The Latest Billiard Stroke

Empire, Fremantle, 11 July 1908

Shrewd judges declare that the future billiard champion is Tom Reece, a remarkable little man from Oldham. Since John Roberts retired Stevenson and Dawson have been at the head of the game, but Reece during the past year has developed so rapidly that it is only a matter of opinion now whether he could not meet and beat either Stevenson or Dawson on level terms. He has met Dawson on three occasions this season, and with a start of 2000 in 8000 up has twice won by more points than the number conceded to him, and not unnaturally desires to see how he would fare if he did battle with “John Roberts’ successor ” on even terms. Lord Brackley thinks so highly of Reece that he has offered to match him against either Stevenson, who has just returned from a tour round the world, or Dawson, for £200 aside. Stevenson and Dawson have refused to accept the offer. And this week Reece is playing Cecil Harverson, the South African champion, a game of 15,000 up under the novel conditions of one shilling a point for every one the victor wins by, the limit being £75.

Next week Reece plays John Roberts at snooker’s pool. Twenty-five games are to be played for half-crown points, which is also a novelty in the world of billiards. And, talking novelties, the latest is the “rocking cannon,” which has been introduced by William Cook, son of the old champion, in a recent game with Raynor, a young professional from Yorkshire. The “rocking cannon” is far more intricate than the famous “anchor stroke.” It amounts to this: with one object ball tight on the cushion, the second object ball about an inch away from and half an inch to the left or right, with the cue ball lying between the two, a cannon is made by a delicate kiss from the first object ball and, coming back so gently, touches the second object ball that it merely rocks it and rolls it back into position. For the first twenty cannons or so the stroke is very difficult to manipulate, but subsequently the balls practically make a groove, and in the hands of Reece, Lovejoy and Cook, the cannon experts, scoring is tolerably easy; indeed, it is possible to make as big big breaks as by means of the “anchor cannon.” Although quite new to English players, the “rocking cannon” has long been in the repertoire of strokes affected by American and continental players.

(BY HAZARD)