One often hears of extraordinary games on a billiard table, but the game played not so very many years ago by three sporting subalterns of a certain distinguished regiment sets up a record in eccentricity which remains unsurpassed so far as we are aware.
It was after dinner, decidedly after dinner, when the match was suggested, and the players proceeded to equip themselves with a new association football, a new golf ball and a new tennis ball.
These were used instead of the ordinary billiard balls, all strokes were played with the butt-end of the rest, and the players followed each other in turn. One had the football, the other the tennis ball, and the third the golf ball. Only one point was allowed for each score made, and the game was twenty points up. Considerable difficulty was experienced in keeping the football on the table, and eventually the gentleman manoeuvring the tennis ball got home quite comfortably, and won a useful amount in sundry bets.