Same ball on every break at the San Diego Classic?

[AuntyDan]

Seeing as how some of this was raised in the "What happened to Karen?" thread, I thought I'd mention that I watched the finals in San Diegeo last month and it appeared to me the wing ball was being made by every player during the semis and finals on nearly 100% of the breaks.

The only break I recall that came up dry was one of Allison's. However on that break she clearly hit the wrong spot on the 1 as she also scratched in the side, the only time I saw any player do this.

Did you notice this when you were playing, or was it just my imagination? Could it perhaps be because Steve Tipton racks more reliably than the players who rack for themselves or their opponents in the earlier rounds?

Aunty Dan.

 

[Melissa Herndon]

Many of the girls have the hang of making the wing ball on the break on those tables. As long as you don't break too hard, the wing ball slides right in due to the new cloth. As a matter of fact, you can break soft and it will still usually go in....which kind of bites as far as I am concerned.

I worked hard to develop a big break and a cue-ball that stops...and sometimes I get rewarded by making 3 or 4 balls on the break. But it is rough when a girl gets up and barely hits the balls and makes a ball everytime. Now they probably won't get a run-out table since the balls won't spread...but they get first shot at playing safety and what-not...and it just isn't good pool as far as I am concerned.

My respect goes out to the gals who have tried, since the beginning of their pool-playin days, to break like the guys. Sarah Rousey, Helena, Monica, Tiffany N, Gerda...I like the way they attack the balls....thumbs up from me!

Melissa

 

[AuntyDan]

Thanks for the reply Melissa. Coincidentally I have just finished reading Willie Mosconi's autobiography "Willie's Game" where he makes the comment that playing a professional sport is not just about mastery of technique but that you have an obligation to entertain the paying audience too. (He was specifically referring to the very plain playing style of Irving Crane.)

I also saw a recent UPA tournament where they were using Sardo racks and also had a break box enforced, but most of the Pros still seemed to find a guaranteed break spot to make the wing ball and get the 1 and the cue ball within 2 feet of each other in the kitchen.