Is it OK to grab balls after a game?

Slider

Slider

S.F. Bay Area
Silver Member
The "Forfeit Question" thread reminded me of this;

Many years ago I was playing in a USPPA winter tournament at the Sands Regency in Reno against a player who was getting three games in race to seven. As a 55, I wasn't used to giving that kind of weight, but he seemed to really need it, and I was playing pretty well, steadily eating my way through the spot. At the end of the fifth game or so, I pocketed the 9, and was passing the balls down to my opponent to rack, but made the mistake of grabbing the cue ball as it rolled to a stop in the middle of the table. This is something that wasn't uncommon in USPPA matches throughout the year, and was done by a lot of players. I've even seen it on Accu-Stats matches and money games. Anyway, he hollered 'Foul!". It took me by surprise, but I realized that he was technically right, so after an incredulous, "Really?", I gave him the win and racked. I was a little ticked off at myself, but I didn't want to make that big of a deal about it and drop out of my "Zone". (such as it was)

Next rack, after making the 9, I let the cue ball roll toward the head of the table and I started rolling object balls from the side pocket to my opponent who was waiting at the foot of the table, and he hollered "Foul!" again. This time I called the TD over, we both explained what happened and he ruled it a foul. Up until that point I had been playing kind of loose, so I really bore down on the game (there's nothing like a motivated opponent) and not only did he never get any breathing room, but after each subsequent game I won, I just marked the win and went to my chair. Looking back, maybe all the guy wanted was to collect the balls himself.

After the match, I checked the rule book and couldn't find anything that would make rolling pocketed balls on the table a foul, which leads me to believe that the TD was just too busy to listen, or didn't fully understand what had happened.

Ken
 
The road to hell is paved with good intention, isn't it?

Now you know to let other people touch their own balls.
 
Had the cue ball come to a complete stop? If not.....touching anything on the table or rolling the balls on the table THEORETICALLY interfere with the cue ball and keep it from THEORETICALLY scratching which is what makes it a foul. Until it comes to a dead stop.....leave well enough alone.
 
Vince_Former_BB said:
Had the cue ball come to a complete stop? If not.....touching anything on the table or rolling the balls on the table THEORETICALLY interfere with the cue ball and keep it from THEORETICALLY scratching which is what makes it a foul. Until it comes to a dead stop.....leave well enough alone.
Click to expand...

Theoretically, does a ball on a table set up in a steel-framed 15+ story building ever really come to a dead stop? ;)

Ken
 
There you go.......next time you play the guy as soon as he touches a ball yell foul because cosmologically speaking the ball was still in motion through space/time. Let's see him argue THAT point with you.
 
Vince_Former_BB said:
There you go.......next time you play the guy as soon as he touches a ball yell foul because cosmologically speaking the ball was still in motion through space/time. Let's see him argue THAT point with you.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
I like to split hairs, which is why I married a cosmetologist instead of a cosmologist.

Ken
 
As others pointed out, you have to let the cue ball roll to a stop. Otherwise, it could be seen as interfering with the game. Chalk it up as your opponent realized he couldn't beat you by skill alone, and had to resort to nitpicking the rule.
 
Here's a bump in the road for you to think about, happened many years ago, I believe it was when I was shooting in the world series of bar games back in 1989. I ended up beating a guy roughly 5-3, but, it was during the time when opponents racked. I could not figure out during the match that no matter what I did, the racks came out like a safety break. I continued to watch this guy when he flipped to the losers side and saw that he always took a drink before bolting to the table and grabbing the remaining balls on the table and had told the head ref what I saw. Didn't pay much attention after that, but, they watched him and threw him out of the tournament at some point.
If I am racking, I would just appreciate that I am the only one messing with the balls as even a few players I know sweat so bad, I don't want anything transferred. I don't think that's the situation you went through as most Friday Nights, what you did is common practice, but, I may have given you a warning instead of a foul at first, then a foul if it happened again, I guess.
Just goes to show you that one out of a thousand can stand to win at any cost. The rule is good, must come to a complete stop.
 
There's a real easy solution the next time someone tries to call a foul for touching the cue ball when it's not going to scratch. When you're opponent calls the foul, you just say the cue ball had stopped moving. When he argues, tell him that if there is no ref that saw it, the call goes to the shooter. If someone is going to be that big of an a$$ to call that foul, then I have no problem being an a$$ back.
 
Last edited:
That happened to me once in a small regional tournament. Nine ball and it's obvious the cue ball was going to stop within another inch or so right in the middle of the table.

The guy called FOUL. I said nope. He said you grabbed the cue ball while it was moving. I said so what you could see it wasn't going anywhere. He said that's not the point, rules are rules and it's a foul. I said nope again. He said he was going to call the TD over. I said fine. TD asked what happened and he told him. TD asked me if I grabbed the ball while it was moving. I said nope. TD ruled in my favor since he didn't see it. Guy was livid and called me a liar. After the TD left he said I knew damned well it was moving. I said of course I did but if he's going to be a nit then I'm going to be a liar. A liar isn't any worse than a nit is it? Play pool nit. Later you can just lie and say you beat me.

JC
 
I've notice a few pros that have done that. They grab the cue ball as it is slowing down, but not quite completely stopped. However in those cases, it was obvious the cue ball wasn't going to scratch. I've never seen anybody call it a foul. I played against people that have done it also, but have never called it.

I remember a tournament in Fayetteville, NC a few years ago. Charlie Bryant was playing someone and he made the eight and scratched, leaving just the nine ball on the table. His opponent raked the nine ball without shooting it and Charlie called him for the foul.
 
I agree that it's nitpicking to call it, but really, there's no excuse for even giving the nit the opportunity to call it. By picking up a moving ball, you're saving yourself what, four seconds or so, in terms of re-racking or whatever? Surely that four seconds can't be that important to you ;) Let all the balls finish rolling.
 
canadave said:
I agree that it's nitpicking to call it, but really, there's no excuse for even giving the nit the opportunity to call it. By picking up a moving ball, you're saving yourself what, four seconds or so, in terms of re-racking or whatever? Surely that four seconds can't be that important to you ;) Let all the balls finish rolling.
Click to expand...


I have to agree with this. The only times I've called this foul were during the weeks leading up to Nationals - and it was only to make the point to my friends and teammates that it's a bad habit, particularly when you're preparing to play in a larger tournament with lots of people you don't know.

Some folks WILL call this foul. Although sometimes it can be nitpicking, it's better to not provide the opportunity.

(Of course, competing against friends usually doesn't require such rigidity.)

-Blake
 
While a real rule, the only time I've seen it called was when there was a ref watching or the cueball was moving fast or going near a pocket. Grabbing any ball in motion is a foul, so is putting your hand in a pocket to catch a ball before it drops.

There are several "procedure" rules that are often not enforced, or people don't know what they are to enforce them.

Letting the opponent know he's on two fouls at the right time (when he is aproaching the table for his shot).

Stopping a ball in motion.

Putting your hand in a pocket to catch a ball.

Mis-cue or something else on the break where the breaker just re-does it.

Moving a ball on cueball only fouls and then just moving it back or not without asking the opponent what they want to do before shooting again.

No practice lag right before the real one.

Hitting balls on another table during a match.

Walking up to the table before the opponent shoots the game winner.

I think may of those rules, especially in league matches or local tournaments go ignored, often due to the players not really caring.
 
Last edited:
FreeShot said:
I remember a tournament in Fayetteville, NC a few years ago. Charlie Bryant was playing someone and he made the eight and scratched, leaving just the nine ball on the table. His opponent raked the nine ball without shooting it and Charlie called him for the foul.
Click to expand...

I agree with Charlie on this one as there was still a ball on the table and the incoming player could have mis-cued or something. I do not ever give anyone a ball that is on the table no matter who it is.

As far as the cue ball rolling and picking it up knowing damn well its not going to scratch, thats fine in my book. If the ball is rolling toward a hole I will wait til it comes to rest.
 
Lbkcuekid said:
I agree with Charlie on this one as there was still a ball on the table and the incoming player could have mis-cued or something. I do not ever give anyone a ball that is on the table no matter who it is.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I thought it was presumptuous to rake the nine off without asking.
 
This! I'm using this. I know physics (to a degree) and this man speaks the truth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
canadave said:
I agree that it's nitpicking to call it, but really, there's no excuse for even giving the nit the opportunity to call it. By picking up a moving ball, you're saving yourself what, four seconds or so, in terms of re-racking or whatever? Surely that four seconds can't be that important to you ;) Let all the balls finish rolling.
Click to expand...

Pssshaw! What fun would that be?!:wink::grin-square:

I was playing finals of a tournament last Thursday night, first game, I break/ make nothing and my opponent goes over and pics up the cb. I what he be doing asked him- seriously!

I didn't take the shot, should have though. i won a few in a row and he hung a couple 9s... So karma came around, I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top