strange thing can happen!

[WALTER-ITALY]

Just a question about the rules..if during my shot i'm lost a button of my shirt and it touch a ball is that a faul?

[Robert602]

That's a good one, a player certainly would be penalised if, say, the button was dangling by a thread but still attached. They'd also be penalised if they threw a button at the balls.

Even so, I'd be tempted to rule 'ball moved by other than striker' in this instance, since it's accidental and no longer attached, but I couldn't be confident of that. It'd seem rather unfair to foul them for it but that might be the ruling.

I'll be interested to read what our resident referees think of this one.

[missneworleans]

That's ineteresting one. It's quite stupid because of course small button wouldn't move big ball.
I don't remember this things happening anytime, so it's diffucult to say

[WALTER-ITALY]

IT'S HAPPENED TO ME in carom match(unrefreed).I think may be an infraction to the letter of reglement but not to the spirit.I presume this is the part of rules concernedvi) touching a ball in play, other than the cue-ball with the tip of the cue as a stroke is made,

[PaulTheSoave]

Interesting. What if a hair would losen itself and fall on a ball. This one is meant to be serious.

[belfast141]

Well..

well i think the referee wud use his discretion - or were wud it end? a fallin drop of sweat.... some dandruff..... a stray nasal hair..lol....

[DawRef]

Strange thing can happen

As one of your 'resident refs', my answer is this.

Section 3 Rule 18(a) states:

The striker is responsible for all items including, but not limited to, rests and extensions that he brings to the table, whether owned by him or borrowed (except from the referee), and he will be penalised for any fouls made by him when using this equipment.

The defining part of this rule is '...all items including, but not limited to...'. This, in my opinion, includes items of clothing, as he has bought that to the table. Therefore, if a button fell off from the strikers clothing onto a ball, then it is a foul.

The Rule covering 'Ball Moved Other Than By Striker' does not come into it (unless another player or referee is refereeing and his button falls off and hits a ball, then it does).

[The Statman]

I agree with DawRef - definitely a foul! It is part of your person, and as such you are responsible for it. If you carried something in your breast pocket and it came out of your pocket and hit a ball - or even landed on the table and a ball then rolled into it - that is a foul.

A button hitting a ball is just the same, regardless of whether it actually moves it or alters its course.

[ADR147]

the clothing of the player must be considered his responsibility and within his control therefore its a foul.

[Wity]

I too agree it is (or shouild be) a foul however just to play devils advocate The defining part of rule18(a) could just as easily be the word equipment. The sentence implys snooker equipment of which a button is obviously not.

I think it's just a poorly worded rule really, thus leaving a possible different interpretation by refs.

[oymyakon]

It's definitely a foul. Buttons belong to clothing. Not of them may touch a ball.
(same applies to advertising labels, glasses, perukes, glass eyes, dentures, rings, earrings,..... )

[berolina]

It's definitely a foul. Buttons belong to clothing. Not of them may touch a ball.
(same applies to advertising labels, glasses, perukes, glass eyes, dentures, rings, earrings,..... )

...head...

[oymyakon]

....and hats....

[rambon]

at the risk of being rude, what about bogeys?

PS I can't believe I'm 34 years old and have said that word...

[DawRef]

Strange Things Can Happen

As was said previously. Anything that a player brings to the table is the player's responsibility.
So, if the referee noticed a hair, 'bogey' (yuck!!!!!!), hat, finger nail, etc., etc., etc. drop from the player onto a ball, whilst he was playing his stroke, then, technically it is a foul. (Don't now start a thread asking what would happen if a hair, etc., fell from the non-striker - answer, if you are thinking abut it, 'Ball Moved Other Than By Striker).
I actually fouled a player, because the hair on his arm touched a ball.