The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-18
WOMEN AND BILLIARDS
Not Up to a Scientific Game and
Fancy Shots.

~s5AN women learn to play billiards Pr
2SESx asked a CALL reporter of billiard
10y expert, as they stood taking a mo-
meut's rest after spirited game on the
green cloth.
" My dear fellow" said the expert, look
ing at him with an amused expression,
pray where do you keep yourself? Don't
you know that billiards is par excellence
the game for the ladies? But understand
me at the outset, do not say that woman
can ever hope to equal man in the game.
1 am free to say that think that she will
always take a second place, not to all
billiard players, though, for l have seen
some lady pupils who are better players than
many Of my male scholars. But all things
being equal, the man will play the better
game. 1 have never yet seen or heard of
truly scientific game being played by wo-
man. Somehow to look far ahead and cal
culate deeply seems to be out of her line.
" But aside from the scientific game,
woman can play very good ordinary one.
You see the prime requisites for success in
billiards, with either sex, are deft touch,
a keen eye and some Imagination. OF
course an ability to calculate some is neces-
sary. The game also affords opportunities
for graceful positions and easy movements.
make the same mistake at the outset?
They seem to think that to play billiards
properly a vast amount of strength is called
for-the ball must receive all the force of
a pie-driyer! How absurd With such
notions as these the billiard novice is al
most certain to plow UP the green baiZe into
a zig-zag of burrows.
81 try to impress upon all my pupils, and
especially upon the ladies, that all the force
c at Ornviipn hu the xUaiUht IF
the cue itself multiplied by the velocity of
the stroke. You've no idea how surprised
they are when | succeed in making them I'm
derstand that the only correct position is an
easy, graceful one, the feet slightly sepa-
rated, the left foot forward, the right foot
back at right angles to the body, the left
foot, knee and shoulder in one perpendicu-
lar line, and the right arm cue in hand,
hanging from the shoulder like pendu-
lum.
''Ir's of no use to try to teach woman
anything until she has given up her precon-
ceived idea that she must assume a coquet-
fish position, with her head perched on one
side and her body bent at l don't know
what angle, so that it is impossible for her
to get a straight sight along the cue, and SO
make good shot. As soon as they have
learned TO take the correct body position,
they must learn how to hold cue The
proper weight for lady's cue Is from sew
enteen to nineteen ounces. aud for the spe-
Cldl uot VI ldulCo biCiO hho DtCu llNculcu
cue with corrugated handle; that is, Que
with rings cut deep around the part which
is grasped by the hand. This keeps it from
slipping. Then with her cue firmly but not
rigidly held by the right hand a lady is
taught that the stroke is a swinging one
A light stroke is delivered by swing of
the wrist; heavier one from the arm and
elbow. Could anything be simpler?
''As for fancy shots, don't know of one
which lady could not make, but, as l said
III Is Ia.
the question. The favorite game for the
fair sex is pool with fifteen balls on the
cloth. Many ladies prefer il at first to the
three or four ball game of billiards, as it
seems easier to put the balls in the pockets.
81 maintain" continued the professor.
shat the game of billiards is an excellent
exercise for women. 1t brings nearly
every muscle in the body into play, keeps
one constantly on the go and trains the eye
TO nicely. OF course practice and cultva-
ton will do great deal, but the faculty of
calculating distance by sight is gift"
Il suppose that a lady, to play the game
with ease, should be emancipated from the
rigdites of fashions" hazarded the re-
porter.
III by that you mean that she must not
wear corsets, l can tell you that you're
right" returned the expert. The tennis
costume is the thing for all exercises which
require free play OF the muscles"
What do you consider the most difficult
point LOT the ladies' 10 master? was the
next question.
We'll, | should say that to a woman. and
possibly to man, the difficulties of game
of billiards will BIZ met in the science of the
angles. Until the ladies cone to take their
lessons they imagine that the little inlaid
diamonds all along the border of the table
are there simply for ornament. 1t is some-
What OF a surprise for them to learn that
the'e diamonds are of the utmost impor-
tance III the game"
How do the ladies seem to regard the
game-do they become very enthusiastic
over it?''
Indeed they do. Many have labored un-
der the delusiOn that it was impossible to
become good billiard players Having dis
covered their mistake, they are doing their
best to make up for lost time"
DO they claim extra advantages on ac-
count of their sex?"
well, hardly. To be sure, many of them
at first use the bridge or cue-rest in making
a long shot, but most of them disdain its
aid, preferring to play like a man, and
using their good LETT hand as a rest for the
cue. But I'll tell you where you may be
sure to catch woman every time"
THAT is in making a Scratch AS all
billiardists know, a scratch is when n
good shot is made by accident or by mis-
take; but 1t is not a safe thing to tell
woman that she made scratch. She al
ways did 1t on purpose and takes credit
Ior 1t. AS to which ladies make the best
Dililardists, why the medium-siZed woman.
For the short ones the tables are too high
and for the fat ones the exertion is too
mueh-in imagination"
The famous cactus hedge suit at San Jose
was settled by jury in favor of the de-
fendant, Grover, who was induced to sign A
note Tor $1,000 as part payment of patent