Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-07-15
FACTS FOR
1)s!lLllAllRID list
Some Interesting Instructions that
Might Come IN
Handy

OF the large number of persons who
play billiards there are probably Few
who know much about the cues and
balls which they use.
The cues vary greatly in weight and
price, according to the woods used In
their making. The tops OF all good
cues are made OF maplewOod. The
maple Is seasoned in the open air FOR
from six to twelve months and kiln
dried, to prevent varying after the
cues are finished. The butts are made
of ebony. sapote mahogany. rosewood.
cocoabolo, tulip. amarant and snake
wood; the different woods being used
to secure the proper weight. Ebony is
the heaviest wood. The cost Of these
various woods. except the snakewoOd
and ebony. Is the same. Ebony and
snakewood bring a slightly increased
price. The best cues are those OF nat
ural balance: that is that are weighted
by the clear wood. and are not loaded
or bored. although some players prefer
the loaded or bored cues. and have
them constructed to suit their taste.
Although a great many professionals
use cues weighing as much. as % and IS
ounces. the majority use the lighter
weights. from Is to IS ounces. Frank
C. Ives used 22-ounce cue. So does
Frank Keeney, wellknown Brooklyn
player who used 19-ounce cue for
some years. but hearing that Ives used
a 22-ounce cue he tried one of that
weight himself, and found 1t suited him
80 well that he has since used 1t ex-
clusively. wizard Schaefer. how
ever. the world champion. uses cue
weighing only Is ounces.
There is a large choice in cut tips
fiat tips, round tips, narrow tips and
broad tips-but there Is no real differ
ence between them. 1t being all mat
ter OF what each player fancies. The
only tip which has any advantage over
the others IL the removable tip, which
can be unscrewed from the cue and re-
placed when out of order. without any
delay or annoyance. The leather used
In cue tips is calfskin. taken from the
head. Just back of the ears. where the
leather IL both thick and soft. No
other leather would do as 1t Ia either
too thin or too hard. The French calf
skin II considered slightly better than
the American. but there IL not much
choice between them.
The regular cues cost from so cents
to $40 the difference In price being due
to the inlaid fancy woods. pearl or
ivory name plates. ivory joints and tips.
cord wound about the grip. ornamented
butts, and other similar additions. The
jointed cues are made mostly for travel
and the best cues are not jointed unless
20 ordered, as the jointed cues are not
no strong az the single-piece cues.
To offset the perspiration of the
hands and to afford better grip the
butts of the more expensive cues are
cord wound or have ornamental COR
rugations.
The cues given for prizes at tourna-
ments are handsome affairs. inlaid with
different colored woods. with name
plate of pearl. and cost from $16 to $50.
Some cues have been given for prizes
at the leading clubs that have had gold
name plates. and have cost as much as
$50.
Billiard balls are made Of Zanzibar
ivory--the other ivory. known as the
Bombay ivory. being too liable to crack
or chip. The Zanzibar ivory IL soft and
therefore lasts better. The regulation
ball II ~ inches In diameter, and a
set Of four costs about $50. They are
rough turned-that is. turned little
larger than the balls are to be when
iinished--and are stored away In open
crates for from sixteen to twenty
months to season the ivory after being
turned. and to allow any shrinkage
to take place before the balls are An
ished. II the balls were not seasoned
In this way they would be liable to
shrink after they We're finished. and as
they only shrink In the direction OF the
grain. they would become oval instead
OF remaining round. as they should be,
and It would be necessary to have them
turned again. The composition balls
have been brought to the same size and
weight as the ivory balls. but the com
positions lack the elasticity Of the ivory
and are not, therefore, as good