The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-24
BILLIARD TALK
Acoustics Important in Expert Playing of the
 Game.
NOT ENOUGH CONSIDERED
Referee Mclaughlin Presents some Highly Interesting
 Theories.

Acoustics make a deal of difference in expert billiard playing, in the opin- ion of Edward Mclaughlin, himself an expert and the best known billiard ref cree in the country. Mclaughlin has been refereeing important matches for twenty years or moro and has made study of the conditions which have prevailed
 "1'he matter of acoustics is one that has received little or no attention in the arrangement of most of the public halls-I don't mean the regular rooms that is, acoustics as applied to their effect on billiards he said, and l presume that most people who play billiards never have given it thought. Yet it is subject that ought to be considered carefully. for there would be better billiard playing if the rooms were arranged with careful regard to sound
 Where does sound come in in a i billiard match? I'll tell you. The sound made by the contact of billiard balls is music when the sound is what ! it should be, when the proper at mospheric and architectural conditions have the desired effect on the sensi- tive ivory balls. Would a music room be built without regard for these con- ! ditions9 It would not, and there is just as much reason why a billiard room should not.
 If billiard balls have tinpanny sound ar sound like cobblestoncs when they roll and meet something in the conditions of the hall is having bad effect onr them. And the sound of the balls has it's effect on tho player as well as showing that the balls are ail- ing So the player suffers as to his game. With the more delicate calcu- lation of the expert the more he will be affected by tools which arc not per- feet. but under similar circumstances any player would he affected, though he might not be as quick to discover the reason as the trained expert The primary cause of the condition of the balls and consequently of the poor playing of the expert is to be found in the conditions of the ball itself. uul lilf Stulll bt lilt pailp hfi7Nf n i' isn't the clear and musical note it should be, will be a second reason.
 There may he those who think this is a far-fetched theory, but it isn't in the least When the sound is right the play will he twice as good. have an ear for music myself. and l know can play twice as well when the sound s.- ,,lc and ra The other sort of sound has disquiet- ing effect on the expert players nerves and stroke. Why, players like Sutton Morningstar. Schaeffer Slosson ana others of high class are just as keer to detect the effect of the slightes flaw in conditions when they are per forming as Paderewski is in his line though being of different tempera ments they are affected differently.
 There are ways by which soun' can be absorbed and distributed in room with marked Advantage Cloth hung here and there. Lattice work ani other artificial devices will make a bi, improvement if the owner of the room will study the matter and experiment When the sound indicates that tn balls are heavy and kumpy it is wei to look for the cause. The Licder kranz in this city is good Illustration of the effect of acoustics. That Is
 musical organization and the acoustic : there for billiards are perfect. Loo
 at the amount of excellent play tla l has been done there.
 .,p~bpn +hn halls solInd ba1Iy- if ma l mean they are being affected by
 draught or a back pressure of air. q
 again they may cause the player [ ] imagine there is a draught when ther
 is none. The fault may lie with the ar | rangement of the building. being on
 of acoustics entirely As a rule th s more spectators there are ill a hall tn
 better the play. the reason for wiiIc is not altooetker due to the inspira