The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-14

I1UWGVGI, IIlS IldkIl6 1IlUI1BuGS lit.
Three cushion must be a lazy, rest
full game, figure, since do pretty
well on one cushion at night. So I
strike out for Harry Coolers parlor
to see what can be done about it. I
arrive, and Immediately lose myself
in wilderness of % pool tables. 1
am rescued by a round-faced, smil-
ing, be-cigared individual who an
nounces he is Harry Cooler.
"Just the man am looking fol-"
I say. 81 want to learn three cush-
ion billiards and get in the state
tournament"
Well" he grins, you can learn
now and We'll talk about the tour
nament later" He ushers me oyer
to the main billiard table, and right
away I see I am going to have a
royal time because the table is COW
cred with purple cloth. The third
ball is yellow instead of the usual
red.
A LII the other tables are wrapped
L n with green cloth, and purple
is just now coming into style, it
seems, because it is easier on the eye.
This game is easy to learn. but
probably the most difficult in the
world to play expertly," my instruc-
tor begins. "Out of the five million
people playing, only five or six are
top notchers." I see it is going to
be long, hard grind to get up in
the top-notch class, but I decide to
stick it out.
You learn this game much in the
manner of picking up golf," he con-
tinues. Relaxation, stance, stroke.
follow through, all are important
and keep your eye on the ball.
Three balls are on the table.
try to watch them all as they roll
around for few minutes and get a
headache. Then he explains that
the eye should be kept on the cue
ball, which you must stroke with
your cue SO that it glances off of one
ball, rebounds off the padded rails
of the table three times, and smacks
into the other little sphere to score
one point!
How long does game usually
last?" / ask.
"Oh, seldom lower than SO in
nings; often as high as a hundred, y
he answers casually.
TOOD night! One hundred in
NJ ningsl And I sometimes get
tired just sitting through nine. I'm
sorry" say. 'but really can't stay
all night
Mr.. Cooler Gains me down by adj
vising that an inning is made every
time a player attempts to score. If
he makes the point, he keeps on
shooting and the inning is not over
until he misses. The first player
to amass so points wins the match
The player who gets the most points
in one inning takes high rum hon
orS for the match.
High runs, like football first
downs, don't mean a thing, though
since it's the final score they pay
of on. Among the better cue crank
ers, the average high run for q
match is 5 or 6.
/ practice laboriously for two
hours and work up to a high run o1
one. Which is better than I ex-
pect when I first start and see what
am getting into.
Take your cue," says Mr. Cooler.
(Which door do I enter from?" ]
ask. My instructor gives me a sharp
glance, and see must squelch the
Thespian in me If I am to appre-
ciate the Technology of this game
y = .
CLOWLY but surely my earnest
10 professor pounds the rudiment;
into me. Soon am standing with
my right foot back, making a sole
bridge for the cue with my left hand
and am cueiHg the ball slightly
above center on the same side a:
the direction / want 1t to TAXI
around the table.
There is only one trouble. Thu
contrary cue bali glances OF thu
object ball and bounds Oh the cush.
lion three nne1 AZ right but posi-