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""Drop'' Cannons"

The foregoing cannons may be regarded as rather spectacular examples of ball control in cannon play. I have instanced them because they show very clearly how you can control the path of the first object-ball, and also because they provide a change in stroke play which makes your practice more agreeable. But for every cannon of the type shown in Figs. 16 and 17 you will have to play a dozen or more of the sort known as "drop" cannons. Various definitions of this word are current among billiard players, but I want you to "drop" the first object ball into position when playing ball-to-ball cannons, mostly from hand. The word is also commonly applied to cannons made off one cushion, usually the top cushion, and which "drop" the balls together nicely for a break. Strictly speaking, "drop" cannons should be played to direct the first object ball correctly, and also to "drop" on the second object-ball with the best positional result. But this is so very difficult that the best professionals constantly fail at it. They make the cannon, steer the first object-ball where they want it, and sometimes complete the cannon on the second object-ball to their entire satisfaction. But in the event of the cue-ball "dropping" more or less awkwardly on the second object-ball, they have to play a rather different shot from the one they had in mind. As this is the case, I think it is merely annoying to ask a beginner to flog away at M drop cannons with the idea of controlling all three balls-he will be lucky to do it when he can make useful breaks.