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Touching an Object Ball But No Movement

10/25/2008 1:55:51 PM

Touching an Object Ball But No Movement

Is it legal (not an eight ball foul?) if my hair touches a static ball which is not in play on the table while I'm striking a ball? Or is it a foul? What about if the ball doesn't move? Just curious. I can image it would be hard for some female pool players with longer hair if this rule would be enforced hard core.

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

Touching an Object Ball But No Movement

Replies & Comments
  1. guestquickshot on 10/25/2008 2:23:40 PM

    I don't think it would be an anything. In the APA some times a person would accidently touch a ball and it would be moved back if it moved. Of course if it bothers you, maybe a haircut would help.

  2. guestbilliardsforum on 10/25/2008 3:39:11 PM

    I'm not speaking authoritatively on this, but I don't believe a foul. Just as long as you do not knock and move the ball then you have not really interfered with, or affected the game. Based on that, I'd say that you have not fouled!

  3. guestguest on 10/25/2008 3:45:14 PM

    Thanks guys this forum is sweet. Although, I'm thinking that I disagree, because isn't it a foul shot no matter what.no object of any kind is to touch any ball in play? Even regardless of whether the ball moves or not includes clothing and such? I'm not talking about casual play - I'm talking more about tournament play - bca or wpa. I just don't want to be caught when I could have known. Thanks again.

  4. guestjana on 10/25/2008 4:15:38 PM

    I just finished explaining this to @billiardsforum. In tournament play, it is a foul shot no matter what. No object of any kind is to touch any ball in play regardless of whether the ball moves or not. Apparently, this includes clothing etc.

  5. guestquickshot on 10/25/2008 4:23:21 PM

    Okay, you did not specify BCA or WPA. I think The APA is a little more lenient. So I guess the real solution is for you to get a haircut.

  6. gueststraightshooter on 10/25/2008 5:00:32 PM

    Hmm, this probably doesn't come up as much as you think. That said, I think both of the other answers are correct. From what I know based on the time I've spent playing pool around the local leagues (in Texas, where I now live) I can almost guarantee that it depends on what set of rules you are playing by, as others have noted. In some sets of rules touching any ball with anything results in a foul. In other sets of rules (APA for example) it is only a foul if you touch the cue ball. Other rules, of which there are many, depend on whether the touched ball actually moves, as determined by the referee.

  7. guestMitch Alsup on 10/28/2008 3:28:11 PM

    BCA specifies that it is not a foul if the movement is in no way associated with the shot.

    TV tournements have an "All Balls" foul. Jennette Lee has to be careful that her hair does not drap over a ball.

    Thus, at best, it is "rules" dependent.

  8. guestquickshot on 10/28/2008 7:27:27 PM

    Mitch: What do you mean an "all balls" foul?

  9. guestMitch Alsup on 10/29/2008 8:32:33 AM

    Anything that touches any ball excepting the cue-tip on the cue ball with a legal stroke is a foul and opponent gets ball in hand.

    • So hair drapes across the ball = foul
    • Drool drops on ball = foul
    • Cue touches ball after hitting cue-ball = foul
    • Cue touches ball while lining up a bank shot = foul
    • Hand touches ball while trying to get a bridge between balls in cluster = foul
    • Hand touches ball-not-in-hand while placing ball-in-hand in middle of cluster = foul

    Notice its not movement that creates the foul situation, the touched ball does not have to be displaced from its original position to receive the penalty.

  10. guestquickshot on 10/29/2008 9:15:00 AM

    Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

    I would also assume that if the bridge itself touches a ball it is also a foul because it is an extension of the hand.

  11. guestMitch Alsup on 10/30/2008 10:20:26 AM

    My list is far from complete, but illustrates the peril the player has in an all-balls-foul situation.

    And yes, the bridge can cause a foul, but so can Dropping the chalk and hitting a ball.

    I suspect that hitting the cue ball hard, having the cue-tip fly off and hit a ball would also be a foul.

  12. guestquickshot on 10/30/2008 11:22:51 AM

    Thanks a lot. I'll have to read up on that in my spare time. It's pretty stringent.

  13. guestsrinivaskotian on 1/13/2012 8:15:11 AM

    The question itself seems ambiguous.

    If the ball is not on the table, then where is the question of a foul? Touching any ball on the table with any part of the body, or the cue (other than the tip) is considered a foul, resulting in "ball in hand" for the opponent.

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Touching an Object Ball But No Movement

  • Title: Touching an Object Ball But No Movement
  • Author:
  • Published: 10/25/2008 1:55:51 PM