Unkowingly Broke Rule In Billiards Match

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31092, 22 June 1966, Page 14

Unkowingly Broke Rule In Billiards Match

The most disconcerting factor In the quarter-final matches of the Canterbury billiards championships was the failure of the Canterbury association to appoint official referees for the games.

During the match between D. Hallum and F. Blackburn at the Post Office Social Club, Blackburn Infringed the foul shot rule 13 times in the first hour without penalty. The young referee—self appointed—was unaware that any rule had been broken. When questioned afterwards Blackburn, who repeatedly roiled the cue ball back until the tip of the cue was in contact with the half, was also unaware that this was a foul shot.

Hallum won the match by 29 points after a torrid struggle over the last 200 points. In another quarter-final match, played at the Commercial Travellers’ Club,, between G. Carson and H. Mason, a lone spectator agreed to referee the match.

Mason moved into the semifinals with a comfortable 5«0366 win over Carson. It was a poor exhibition of constructive billiards, notwithstanding the poor table lighting that cast a double shadow on each ball.

Mason, a free-scoring player who uses a great deal of "side" when hitting the ball, made the most of tnanv easy openings left him and In the later stages of the game scored consistently. Carson failed to master the unfamiliar speed and movement on the table, and this had a great bearing on his disappointing performance. E. Simons continued in good form to beat N. Aitken, 500-262 Playing on the same table on which he won his second round match on the previous night Simons had little difficulty assessing Its speed. Simons I® now drawn to meet Mason in the semi-finals next Monday night. T. Yesberg, who had a bye In the third round, meets Hallum in the other semi-final.