Show 9 V released by western newspaper union ALTHOUGH ALTHOUGH erwin rudolph won his first pocket billiards championship pion ship in 1911 the genial cue shark is is more active today than hs he was as a mere stripling of 30 or 35 on labor day of 1942 rudolph started arted t an exhibition tour which has taken him to army camps in all parts of the united states his first stop was at fort ontario in oswego N Y from there he went to key west fla finally winding up deep in the heart of texas the following june so far he has visited at least camps played in exhibitions and demonstrated his uncanny ability through the operation cooperation co of brunswick balke the company which underwrites his army camp tour luuk rudolph who will be 50 in december started playing billiards back in 1909 when he was 15 just a year and a halt half later he won the ohio state pocket billiards championship pion ship in 1927 he annexed his first worlds championship by defeating ralph greenleaf to 38 record after taking the title from greenleaf in 1927 rudolph went on to win it again in 1930 1933 and 1941 his last victory was at the expense of willie mosconi and irving crane both of whom he defeated in the playoffs play offs in talking to rudolph one gets the firm impression that he is much happier demonstrating his wares be W k M ERWIN RUDOLPH fore the boys in army camps than he be was and is in championship competition and it a question of nerves he just likes to entertain the boys it would be impossible to find a more interested and appreciative audience lee than the boys in the army camps he declares most of them understand the fundamentals of the game and are with the player all the time its worth traveling any distance just to perform for the boys the game of billiards is definitely on the rebound according to rudolph he feels and with justification that it will come back strong after the war thousands of service men who never played before are taking an interest in the game As many as billiard tables are found in some of the camps and as many as 2500 men have witnessed some of his exhibitions that this builds interest in the game is proved by the following excerpt from one of the many letters employers have received from commanding officers of army camps where he has appeared As you can well imagine since mr appearance the interest in pocket billiards has taken on new life and we truly are developing some great players repeat performances the letters rudolph receives speak volumes they tell of the tremendous amount of camp interest and are almost unanimous in requesting a repeat performance the former champion enter entertains tal ns with exhibitions of both pocket billiards and trick shots many of the latter shots were first used by rudolph and now are a standard fixture in other players routines in talking to beginners rudolph emphasizes three fundamental rules the first of these the forming of a firma bridge with the left hand he terms one of the most important factors in the game lie he also cautions that the cue must be held very loosely at the balance with the shooting arm relaxed and finally that when stroking the ball the head should be kept absolutely still as in golf in addition he warns beginners to refrain from using english the controlled spin imparted to the cue ball when it is stroked english will come naturally as you learn the game he says it cannot be taught successfully |