BILLIARDS.

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 4

BILLIARDS.

■"TOT OF THE TABLE » POSSIBILITIES. [By MEEBCroT-NE LvaiAX, Profession;;! Champion, 1912 to 1920.] There is no doubt that tho quality of tho play is on tho up grade, I tliinfc the standardising of the "ilea had much to do with it. Not everything, of course, as a good deal of the improvement has arisen from the romarkahio control shown over tho balls at the top of the table by Tom Newman, Willie Smith, Claude F&ikiner, and others. Tho number of points they can run up without their ball going to tha "D" is really remarkable. None of them is quite as fond of the old-fashioned crosslasers off the red on the epot as I still am. This . may not bo ft particularly showy stroke; at tho same time, it is not so easily brought off. It changes in character according to the position of the player's ball almost more than any oth« - shot. I am always looking about when engaged on top-of-the-t&ble touches for my old favorite, which puts you "in hand" with tho red ball over a middle pocket. For the ordinary player there in no eailor. sounder shot to have at your command. And it is always good to try to remember that the e&fiier you make the game the better billiards you are playing. All the bast players have their favorite ..stroke:?. You will see them coming up time after time if von watch the breaks closely; I motiood Willie Smith actually put togcthea 1 150 points at the top of the table without mojriiig tho object white ball more than one inch from it* original place. doubt, this i(5 tho best of its kind. I have had ago at all the most eminent players, and have never soon anything to approach, it. Willie must have got the white tight on the top cushion ing full on to it each time hut put tho red in padtion fur tho.poi flhofc. Toe-, balls most Ijavo com© up tun© after time nearly - aa they were at ilia start of tlio effort. So all the possibilities of the top-oMha-table movements hove net yet bata <x- . plorod. Bid BTLXXiEDS. ~. . Keece, 26,000. defeated CtaS-STCbffiKliy | (no. 1,000), 14.280, Sniri-Ji, 16,000, < £—lXHmiaa- cable./ ' ~*'"" , "' """•- -'