Rubber Cap

eyoresnorz

eyoresnorz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing for a long time and running tournaments for over ten years, but I saw something tonight that I have never seen before. I had a player come to my tourney tonight with his own cue (this guy normally plays off the wall). About half way through his first match, then end of his cue catches my attention. He has a rubber cap, not tip, over the end of the cue and is shooting with it. To be clear, this "cap" comes off the cue, and there is a tip underneath it. This "cap" looked like a thread protector from a screw and felt like the same material that is used for those pocket chalk holders.

I tried to reach a BCA ref, got her husband, and he was as baffled as I was. FYI, as TD, I made the call that the equipment was not legal and called for a replay of the match.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Would it be considered legal?

I searched the forums and found nothing like this. I saw the rubber tip thing, but this was not a tip. It looked like one of these: http://www.stockcap.com/prod_detail.asp?id=99&cat=12

Any input is appreciated as I am completely stumped on this one. :confused:

Thanks bunches!
 
Don't you think the player would shoot better with a regular tip and ferrule. What is the advantage of these caps?:confused:
 
eyoresnorz said:
I've been playing for a long time and running tournaments for over ten years, but I saw something tonight that I have never seen before. I had a player come to my tourney tonight with his own cue (this guy normally plays off the wall). About half way through his first match, then end of his cue catches my attention. He has a rubber cap, not tip, over the end of the cue and is shooting with it. To be clear, this "cap" comes off the cue, and there is a tip underneath it. This "cap" looked like a thread protector from a screw and felt like the same material that is used for those pocket chalk holders.

I tried to reach a BCA ref, got her husband, and he was as baffled as I was. FYI, as TD, I made the call that the equipment was not legal and called for a replay of the match.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Would it be considered legal?

I searched the forums and found nothing like this. I saw the rubber tip thing, but this was not a tip. It looked like one of these: http://www.stockcap.com/prod_detail.asp?id=99&cat=12

Any input is appreciated as I am completely stumped on this one. :confused:

Thanks bunches!
Click to expand...

If they don't damage the equipment, what is the harm? In the late 80's and early 90's there was a plastic tip sold called the future tip. They were allowed to be used.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
If they don't damage the equipment, what is the harm? In the late 80's and early 90's there was a plastic tip sold called the future tip. They were allowed to be used.

Dick
Click to expand...

I have a number of them that some one gave me around here some where, they in a package and have a little peice of paper explaining their use and advantages.

Dick, have you ever played with one? If so how did they play, because I bet these are still good.

Take care
 
eyoresnorz said:
I've been playing for a long time and running tournaments for over ten years, but I saw something tonight that I have never seen before. I had a player come to my tourney tonight with his own cue (this guy normally plays off the wall). About half way through his first match, then end of his cue catches my attention. He has a rubber cap, not tip, over the end of the cue and is shooting with it. To be clear, this "cap" comes off the cue, and there is a tip underneath it. This "cap" looked like a thread protector from a screw and felt like the same material that is used for those pocket chalk holders.

I tried to reach a BCA ref, got her husband, and he was as baffled as I was. FYI, as TD, I made the call that the equipment was not legal and called for a replay of the match.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Would it be considered legal?

I searched the forums and found nothing like this. I saw the rubber tip thing, but this was not a tip. It looked like one of these: http://www.stockcap.com/prod_detail.asp?id=99&cat=12

Any input is appreciated as I am completely stumped on this one. :confused:

Thanks bunches!
Click to expand...

Well if the guy can win with this on his tip you should have let it count. How the heck can you beat anybody with that as a tip.
 
Methinks you made the correct call

eyoresnorz said:
I've been playing for a long time and running tournaments for over ten years, but I saw something tonight that I have never seen before. I had a player come to my tourney tonight with his own cue (this guy normally plays off the wall). About half way through his first match, then end of his cue catches my attention. He has a rubber cap, not tip, over the end of the cue and is shooting with it. To be clear, this "cap" comes off the cue, and there is a tip underneath it. This "cap" looked like a thread protector from a screw and felt like the same material that is used for those pocket chalk holders.

I tried to reach a BCA ref, got her husband, and he was as baffled as I was. FYI, as TD, I made the call that the equipment was not legal and called for a replay of the match.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? Would it be considered legal?

I searched the forums and found nothing like this. I saw the rubber tip thing, but this was not a tip. It looked like one of these: http://www.stockcap.com/prod_detail.asp?id=99&cat=12

Any input is appreciated as I am completely stumped on this one. :confused:

Thanks bunches!
Click to expand...

eyoresnorz:

I'm familiar with this "stock tip protector" product. It is made of a soft vinyl compound (just like those pocket chalk holders as you equated them to), and are designed to "grip" whatever they are slipped onto. They are mainly a protector. Because the material they are designed from has the natural tendency to "grip" (both inside and outside surfaces), these stock tip protectors should be considered an exotic accessory, and not standard equipment.

A player using one of these stock tip protectors in your tournament, is closely equivalent to a player coming into your tournament with one of these installed on his/her cue:

http://hotshotscanada.com/item4764.htm
http://twistertip.com/

It's certainly NOT a leather tip, but a material that is designed to grip exponentially better than leather. IMHO, something like this should only be used for trick-shot expositions.

Anyway, methinks you made the correct call.

Hope this is helpful!
-Sean
 
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According to my reading of the BCA League Rule book, under cue specifications a rubber tip appears to be legal except for break shots.


Cues
a. The width of the cue tip must not exceed 14 millimeters. There is no minimum width.
b. The weight of the cue must not exceed 25 ounces. There is no minimum weight.
c. The length of the cue must be at least 40 inches. There is no maximum length.
d. The cue tip must be composed of leather, fibrous, or pliable material. The cue tip on break cues must be made of leather with no non-leather materials added to the contacting surface.

Paragraph (d) changed to this text 6/18/2009
phenolic tips not permitted on break cue.

e. (deleted)

Cue Tip
A piece of leather, fibrous, or pliable material, attached to the shaft end of the cue along its long axis, which contacts the cue ball during a stroke.

Ferrule
A piece of protective material at the end of the cue shaft, onto which the cue tip is attached.

http://www.playbca.com/Downloads/Rulebook/CompleteRulebook/tabid/372/Default.aspx
 
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I think you may have made the wrong call in ruling the tip illegal. I believe the BCA rules spell out equipment specifications, and I don't recall anything banning rubber tips.
As for the fact that is slips on over the tip, that wouldn't be much different than the slip-on tips I have seen used in plenty of bars on their house cues...certainly not something I would want to use...but I suspect it is quite legal.
Steve
 
The official equipment specifications limit the tip diameter to no more than 14 mm.

If this rubber/plastic gizmo is slipped over a regular tip, the resulting playing tip could well be more than 14 mm and, therefore, illegal.
 
Does he use Chalk?

Does not it say somewhere in the rules that the tip must be no bigger than 14mm seems as though it might have been.
Also I don't believe the tip can be larger than the ferrule?
I guess I was typing as At Large was posting.
 
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Wow!

I am amazed at all of the great responses I have received on this.

sfleinen - Thanks for the support. I agree with you on the Twister Tip. If you cannot add on an extension, you shouldn't be able to add on to the tip. This is part of what I made the decision on.

ctyhntr - Thanks for the link, but I actually carry a small book in my bag. I do need to get a new book though...

pooltchr - I would have agreed with you had it actually been some sort of tip, but it wasn't.

AtLarge & Rackem - I had not taken the size into account, but yes, it was definitely larger than 14mm. I will be using this to support my decision.

I feel pretty awful about this as I am friends with both players, but when you're a TD, I believe you have to set friendships aside and do what is right/fair/honorable. In addition, it's hard enough being a TD without adding being female into the mix since most of the boys try to see if they can run over me.

Thanks to everyone who responded. It is much appreciated!

p.s. Trigger/Bigtruck - I'd really appreciate your input on this...
 
Remember, abstinence is the only 100% successful method of birth control and the most effective way to protect yourself from STDs.
 
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