Sunday, April 17, 2005

Spotlight
When, on this date in 1875, a British colonel stationed in India suggested adding colored balls to a billiards game, snooker was born. "Snooker" was the term used for a first year army cadet, and became used for novices of the new game, and, eventually, for the game itself. The first professional world championship was played in 1927, with Joe Davis winning it and every other world snooker championship until 1946.

Quote
"To play billiards well was a sign of an ill-spent youth" -- Herbert Spencer

Today in History

• Boston News-Letter: 1st successful US newspaper, published by John Campbell (1704)
• Bay of Pigs: unsuccessful invasion of Cuba launched by exiles supported by US (1961)
• Cambodia: fell to Khmer Rouge with capture of Phnom Penh, resulting in genocidal killing fields (1975)

Today's Birthdays

• Nikita Khrushchev: USSR leader (1894-1971)
• Daffy Duck: cartoon character (68)
• Nick Hornby: Author of High Fidelity, Fever Pitch, About a Boy (48)

Word of the Day
 highest snooker break: total score of a player in a single round at the table; in billiards, a break is the opening shot of the game.   (© )