When I was young, it was always said that proficiency at snooker was the sign of a misspent youth. Snooker halls were considered the depth of depravity. A friend and I were the first two females in the snooker room in our university union when the ban was lifted and since then I have been interested in it.
Yesterday I watched the first two matches in this year’s Masters Championship from Ally Pally and it struck me once again what a pleasant, courteous atmosphere prevailed. A cue can be used for making a shot or tapping the table to signify praise for an opponent’s shot. No sledging, (do female cricket players like those who beat Australia in Perth do that?) no abuse of racket, no shouting at the referee, no physical assaults on opponents, no diving. Nothing at all unpleasant. There are accusations of players having thrown matches, but that is true in all sports.
By the way, I am not at all proficient at snooker.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Sheona, Medad took me to play snooker when I was about 17and I toyed with it at Uni like you. Never a great player but great sport! And yes, the manners displayed were and are impecable. The pros even call their own fouls – imagine that in almost any other game. The ‘characters’ tend to be known for their off-table antics and very few have ever been disciplined for on-table behaviour of any kind.
You’re right, Janus. Not so long ago a British player expressed his horror that his Chinese opponent had not admitted to a foul.
Where I was young most pubs had a snooker room and table and still have so most people played. There are still pub leagues in Wales. It was not to be confused with the’ horrors’ of public snooker halls!!
The parents were consumed with keeping me out of public dance halls, they were the bete noirs of me youff!
Mind you they had a point, most were incredibly rough and full of fighting oicks.
In those days lots of people had their own snooker tables or dining tables that revealed one. I still play a mean game. Snooker was acceptable, for some bizarre reason billiards wasn’t!!
So to keep on the right side of the parents by 16 I was down the pub, drinking and playing snooker but never danced or associated myself with anyone that owned a motorcycle! Going to casinos were acceptable too, (God knows why!) Apart from that I read. Seeing they were both teetotal they never apparently never picked up on being as pissed as a newt! As long as one could enter vertically, speak civilly and make a direct beeline for one’s bedroom that was all right!
Very, very strange parents!!!
I never watch it on TV, not actually sure it is on USA tv!
“…and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.”
Ted Lowe
All the pubs seem to have pool instead of snooker tables now, limitations of space I suppose.
And pool is SO much easier to understand and play. Americans prefer it. 🙂
My mother was hooked on the BBC series “Pot Black” and I guess she admired the gentlemanly conduct of guys like Ray Reardon. But then again she liked Alex HIggins too. And of course whispering Ted Lowe in the commentary.