BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1046, 24 March 1910, Page 11

BILLIARDS.

THE SAD TALE OF A TOO BRILLIANT SHOT. We were gaily playing billiards, And my cue was working well; I could “ draw” across the table. And I shot like William Tell. I had ev’ry kind of “English,” And I “followed” on a “ line” In a way old Herbert Spencer Would have said was very fine. Then a “ bad leave” was my portion, But with case I shot and made It, And the gang yelled in derision: “ That was never how you played it!” I had thought about that poser, I had calculated nicely Just the kind of “ English” needed, And I hit my ball precisely. I had figured on the angle, Also noted well the spot Where the “ second object” rested, Long before I ever shot. How, I thought, this will surprise them When I show them I can make it I But the gang yelled in derision: “ And have you the nerve to take it?” Now I can’t convince my brothers That I honest played that way, And they hoot me down and jeer me, All in spite of what I say. They insist I “ scratched” that billiard And they mutter “Fluke!” and cry “ If he ever makes another, We are going home to die!” Yet despite their reckless scoffing At the way in which I made it, I insist, upon my honour, That’s exactly how I played it. When old Father Time has robbed me Of the skill I now possess, When my cue-arm grows more feeble And gives up its usefulness— When my eye no more is certain, And no longer am I able To mingle with my brothers At a rented billiard table— I will call my children ’round me, And perhaps—perhaps I may Convince those trusting youngsters That I played that shot that way. —“ Detroit Free Press.” A BILLIARD ASSOCIATION FOR NEW ZEALAND. It is high time that steps were taken to form an association to take charge of the game of billiards in the Dominion (says a Southern writer). All through the two Islands there are an immense number of players, good, bad and indifferent, and tournaments are of frequent occurrence. Without any governing body things have been managed in a slip shod manner, and it .is evident that an alteration is imperative. To go no further than the question of an amateur championship, surely it is time that this was brought about. Not long ago we were notified that the English Billiard Association would in future recognise the Auckland Sports Club as the body governing billiards in the Dominion. It is interesting to note that in New South Wales an association has been formed and a synopsis of the rules reads as follows: — “The title of the body is to be ‘The Amateur Billiard Association of N.S.W.,’ the membership of which shall consist of (1) individual amateurs, (2) clubs or institutions. The committee will elect members, and two black balls in five shall exclude. The annual subscription is 10s 6d for individual members, and one guinea for clubs or institutions, who shall have two members elected by those bodies on the committee. Amongst the powers invested is that no record shall be recognised by the association unless made as follows: —(1) The player must be a member of the association. (2) The record must be certified in a manner satisfactory to the committee, and in a game which shall have been previously notified to the association in a manner determined by the by-laws. (3) And have been made on a standard table approved by the committee. A registration of 10s 6d per standard table is to be charged for registration after the table has been passed by the committee, who will issue a certificate of approval to the proprietor or lessee. Except when otherwise specified in the by-laws, the rules of the British Billiard Association will be observed in all games played under the auspices of the N.S.W. Association.” It cannot be gainsaid that this is what we require in the Dominion. It Is not of vital consequence whether the head-quarters be in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin, although a central position would be desirable. First and foremost, however, we want the association formed.

Stevenson’s latest defeat came from the cue of G. Nelson, of Bradford, who downed the champion by 582 in 8000 up. The winner received 4000 start. Breaks of 470, 232 and 207 came from the loser's cue. One of the excuses. put forward on behalf of Stevenson’s poor showing this year is that he has indulged in too much motoring, which, it is claimed, is such hustling work that it takes a lot of the vim out of those who indulge in it. The excuse appears to be a rather poor one, unless, of course, the champion does road-hogging to such an extent that the scares he may cause wayfarers come back on his nerves —or conscience. » * « * H. W. Stevenson, the billiard champion, has issued a warning against the affectation of the small cue-tip. If, he says, there is one thing more certain than another about centre-ball or plain strokes, which form the very essence of good billiard-playing, it is the deceptive nature of the small cue-tip. Only the most skilful cueists can use the smaller sizes in tips and yet strike their plain-ball strokes accurately. He adds that he is dead against the small cue-tip for ordinary players. The size he recommends to them is the No. 11 size (about 7-16ths of an inch). There is less chance of putting “side” on with the larger cue-tips and. an insurance towards accuracy in playing on the centre of your ball. It is estimated that half the strokes played by a professional in the course of a big break are made with plain or centreball. Warning or no warning, the average amateur will still go on using any amount of side under the impression that he is improving his game by so doing, and he will continue to do so while there is a table to play on or a cloth to tear.