Non-Player interference. There is a sign on my table

Snooker and Carom are in tournament play again. Snooker is at the table and is shooting at one of his object balls. In that process, after Snooker has made contact with the cue ball, Snooker raises his cue stick and it strikes the light fixture above the table. At that point, the table number designation sign which is affixed by tape to the chain holding the table light fixture comes loose and falls onto the table striking the cue ball and pinning the cue ball against the side rail. Carom, seeing an opportunity to call a foul, leaps to her paws and declares a Foul. Snooker fails to acknowledge the Foul saying that it was simply an equipment failure. You are the referee called to the table. You make the call!!!!

Carom argues that it must be a foul for two reasons. First, under the Accidentally Moving a Ball Rule, whenever the Shooter accidentally moves the cue ball, it is a foul, and Secondly, under the Player Responsibility Fouls Rule found in the general definitions, it must be a foul because a Shooter is responsible for chalk, bridges, files and any other items or equipment the Shooter brings to, uses at, or causes to approximate the table if such item should make contact with a cue ball. Carom argues that both of these Rules should apply and it is clearly a foul. Snooker on the other hand argues that he never moved the cue ball after he executed his shot; therefore, the Accidental Movement of a ball Rule does not apply, and further, he didn’t bring the table designation sign to the table. Snooker says that was done by the table set up workers who did not adequately affix the table designation sign to the chain holding the light fixture.

Caron also points out that the table designation sign didn’t fall until after Snooker hit the light above the table with his cue stick. Snooker responds that the only reason the table designation sign fell was due to equipment failure, and that the Non-Player Interference Rule applies which states in part that the Rule shall also apply to “act of God” interference, such as earthquake, hurricane, light fixture falling, power failure, etc. Snooker says that the Rule is not limited to those events listed, and that the Rule contemplates a number of different causes which result in balls being moved including the cue ball. As we analyze the circumstances, Snooker himself did not move the cue ball. Granted Snooker hit the light fixture and the table designation sign then fell onto the table striking the cue ball, but Snooker himself did not move the cue ball. Also, Snooker did not bring the table designation sign to the table, nor did he tape the sign to the chain holding the light fixture. Snooker should not be responsible for the table designation sign falling.

The proper Rule to be applied is the Non-Player Interference rule found in the General Definitions of Pocket Billiards, # 15, and is more akin to a light fixture falling than anything else. It is not a foul. Of course, under the Non-Player Interference rule, the ball(s) are to be replaced as near as possible to their original positions immediately prior to the incident. Here the cue ball was in motion. No one knows where it would have ended up, and it clearly was not going to be at the point where the cue ball was first struck by the table designation sign. At this point, the only thing to do with the position of the cue ball is to leave it where it presently lies and let the game continue. 

Fred A. Johnson