In 1873, M. Izar, a Frenchman, gave a curious exhibition in London. He played with his fingers, giving a "gyratory impulse" to the balls by a "peculiar organization" of his hand. He twisted a ball from pocket to pocket round a hat or a pool basket. He showed half-a-dozen balls in a circle and caused another ball to gently cannon upon one after the other. He chalked a ring about a spot and twisted a ball from the baulk into the very centre of that ring in which it stopped. He placed nine or ten balls in a row about three or four inches apart, and then twisted a ball on to the first in such a way that it cannoned on all the rest. He cannoned round the pool basket or on to two balls on opposite corners without allowing either of these to drop into the pocket.
He cannoned upon balls placed near to the cushion without the twisted ball or the object ball touching the cushion. He could at will send the ball spinning on the cloth either in straight, curved, or even broken angular lines.