[ral819]

APA league 8 ball scenario. You have ball in hand and your next shot happens to be in the middle of the table. It requires a bridge to shoot it in a corner pocket. You place the cue ball behind the object ball within 12 inches. You place the bridge in location behind the cue ball. The cue ball needs to be moved slightly to the right or left. So you use your cue stick to adjust the cue ball, due to a long reach. The only part of the cue stick touching the cue ball is wood or plastic ferrell. NO part of the leather tip touches the cue ball. Is this an allowable move of the cue ball ?

[ral819]

Even after having addressed the cue ball a player may, if not
satisfied with the placement, make further adjustments with
their hand, cue stick or any other reasonable piece of equipment.
Only the player or the Team Captain may officially call a foul,
although anyone may suggest to the player or the Team Captain
that a foul should be called.
NOTE: A foul that is not called when it occurs cannot be
called once the next shot has been taken.


This is what I've found in the rules however, I was concerned with interpretation of this rule...?

[SmokinJoe46]

You may move the cb until you are satisfied with its placement. In fact, you may pick it up & move to a completely different section of the table.

[ral819]

Thanks Joe but, the contact of the ferrell to the cue ball, in using a cue stick to move the cue ball, is what I'm asking ? I think most of the players I know consider contact by the "tip" to be a foul. The ferrell is different isn't it ? This occurred during league play, and I hate to have to be specific, but obviously there was some difference of opinion. The cue's tip was past the cue ball during positioning of the cue ball...

[hang-the-9]

Originally Posted by ral819

Thanks Joe but, the contact of the ferrell to the cue ball, in using a cue stick to move the cue ball, is what I'm asking ? I think most of the players I know consider contact by the "tip" to be a foul. The ferrell is different isn't it ? This occurred during league play, and I hate to have to be specific, but obviously there was some difference of opinion. The cue's tip was past the cue ball during positioning of the cue ball...

Ferrule is not the tip. Even if the tip contacts the cueball when using non-idiot rules, that should not be a foul if it was contacted during adjustment of the cueball. Heck, the Junior Nationals with 10 year olds explained that to the kids during the events, they said if the tip contacted the cueball but not during a shot, it's not a foul. I would think a bunch of APA players would have the knowledge and sense of 10 year old right?

You can't hit the cueball with a stroking motion. So if you put the tip on the cueball then pushed it forward like in a shot, I can see someone saying that was a foul.

[SmokinJoe46]

Originally Posted by ral819

I think most of the players I know consider contact by the "tip" to be a foul. The ferrell is different isn't it ? .

In my opinion, the tip is part of the 'cue stick'.
As a former D-1 Umpire I've learned to read the rules with their intent in mind. All rules are there to prevent an unfair advantage.
Moving a ball with the tip creates no such advantage...BUT if you squat down move the ball with the tip & it appears to have committed a sneaky infraction to altered/hit any OB you could understand a call of foul.
Like the marker rule, the intent was for loud area's where one could claim "I called the bank", a physical marker eliminates all doubt.
If the opponent cried foul for simply touching the CB with the tip while performing placement, then he is in violation of sportsmanlike rules IMO.
I despise numbskulls' that enforce rules beyond its intended purpose...

[ral819]

Many Thanks, I also understand there have been some changes in the APA rules on this. Making this much more broad in it's application. I checked further into my league on it with an Individual who Ref's in Vegas.