I had a malignant tumour on the left side of my jaw and arrangements were made to have it removed early last November. On the evening prior to my hospital admission I received a phone call cancelling the arrangements. Some very fraught six weeks later I was admitted and the tumour removed. Complications meant that he operation took over two hours though the surgeon had thought that it might only be about a thirty minute job. I saw the consultant last week and he is satisfied that, "he lump, "as been cleared and there should be no future problems.
I now look forward to resuming my travels to the various tournaments and I hope to see my many billiards friends and colleagues before not too long.
Good luck and Good Cueing,
A number of readers drew my attention to a piece that appeared in several newspapers, including "The Times," at the time of the Wigan championships. This was to the effect that the introduction of a 100 point baulkline rule meant that it would be unlikely that the:-
"World record break of 1,276,000, set by Geet Sethi of India is likely to stand for all time, It also means that breaks like the 499,135 made by Tom Reece in 1907 will be a thing of the past."
I congratulated Geet on this fantastic achievement and asked for some details. The Indian modestly replied that he had scored the first few hundred thousand by the all-round game before going to the top of the table for a half-million or so, returning to all-round play, with one or two small runs of nurseries, before missing a long-loser. In fact, as most enthusiasts know, Geet does hold a world record, 1,276, made in the world championship of 1992 against Bob Close. An explanation came from Phil Yates of, "Snooker Scene." In telephoning a report in to, "The Times," it seems that the girl taking the copy had asked for the number to be repeated and had mistaken one-thousand-two-hundred-and-seventy-six, for 1,276 thousand. What a break!
Geoffrey sends news of a seven year old boy who is learning the game. Ben Whitehouse plays at the New North Road Club whenever he gets the chance and is being taught the rudiments by his father. Ben's late grandfather Joe was a winner of the Huddersfield League Handicap tournament. New North Road encourages young billiards players. Last year their teenage billiards team achieved the league and cup double in only their second season. One of the team members, Andrew Whittle won the league individual championship.
Mr. Dibsdale writes from Freshwater, Isle of Wight "In the past year I have managed only breaks of 95 and 97 both times breaking down on quite easy strokes through silly lapses of concentration. Have you got any tips on maintaining concentration?"
My dear Mr. Dibsdale; asking me for tips on concentration is rather like asking the Pope for tips on how to fiddle your income tax. I can play billiards whilst at the same time thinking of things as far removed from the game as is possible. Recently, playing in my once-a-year snooker competition, I potted the last red trying to get on the green which I had in mind as being the next ball to play. I realised my mistake and - though I had an easy straight blue - took the yellow getting nicely on the green -though, of course, the re-spotted yellow would be the first ball of the colours. I then potted the brown! My opponent was understandably puzzled as to what I was up to and sportingly suggested putting the balls up and starting again, I declined this kind offer and conceded the frame, it was just too much for me.
So, if you get any tips from anywhere regarding the retention of concentration, would you please let me know.
With regard to the piece on cushions and cloths (BQR No 19, P22) manufacturers give a ten year guarantee but, of course, rubbers last longer than that. But they don't last as long as the cushion rubbers made in the 1930s and the early 1950s. That rubber looked like lasting for ever. There are tables locally that have cushions that my father and I fitted in 1952, and they are still doing a good five-and-a-half lengths. So what happened?
Thanks for your interesting comment Mr. Duckett. I have absolutely no idea what happened. The only thing I can suggest is that maybe the manufacturers have decided that it's not good for business to make cushion rubbers that last for a long time.
I believe that the occasional Round Robin tournament would attract many players. Tony Glew very successfully organised some at Wokingham and got a good turnout. There were (from memory) nine tables with four players to a table. The games were three-quarters-of-an-hour and so about four-and-a-half hours per table. To the average player, I think it would be a great attraction to be in the company of three other players and have the prospect of three games".
Could be a good idea Jock, thought there could also be a few snags. Presumably the winner and runner up from each group would go into a knock-out stage. I wouldn't want to be in a group containing, say, Russell and Gilchrist, or Goodwill and Causier. But the idea does have possibilities.
All players have their favourite yarns about their favourite game. Readers might be interested in these stories from the Bath league. (No doubt to be taken with a pinch of (Bath) salt! Ed.) Once when playing in an inter town match v Taunton, I travelled down from Bath with another member of the team, but played at a different club.
On returning to the club where my friend had played, I wedged my cue case behind the front bumper of his car and went inside for refreshments. Unfortunately I had picked the wrong car. Much later, thanks to the efforts of the late John Hocking, I recovered my cue from a railway worker in Wiveliscombe. This chap hadn't been able to believe his eyes when he reached the lighted streets of Taunton and found himself driving down the main street with a billiards cue stuck up in front of his car.
On another occasion we obtained a new long rest for our club. The secretary collected the rest and cue and was driving to the club with the implements sticking out of the passenger seat window. Due to some road works he had to pull well over to the left and in doing so the cue went to one side of a bus stop with the car on the other side. You can imagine what happened, but we had the things repaired and I think we must have been the very first club in the country to have a two-piece long rest and cue.
Perhaps my own favourite is of when, again at Taunton, we played a combined billiards/snooker match. Some of the players took their wives most of whom stayed in the bar for the evening. They all wandered into the billiards room later where there were two tables with snooker matches, and a third where I was playing my billiards match. My wife, in a very loud voice which everyone could hear remarked, "h, Dave won't be long, he's only got three balls left."
Thanks Dave. Maybe other readers will send a reminiscence or two.
A good question.
As Geoff Williams says, the current answer is that we (The referees) don't care, because we will find out in the future when it's time to spot it. However, what you are suggesting is, should the rule makers look at changing the procedure.
Billiard players have some options; if they are not sure, they can send the cue ball towards the centre pocket to leave a pot or a cannon from the pyramid spot, a cannon or a cross-loser if the red does in fact spot. Look briefly at snooker. If the player thinks that, for example, the black may not re-spot, he should have a back-up colour in mind. Fine in theory but not always practical. Some players stare at the spot from different angles, some check with their index finger, some simply take out their own ball marker (Is this permissible?- Ed) But back to billiards, the central point is that for the information to be of value the player must know before he pots the red. This would require a change in the philosophy and spirit of officiating. The underlying question is - is this a part of the players judgement and skill or is it a state of play? Whatever the outcome it is certainly a more profitable argument than ones about rules which are rarely used such as, "When does a game begin."
Incidentally, what about the one you have missed? Players quite often ask the referee if the ball is properly placed to play from the D. Once again the referee is asked to advise of a potential foul."
Thank you Peter. I have had some correspondence on this matter, and I have had a conversation with the senior referee Alan Chamberlain. Alan interprets the rules as they are, and would without doubt interpret them just as expertly were there ever to be a change, and it looks as if there might be some changes in the offing, though not connected with the subject under discussion.
I repeat my argument. It is quite clearly stated in the rules: Section 5 1(b) (iii), that"The referee shall not give any advice or opinion on points affecting play."
It is also stated in the rules that, when a player is in hand, the referee shall, if asked, state, "if the ball is properly placed." Section 3. The Game. 6 Note. The second Note under Section 6 states that the referee will inform the player, if asked, whether a ball is in or out of baulk. It is my contention that these last two points not only inform the player on a point of fact, but without doubt give unspoken advice as to how a player may continue his break. To my mind, the possible spotting of the red comes into the same category as a line ball, or a ball correctly placed, and I believe that the referee, if asked, should give a ruling in all three cases. In other words, in my opinion, the rules should be changed to allow this. I should add that this is my own opinion, and is in no way a criticism of referees who are invariably quite meticulous in applying the rules as they stand.
CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS SUBJECT is NOW CLOSED
Cushion Bounce is when a ball leaves the bed of the table on the rebound from a cushion. The effect that this has is to lengthen the distance the ball travels by from 10 to 25%. This makes the positional aspects of red ball centre pocket losing hazard play rather difficult. The bounce is not always consistent, and sometimes there is no bounce at all. Consequently, from identically played strokes, the object ball may just about reach the centre spot, or it may end up in baulk. This can happen even on a steel block table fitted with Northern Match Rubber.
Cushion bounce begins when the cloth on the cushion rail wears, and it can also happen on partly worn cloths if the temperature is high (e.g. 25°C +) As soon as the cushions start to bounce, the inner facing part of the cloth should be regularly brushed strongly against the nap on the rail. In this way many hours of play can be had without bounce. Remember that the nap on a cushion cloth may run in any direction, lengthways, up and over, over and down. This depends on the cut that the fitter has used.