The Lions and the Lambs

<p> First published in 1970 <em>The Lions and the Lambs</em> profiles the best pool players of that time. It followed the release of <em>The Hustler</em> a highly acclaimed<strong>-</strong>and financially successful film<strong>-</strong>starring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. Until 1970 there has been no book about pool/billiards that separated the facts from the legends of this timeless sport. Shakespeare mentions billiards in <em>Anthony and Cleopatra</em>; Mary Queen of Scots played the game and Lord Bryon also mentioned billiards.</p><p> Lions in the language of the game are gamblers or hustlers; those who can win when there is money on the table; Lambs are tournament players but not necessary gamblers.</p><p> The book includes both categories of players; each chapter is a comprehensive profile of the player<strong>-</strong>his (or her) attitudes toward the game and comments about other players. </p><p> Also included is a Introduction about pool in the United States; a section about the film <em>The Hustler</em> and a lexicon of terms. It is illustrated with a wide variety of photographs many taken by the author.</p><p> The book went out-of-print after its original printing and the book publisher also disappeared. Copies available on the internet have listed at $200-$250 or more; this is a reprint of the 1970 edition.</p>