Socializing Over Snooker

Bella Vistans bring new life to old game

They’ve got coffee, but that’s as strong as the drinks get.

They watch their mouths (at least while this reporter was in the room) and don’t wager any money.

Why do they play?

“My wife says, ‘Get out of the house and don’t come back till dark,’” Bill Moutray jokes.

The Snooker Club, which plays at Riordan Hall in Bella Vista, is 22 members strong now, Bill Jaynes says.

If one calls Riordan Hall trying to locate the players, she will be told they arrive in the morning between 8 and 9 and play until lunch. Some come back after lunch for more.

Moutray is new to the group and has only been playing a few weeks. A novice, he calls himself.

He’s typically a golfer, but he prefers to stay indoors in colder weather. That led him to snooker.

Snooker is an old English billiards game played in partners or singles, Jaynes says. There are 15 red balls and six other differently colored, numbered balls.

The balls are smaller than regular billiard balls, as are the pockets into which they are shot. The snooker table, however, is larger than a pool table.

When asked how long they have been getting together to play at Riordan, Jaynes answeres, “How long has Cooper been here?” He’s referring to the village’s developer, so it’s a long time.

The tables were once in the exercise room at Riordan, but they now have theirown room in the rear of the hall. The players have their photos on the wall, their own coffee pot and personal cue sticks locked in a cabinet.

Membership is $7 a year, Jaynes says, which covers the coffee.

Every January, they hold a tournament.

The game proceeds as one player shoots a red ball first, then follows with a numbered ball, if the red ball goes in a pocket. That player may continue with alternate shots of red then numbered balls as long as he makes the shot each time.

Red balls that are sunk get one point. Other balls get the number of points that correspond with the number on the ball.

Foul shots - those against the rules of the game - mean seven points to the other player or team. The player or team with the highest amount of points wins.

Jaynes says the group prefers snooker to regular pool because the games last longer. He plays four or five games, then goeshome for lunch.

The players’ heckling skills are almost as good as their games. “I could have had lunch before you guys finish this game,” one player says. “You sold the farm on that one.” “You didn’t have to shoot that hard to kick it!” They don’t get many female members, a player says. It’s not because they aren’t welcome. Maybe these guys scare the women away, Laverne Moe says.

On this day, Moutray sinks the winning shot into the pocket amidst friendly calls of, “He’ll never make that shot!”

Not bad for a novice.

Whats Up, Pages 16 on 02/15/2013

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