APA question

ideologist

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I received a call last night about an APA league match where a player struck the cueball with their bumper instead of the tip, using the cue like an old-time mace.

Is this type of stroke legal in the APA?

Is there an actual rulebook out there someone can send me? NOT the 'handbook', but a codified set of APA rules that would be enforced in Las Vegas and elsewhere.

Thank you!
 
You know, there's nothing that really says that you must use the equipment in the manner
intended, only that the equipment that you use need to be for made for pool.

Also, there is no minimum standard as far as equipment goes. We once played a match at a VFW
on a table made from partial board with giant pockets, the table had recently been re-clothed in
flannel from the local sewing store, it was cheaper

If there's a local rule that says that you have to use equipment "properly" that would be enforceable
at the local level ONLY.

On the national level there's nothing that forbids this (or at least nothing that I've been able to find).

Fortunately, as a referee at the national level I have never been called on for this.

Bottom line is it's a pool cue, it makes a single contact with the cue ball - legal stroke in the APA.

The "Team Manual" or rule book is available on line at the APA website.
 
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Sounds to me like someone was rubbing their victory in. The old I can beat you with a broom stick deal.
 
Did he speak in a odd accent? What were his clothes like? He could be a time traveler. Don't rule it out.
 
I don't see anywhere in that guidebook where they talk about what a legal shot it, BUT, every single example in the book about miscues, legal jump shots, etc... talk about using the TIP of the cue, as in "the tip contacts the ball" "scooping the tip under the ball", etc...

Going by that, you need to use the tip only to shoot. Or they would have said "when any part of the cue contacts the ball". You can't use the side of the cue to hit the ball, so why would you be able to use the bumper?

Really using the tip to shoot is a general pool rule, it's like driving a car on the sidewalk, you really don't need to read somewhere that it's not OK to do.
 
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An organization who's rule book doesn't adequately cover double hits and push shots can't really be expected to cover even more one-off scenarios.
 
I think Hang the 9 is correct. I think you have to use the equipment in the way it was designed. There are many other rules talking about miscues and double hits that include furrel contact.

I would not constitute what they did as a legal hit.
 
StraightPoolIU said:
An organization who's rule book doesn't adequately cover double hits and push shots can't really be expected to cover even more one-off scenarios.
Click to expand...

No rule book in any league covers everything..quite a few threads on this forum asking for clarification of rules in bcapl ...vnea .....tap etc.

Dont just single out the apa with your post.
 
lorider said:
No rule book in any league covers everything..quite a few threads on this forum asking for clarification of rules in bcapl ...vnea .....tap etc.

Dont just single out the apa with your post.
Click to expand...

BCAPL says this:

Legal Stroke
Forward motion of the cue resulting in the cue tip striking the cue ball for only the momentary time customarily associated with a normal shot. "Forward" means relative to the cue itself, along the long axis of the cue and away from the butt, and has no relevance to any part of the table or any relationship to the player or any part of their body (see Diagrams 2. Also see Rule 1-18 and Diagram 4. p. 30 ).
 
lorider said:
No rule book in any league covers everything..quite a few threads on this forum asking for clarification of rules in bcapl ...vnea .....tap etc.

Dont just single out the apa with your post.
Click to expand...

You are correct that every scenario cannot be covered by any rule set. However, that wasn't my point. My point was to say that APA's written rules are the least well fleshed out in this regard. The BCAPLs are probably the most fleshed out, but again I don't expect them to cover everything. I do expect them to cover items like push shots and double hits adequately.
 
OK - this isn't directed at any individual, just a comment:
Sure - I'd like to see a bit more clarification in APA (scratch on the break for example); but, we see the same thing in many competitions. Not a year or season goes by that someone doesn't complain that the rules aren't clear enough in: MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NASCAR, etc. I'm just mentioning it with the hope that some folks who get their shorts in a bunch might consider it and relax to just enjoy the game a bit more.
 
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So to sum it up, a stroke with the bumper of the cue isn't illegal

Correct?

There is no rule prohibiting this in APA play?
 
ideologist said:
So to sum it up, a stroke with the bumper of the cue isn't illegal

Correct?

There is no rule prohibiting this in APA play?
Click to expand...

I guess it would depend on your interpretation of the rules. There is nothing that would
directly prohibit this in the Team Manual (rule book), but common sense would likely say
that you hopefully wouldn't need a rule for this. As we can clearly see some things have
to be spelled out, this being one of them. The utter shock of seeing someone turn their
cue around to strike the ball with the bumper would probably leave most of us speechless
and unable to call a violation.
Only in the APA......
 
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