DEFINITION OF A BILLIARD CUE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22597, 30 December 1938, Page 10

DEFINITION OF A BILLIARD CUE

PROBLEM CONFRONTS REFEREE

FOUNTAIN PEN USED IN MATCH

NEW RULE ADDED BY CONTROL COUNCIL

17B01C OUB, OWH CO&BESPOKDBKT.) LONDON, November 25. Charles Chambers, the well-known referee, was confronted with an extraordinary incident at Thurston’s, in Leicester square, during the snooker Gold Cup handicap match between Alec Brown and Tom Newman, of London. To extricate himself from a snooker, Brown, after pondering over the position, produced from his pocket a cue like a fountain pen, chalked the thick end of it, and made his stroke, which was successful. He was penalised seven by the referee.

“Here, what’s all this?” Newman asked, going towards Brown. “That’s a cue all right,” Brown replied.

At once, there was a disturbance, while Chambers made a sign as if giving a penalty. “Is that a foul, referee?” asked a spectator, and Chambers answered, “Yes, sir.” Meanwhile, Brown handed the pen-cue to Newman, and Chambers took a rules book from his pocket and quoted: “The stroke must be made with the tip of the cue.” “There is a tip on that,” Brown said, showing the pen, “and there is no definition of a cue in the rules.”

Cue Not Defined The rules of billiards and snooker contain no definition of a cue, the only stipulation being that the ball must be struck with the tip of the cue. Chambers ended the discussion by announcing firmly, “That stroke means a penalty of seven against Mr Brown,” and play was resumed. Mr John Bisset, chairman of the Billiards Association, arrived a few minutes after the incident, and said: “The rules are the rules, and provide for most contingencies. When a matter arises which is not provided for it is a question of reasonable interpretation by the referee. I say that a fountain pen is not a cue.” Brown stated that he felt called upon to use the pen, and that, in his opinion, he was legally entitled to do so. Newman, laughing, said: “I have seen some funny things during my time, but I could not stand for that. It would have been very nice for Brown, if he could have got away with it, but I felt that I had some cause for protest.”

Chambers, after the session, said: “A pen is not a cue. It is something alien to the game, and the fact that this one had a cue-tip on the end did not convert it into a cue.”

Interviewed at Leicester, where they are playing a match, Joe Davis, the champion, and Horace Lindrum, of Australia, both supported the views of Brown.

Davis said it was a very interesting point. “We have been playing with the usual cues for so long that it seems natural to regard them as the only ones permitted. There is nothing in the rules which lays down what is a cue, and I support Brown.” Lindrum said: “I agree with Brown. He has drawn attention to a laxity in the rules regarding 'cues. The only similar incident in my memory is that of a man who invented a cue for ‘steeplechase’ shots. He fitted a tip on the broad end. Where do the rules state at which end of a cue the tip should be fitted?” New Rule Made After a long discussion, the Billiards Association and Control Council at a subsequent meeting added a new rule defining a cue. It is:

“A billiard cue as recognised by the B.A. and C.C. shall not be less than three feet in length and shall show no substantial departure from the traditional and generally accepted shape and form.”