BLIND BILLIARDIST

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 76, 24 December 1918, Page 6

BLIND BILLIARDIST

SIXTH SENSE COMPENSATES. The - wonderful way in which a blind soldier plays billiards is told in London. Sergeant-Major Shawl, a Yorkshi'reinan, who was with Princess Patricia's liegiment in the second Battle 'of Y'pres, when a severe wound deprived him of his eyesight, is the hero of this story. Before blindness overtook him, Sergeant-Major Shaw] was' a pretty good plnyer and very fond of the game. AVhen convalescent he made the acquaintance of the proprietor of a Maida Vale hotel. Finding time hanging heavily on his hands, he took up a cue and began to knock the balls about. At this stage he had to touoh the balls, before striking. Eventually he was received at St. Dunstan's Hostel. Regent' Park, where his powers of observation were developed under the best training. AVhen other.? were playing billiards Sergeant-Major would lean forward in his seat, and train his ear to tho various contacts of the stroke, and by and by could actually hear the balls running on the bed of tl"> table. His hearing in this way developed to an extraordinary degree, and eventually he could within a reasonable distance locate the balls. With his hearing, his sense of touch developed until he could advance to the table and by means of his hands local -0 the exact position n-itb-out touching the ball. Shawl could in this way "sense" the ball just as nnvone in a dark room can tell bv the "feel" when ho is near a wall. He describes it as a feeling of coldness. Prior to making his stroke, Shawl satisfies himself as to the exact position of each of the three tails without touching any nf them. AVhen within an inch or two' of them his fingers "sense" their close neighbourhood, and it is an excentionally rare occurrence for 'him to toiHi a ball in judging its whereabouts. He makes breaks of eight and ten with remarkable regularity.