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83-405: A referee is a person of authority in a number of sports games. Specific sports referees include: A referee may also be: Referee or The Referee may also refer to: Referee Originally team captains would consult each other in order to resolve any dispute on the pitch. Eventually this role was delegated to an umpire . Each team would bring their own partisan umpire allowing

166-529: A bed made of thick slate, in three pieces to prevent warping and changes due to temperature and humidity. The slates on modern carom tables are usually heated to stave off moisture and provide a consistent playing surface. Smaller bar tables are most commonly made with a single piece of slate. Pocket billiards tables of all types normally have six pockets, three on each side (four corner pockets, and two side or middle pockets). All types of tables are covered with billiard cloth (often called "felt", but actually

249-424: A cue , which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth -covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as cushions . Cue sports are also collectively referred to as billiards , though this term has more specific connotations in some varieties of English. There are three major subdivisions of games within cue sports: Billiards has a long history from its inception in

332-456: A "bilzeart burde" covered with green cloth at Holyrood Palace in 1581. The imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots , had a billiard table at Tutbury Castle . She complained when her table de billiard was taken away (by those who eventually became her executioners, who were to cover her body with the table's cloth). A 1588 inventory of the Duke of Norfolk 's estate included a "billyard bord coered with

415-463: A balkline parallel to each rail after a specified number of points have been scored. Another solution was to require a player's cue ball to make contact with the rail cushions in the process of contacting the other balls. This in turn saw the three-cushion version emerge, where the cue ball must make three separate cushion contacts during a shot. This is difficult enough that even the best players can only manage to average one to two points per turn. This

498-440: A blue colored cloth which was chosen for better visibility and contrast against colored balls. A rack is the name given to a frame (usually wood, plastic or aluminium) used to organize billiard balls at the beginning of a game. This is traditionally triangular in shape, but varies with the type of billiards played. There are two main types of racks; the more common triangular shape which is used for eight-ball and straight pool and

581-411: A corner or along the same rail for the purpose of playing a series of nurse shots to score a seemingly limitless number of points. The first straight rail professional tournament was held in 1879 where Jacob Schaefer Sr. scored 690 points in a single turn (that is, 690 separate strokes without a miss). With the balls repetitively hit and barely moving in endless "nursing", there was little for

664-474: A goal respectively, also calling wides and square-balls. An umpire can also advise the referee on off-the-ball incidents, but does not hold as much authority as a linesman. In recent times, technology called 'Hawk-eye' can be used if both the umpires and referee are unsure of whether a point has been scored or not, though this technology is not widely available. In 1892, the International Rugby Board

747-544: A greene cloth ... three billyard sticks and 11 balls of yvery". Billiards grew to the extent that by 1727, it was being played in almost every Paris café. In England, the game was developing into a very popular activity for members of the gentry. By 1670, the thin butt end of the mace began to be used not only for shots under the cushion (which itself was originally only there as a preventative method to stop balls from rolling off), but players increasingly preferred it for other shots as well. The footless, straight cue as it

830-402: A head referee, who oversees the running of the entire game and has final say in any disputes, and who doubles as an inside pack referee, following alongside the main pack of skaters from inside the track and issuing and enforcing penalties for fouls or infringements of the rules; and two jammer referees who follow the two point-scoring players known as jammers. Additional referees fill the roles of

913-434: A linesman. At inter-county senior games and other important matches, an eighth official, the "Sideline Official", receive substitution notes and holds up the number of substituted players and the amount of additional time , similar to a soccer fourth official . In recent times, technology called Hawk-Eye can be used if both the umpires and referee are unsure of whether a point has been scored or not, although this technology

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996-887: A prize of $ 10,000 for a substitute material. The first viable substitute was celluloid, invented by John Wesley Hyatt in 1868, but the material was volatile, sometimes exploding during manufacture, and was highly flammable. There are many sizes and styles of billiard tables . Generally, tables are rectangles twice as long as they are wide. Table sizes are typically referred to by the nominal length of their longer dimension. Full-size snooker tables are 12 feet (3.7 m) long. Carom billiards tables are typically 10 feet (3.0 m). Regulation pool tables are 9-foot (2.7 m), though pubs and other establishments catering to casual play will typically use 7-foot (2.1 m) tables which are often coin-operated, nicknamed bar boxes . Formerly, ten-foot pool tables were common, but such tables are now considered antiques. High-quality tables have

1079-451: A referee and an umpire. A commissaire is an official in competitive cycling. Aside the race control who are responsible for the start, running and timekeeping of the race, each section of the circuit is presided by a team of marshals led by an observer, who also report incidents and technical mishap of the race. In practical shooting competitions within the IPSC , Range Officers enforce

1162-438: A second inside pack ref and up to three outside pack refs, who perform similar duties to the inside pack refs, but from the outside of the track, and who rotate active duty in a relay-race style to avoid fatigue caused by the extra speed needed to keep pace with the pack from the outside. Non-skating officials complete the team by recording and communicating points and penalties and ensuring skaters serve their time accordingly. Only

1245-406: A single referee in the center of the mat, or a head referee and an assistant. In professional wrestling , the referee's on-stage purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts. However, in reality referees are participants in executing a match in accordance with its pre-determined outcome as well as any other events that are scripted to take place during

1328-493: A succession of leaders ( judges ). The same word is also used in modern Hebrew for referees in any kind of contest and in particular in sport. To distinguish them from judicial judges and from each other, the kind of the contest is added after the word "shofet" in the Construct state (e.g. "shofet kaduregel" שופט כדורגל, literally "judge of soccer"). Billiards Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with

1411-442: A tapout and to pull fighters off an unconscious opponent. The referee is advised by a doctor and assistant referee who sit ringside. The primary concern and job of an MMA referee is the safety of the fighters. The game of roller derby is governed by a team of up to seven skating referees. (Only three are required due to the grass-roots nature of the sport, though the full seven are used whenever possible). The required referees are

1494-425: A woven wool or wool/nylon blend called baize ). Cloth has been used to cover billiards tables since the 15th century. Bar or tavern tables, which get a lot of play, use "slower", more durable cloth. The cloth used in upscale pool (and snooker) halls and home billiard rooms is "faster" (i.e., provides less friction, allowing the balls to roll farther across the table bed ), and competition-quality pool cloth

1577-397: Is abrasive, hand-staining and difficult to apply.) Many players prefer a slick pool glove over hand chalk or talc because of the messiness of these powders; buildup of particles on the cloth will affect ball behavior and necessitate more-frequent cloth cleaning. Cue tip chalk (invented in its modern form by straight rail billiard pro William A. Spinks and chemist William Hoskins in 1897)

1660-557: Is an important element to make good shots in pool or snooker . Cue tip chalk is not actually the substance typically referred to as " chalk " (generally calcium carbonate ), but any of several proprietary compounds, with a silicate base. It was around the time of the Industrial Revolution that newer compounds formed that provided better grip for the ball. This is when the English began to experiment with side spin or applying curl to

1743-403: Is assisted by two linesmen, who make decisions on who gains possession when the ball goes out of the field of play, and can also advise the referee on off-the-ball events such as a fight or an illegal tackle. As well as the referee and two linesmen, there are two umpires at each end of the field of play who stand on either side of the goal post and raise a white flag for a point, or a green flag for

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1826-399: Is known today was finally developed by about 1800. Initially, the mace was used to push the balls, rather than strike them. The newly developed striking cue provided a new challenge. Cushions began to be stuffed with substances to allow the balls to rebound, in order to enhance the appeal of the game. After a transitional period where only the better players would use cues, the cue came to be

1909-421: Is made by crushing silica and the abrasive substance corundum or aloxite (aluminium oxide ), into a powder. It is combined with dye (originally and most commonly green or blue-green, like traditional billiard cloth , but available today, like the cloth, in many colours) and a binder (glue). Each manufacturer's brand has different qualities, which can significantly affect play. High humidity can also impair

1992-507: Is made from 100% worsted wool . Snooker cloth traditionally has a nap (consistent fiber directionality) and balls behave differently when rolling against versus along with the nap. The cloth of the billiard table has traditionally been green, reflecting its origin (originally the grass of ancestral lawn games), and has been so colored since at least the 16th century, but it is also produced in other colors such as red and blue. Television broadcasting of pool as well as 3 Cushion billiards prefers

2075-473: Is not widely available. Ice hockey games are presided over by on-ice referees, who are generally assisted by on-ice linesmen. The combination of referees and linesmen varies from league to league. Some leagues use the title "assistant referee", giving those officials greater powers to call certain penalties. In addition, off-ice officials administer to specific functions such as goal judge, penalty timekeeper, game timekeeper, statistician, official scorer and, at

2158-435: Is oftentimes assisted by two assistant referees , and sometimes by a fourth official . An American football (or Canadian football ) referee is responsible for the general supervision of the game and has the final authority on all rulings. The referee is assisted by up to six other officials on the field. These officials are commonly referred to as "referees" but each has a title based on position and responsibilities during

2241-430: Is presided over by a crew of either two, three, or in some cases four on-field officials. In two-man crew, a Referee and an Umpire are utilized. In a three-man crew, a Referee, Umpire, and Field Judge are utilized. The Referee shall always have the final ruling on any and all matters. For games of significance a four-man crew can be used which includes a three-man crew plus a Chief Bench Official who has jurisdiction over

2324-403: Is presided over by a first referee, who observes action from a stand, providing a clear view of action above the net and looking down into the court. The second referee, is at floor level on the opposite side of the net—and in front of the scorers' table. They are often referred to informally as the "up referee" and "down referee," respectively. While the first referee watches over actions involving

2407-478: Is sometimes described as "hardest to learn" and "require most skill" of all billiards. There are many variations of games played on a standard pool table. Popular pool games include eight-ball , nine-ball , straight pool and one-pocket . Even within games types (e.g. eight-ball ), there may be variations, and people may play recreationally using relaxed or local rules. A few of the more popular examples of pool games are given below. In eight-ball and nine-ball,

2490-403: Is too far away for normal hand bridging. It consists of a stick with a grooved metal or plastic head which the cue slides on. Some players, especially current or former snooker players, use a screw-on cue butt extension instead of or in addition to the mechanical bridge. Bridge head design is varied, and not all designs (especially those with cue shaft-enclosing rings, or wheels on the bottom of

2573-528: Is typically slightly smaller than that of standard solids-and-stripes sets. Snooker balls are smaller than American-style pool balls with a diameter of 52.5 mm ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 16  in), and come in sets of 22 (15 reds, 6 " colours ", and a cue ball). English billiard balls are the same size as snooker balls and come in sets of three balls (two cue balls and a red object ball). Other games, such as bumper pool , have custom ball sets. Billiard balls have been made from many different materials since

Referee (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-545: The International Sumo Federation , the roles of referee and judges remain the same as professional sumo, though the religious and traditional elements and tasks for referees have been removed. Referees in amateur sumo wear an all white uniform with black bowtie akin to the appearance of western boxing referees . An umpire is an official in several sports such as baseball and cricket . A few sports such as American and Canadian football (see above) have both

2739-544: The World Games since 2001 . Billiard balls vary from game to game, in size, design and quantity. Russian pyramid and kaisa have a size of 68 mm ( 2 + 11 ⁄ 16  in). In Russian pyramid there are 16 balls, as in pool, but 15 are white and numbered, and the cue ball is usually red. In kaisa, five balls are used: the yellow object ball (called the kaisa in Finnish), two red object balls, and

2822-461: The officials or referees . In boxing a referee is the person who enforces the rules during the fight. He gives instructions to the fighters, starts and stops the count when a competitor is down, and makes the determination to stop a fight when a competitor cannot continue without endangering his health. In cue sports, such as billiards and snooker , matches are presided over by a referee. The referee will determine all matters of fact relating to

2905-477: The 'giraffe' (or 'swan' in England) which has a raised arch much like the 'spider' but with a slender arm reaching out around 15 cm with the groove. Chalk is applied to the tip of the cue stick, ideally before every shot, to increase the tip's friction coefficient so that when it impacts the cue ball on a non-center hit, no miscue (unintentional slippage between the cue tip and the struck ball) occurs. Chalk

2988-547: The 1340s, and was reminiscent of croquet. King Louis XI of France (1461–1483) had the first known indoor billiard table. Louis XIV further refined and popularized the game, and it swiftly spread among the French nobility. While the game had long been played on the ground, this version appears to have died out (aside from trucco) in the 17th century, in favor of croquet, golf and bowling games, even as table billiards had grown in popularity as an indoor activity. James VI and I had

3071-748: The 15th century, with many mentions in the works of Shakespeare , including the line "let's to billiards" in Antony and Cleopatra (1606–07). Enthusiasts of the sport have included Mozart , Louis XIV of France , Marie Antoinette , Immanuel Kant , Napoleon , Abraham Lincoln , Mark Twain , George Washington , Jules Grévy , Charles Dickens , George Armstrong Custer , Theodore Roosevelt , Lewis Carroll , W. C. Fields , Babe Ruth , Bob Hope , and Jackie Gleason . All cue sports are generally regarded to have evolved into indoor games from outdoor stick-and-ball lawn games , specifically those retroactively termed ground billiards , and as such to be related to

3154-465: The 20th century and is still enjoyed today in Commonwealth countries. Another pocket game, Russian pyramid and its variants like kaisa are popular in the former Eastern bloc . In straight rail, a player scores a point and may continue shooting each time his cue ball makes contact with both other balls. Some of the best players of straight billiards developed the skill to gather the balls in

3237-518: The Judges as with ordinary competition and operates a touch screen computer, inputting deductions and marking the skaters. The other, known as the Assistant Referee ;— Ice, stands by the barrier where the teams enter the ice. The ARI monitors ice conditions, communicates with the event Referee and supervises teams. A professional sumo match is overseen by a referee ( 行司 , gyōji ) in

3320-645: The Range Master, the athlete may lodge a formal protest to the Arbitration Committee. However, some referee calls may not be challenged by the athlete, particularly those regarding safe firearms handling. A gamemaster acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game . They are more common in co-operative games in which players work together than in competitive games in which players oppose each other. The Biblical Book of Judges revolves around

3403-518: The Range Officer, and has primary authority over the particular course. The overall authority for all officials in the entire match is held by the Range Master (RM). If an athlete disagree with a call made by a Range Officer, he may consult the Chief Range Officer to challenge the call. If the call is still upheld, the matter may be brought to the Range Master. Finally, if the call is upheld by

Referee (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-399: The ancestral mace games, and even the modern cueless variants, such as finger billiards, for historical reasons. Cue itself came from queue , the French word for ' tail '. This refers to the early practice of using the tail or butt of the mace, instead of its club foot, to strike the ball when it lay against a rail cushion . A recognizable form of billiards was played outdoors in

3569-423: The arch) in the early 17th to late 18th century, but other game variants, relying on the cushions (and pockets cut into them), were being formed that would go on to play fundamental roles in the development of modern billiards. The early croquet-like games eventually led to the development of the carom billiards category. These games are played with three or sometimes four balls on a table without holes in which

3652-416: The ball (and thus the attacking team), the second referee usually judges errors committed by the defending team, like touching the net. The first referee assumes a supervisory control over the match at all times while creating a cooperative environment with the second referee, line judges, and scorers. The second referee's duties are multi-faceted and include on-court responsibilities during play, working with

3735-472: The ball goes out of the field of play, and can also advise the referee on off-the-ball events such as a fight or an illegal tackle. As well as the referee and two linesmen, there are two umpires at each end of the field of play who stand on either side of the goal post and raise a white flag for a point, or a green flag for a goal respectively, also calling wides. Any umpire can also advise the referee on off-the-ball incidents, but does not hold as much authority as

3818-482: The ball. This was shortly introduced to the American players and is how the term "putting English on the ball" came to be. "Chalk" may also refer to a cone of fine, white hand chalk ; like talc (talcum powder) it can be used to reduce friction between the cue and bridge hand during shooting, for a smoother stroke. Some brands of hand chalk are made of compressed talc. (Tip chalk is not used for this purpose because it

3901-618: The bench area including the timekeeper. The professional outdoor league in the United States utilizes four on-field officials in order to be able to better keep up with the increased pace of play. Rules in mixed martial arts (MMA) bouts are enforced by a referee who can give warnings and disqualifications should the rules be broken. The referee is also in charge of stopping fights when a fighter "cannot intelligently defend himself" in order to prevent him from incurring further damage, as well as making sure that submissions are released following

3984-416: The break has been completed and no balls are obstructing the template. Billiards games are mostly played with a stick known as a cue. A cue is usually either a one-piece tapered stick or a two-piece stick divided in the middle by a joint of metal or phenolic resin. High-quality cues are generally two pieces and are made of a hardwood, generally maple for billiards and ash for snooker. The butt end of

4067-664: The cue ball when it is not hit in its center. Cheap cues are generally made of pine, low-grade maple (and formerly often of ramin , which is now endangered), or other low-quality wood, with inferior plastic ferrules. A quality cue can be expensive and may be made of exotic woods and other expensive materials which are artfully inlaid in decorative patterns. Many modern cues are also made, like golf clubs , with high-tech materials such as woven graphite. Recently, carbon fiber woven composites have been developed and utilized by top professional players and amateurs. Advantages include less flexibility and no worry of nicks, scratches, or damages to

4150-465: The cue is of larger circumference and is intended to be gripped by a player's hand. The shaft of the cue is of smaller circumference, usually tapering to an 0.4 to 0.55 inches (10 to 14 mm) terminus called a ferrule (usually made of fiberglass or brass in better cues), where a rounded leather tip is affixed, flush with the ferrule, to make final contact with balls. The tip, in conjunction with chalk, can be used to impart spin to

4233-448: The cue. Skilled players may use more than one cue during a game, including a separate cue with a hard phenolic resin tip for the opening break shot, and another, shorter cue with a special tip for jump shots . The mechanical bridge, sometimes called a "rake", "crutch", "bridge stick" or simply "bridge", and in the UK a "rest", is used to extend a player's reach on a shot where the cue ball

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4316-403: The diamond-shaped rack used for nine-ball. There are several other types of less common rack types that are also used, based on a "template" to hold the billiard balls tightly together. Most commonly it is a thin plastic sheet with diamond-shaped cut-outs that hold the balls that is placed on the table with the balls set on top of the rack. The rack is used to set up the "break" and removed once

4399-423: The effectiveness of chalk. Harder, drier compounds are generally considered superior by most players. There are two main varieties of billiard games: carom and pocket . The main carom billiards games are straight rail , balkline and three cushion billiards. All are played on a pocketless table with three balls; two cue balls and one object ball. In all, players shoot a cue ball so that it makes contact with

4482-411: The fans to watch. In light of these skill developments in straight rail, the game of balkline soon developed to make it impossible for a player to keep the balls gathered in one part of the table for long, greatly limiting the effectiveness of nurse shots. A balkline is a line parallel to one end of a billiards table. In the game of balkline, the players have to drive at least one object ball past

4565-502: The first choice of equipment. The demand for tables and other equipment was initially met in Europe by John Thurston and other furniture makers of the era. The early balls were made from wood and clay , but the rich preferred to use ivory . Early billiard games involved various pieces of additional equipment, including the "arch" (related to the croquet hoop), "port" (a different hoop, often rectangular), and "king" (a pin or skittle near

4648-491: The form of pockets , or holes partly cut into the table bed and partly into the cushions, leading to the rise of pocket billiards , including "pool" games such as eight-ball, nine-ball, straight pool, and one-pocket ; Russian pyramid ; snooker ; English billiards ; and others. In the United States, pool and billiards had died out for a bit, but between 1878 and 1956 the games became very popular. Players in annual championships began to receive their own cigarette cards . This

4731-581: The game: referee, head linesman ("down judge" in the NFL ), line judge, umpire, back judge, side judge, and field judge. In the modern XFL , an additional "ball judge", who wears a red hat, is on the field, but does not have the power to call penalties. There are usually 7 officials in Gaelic football . A main referee follows the play around the field and has the final authority on decisions such as fouls, throws and card-issuing, un-disputable by players. The main play referee

4814-410: The goal is generally to strike one object ball with a cue ball , then have the cue ball rebound off of one or more of the cushions and strike a second object ball. Variations include straight rail , balkline , one-cushion , three-cushion , five-pins , and four-ball , among others. One type of obstacle remained a feature of many tables, originally as a hazard and later as a target, in

4897-402: The head), are broadly tournament-approved. In Italy, a longer, thicker cue is typically available for this kind of tricky shot. For snooker, bridges are normally available in three forms, their use depending on how the player is hampered; the standard rest is a simple cross, the 'spider' has a raised arch around 12 cm with three grooves to rest the cue in and for the most awkward of shots,

4980-416: The highest professional levels, instant replay official. In korfball , it is the referee's responsibility to control the game and its environment, to enforce the rules and to take action against misbehaviour. He is assisted by an assistant referee, who alerts the referee to out balls and fouls and may have other tasks determined by the referee, and where possible by a timekeeper and scorer. A lacrosse match

5063-525: The historical games jeu de mail and palle-malle , and modern trucco , croquet , and golf , and more distantly to the stickless bocce and bowls . The word billiard may have evolved from the French word billart or billette , meaning 'stick', in reference to the mace , an implement similar to a golf putter , and which was the forerunner to the modern cue ; however, the term's origin could have been from French bille , meaning 'ball'. The modern term cue sports can be used to encompass

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5146-627: The latest. Quite a variety of particular games (i.e., sets of rules and equipment) are the subject of present-day competition, including many of those already mentioned, with competition being especially broad in nine-ball, snooker, three-cushion, and eight-ball. Snooker, though a pocket billiards variant and closely related in its equipment and origin to the game of English billiards, is a professional sport organized at an international level, and its rules bear little resemblance to those of modern pool, pyramid, and other such games. A "Billiards" category encompassing pool, snooker, and carom has been part of

5229-573: The match. They also function as a conduit for communication between the wrestlers and backstage officials during matches. The first regularized fencing competition was held at the inaugural Grand Military Tournament and Assault at Arms in 1880, held at the Royal Agricultural Hall , in Islington in June. The Tournament featured a series of competitions between army officers and soldiers. Each bout

5312-494: The middle of the judges panel and manages and has full control over the entire event. The referee represents the International Skating Union at international events. Referees for international events are trained by the International Skating Union. There are two levels of referee, International Referee and ISU Referee, with ISU Referees ranking higher. In Synchronized Ice Skating, there are two Referees. One, sits with

5395-553: The neutral referee appointed by the governing football association if one or both assistant referees are not provided. In this case, the role of the linesmen is limited to indicating out of play and cannot decide off side. An association football (soccer) match is presided over by a referee, whom the Laws of the Game give "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5). The referee

5478-400: The object is to sink object balls until one can legally pocket the winning eponymous " money ball ". Well-known but waning in popularity is straight pool, in which players seek to continue sinking balls, rack after rack if they can, to reach a pre-determined winning score (typically 150). Related to nine-ball, another well-known game is rotation , where the lowest-numbered object ball on

5561-399: The opponent's cue ball as well as the object ball. Others of multinational interest are four-ball and five-pins . The most globally popular of the large variety of pocket games are pool and snooker . A third, English billiards , has some features of carom billiards. English billiards used to be one of the two most-competitive cue sports along with the carom game balkline, at the turn of

5644-481: The referee is the lead official in a game, and is assisted by either one or two umpires. In the National Basketball Association , the lead official is referred to by the term crew chief and the two other officials are the referee and umpire . All of the officials in a basketball game are generally accepted to have the same authority as the lead official and therefore they are collectively known as

5727-470: The referees by overseeing that rules are followed and the behaviour in the technical area. (Source: International Handball Association, Rules of the Game, 1 August 2005). There are usually 7 officials in hurling. A main referee follows the play around the field and has the final authority on decisions such as fouls, throws and card-issuing, un-disputable by players. The main play referee is assisted by two linesmen, who make decisions on who gains possession when

5810-422: The ring and five judges ( 勝負審判 , shōbu shimpan ) seated around the ring. All dress in traditional Japanese clothing, with higher-ranked referees wearing elaborate silk outfits inspired by clothes worn in ancient Japan and judges wearing traditional men's kimono . The referee oversees the pre-match rituals and the bout itself, including ruling on the winner of the bout and the winning technique used. If one of

5893-528: The rules, maintain fair playing conditions, call fouls, and take other action as required by these rules. A floorball game is controlled by two referees with equal power. According to the International Handball Association, team handball games are officiated by two referees with equal authority who are in charge of each match. They are assisted by a timekeeper and a scorekeeper. In professional competitions, one or more delegates assist

5976-452: The rules. The International Range Officers Association is the part of IPSC with the responsibility to train and certify range officials in order to ensure that matches are run safely, fair and according to the rules. The Range Officer (RO) is the lowest ranking referee, and the one issuing range commands and following the competitor during the Course of Fire. The Chief Range Officer (CRO) oversees

6059-415: The scorers, interacting with coaches and bench personnel, and in some collegiate volleyball competitions, handling challenge reviews. The international styles of amateur wrestling use a three-official system in which a referee conducts the action in the center of the mat while a judge and a mat chairman remain seated and evaluate the action from their stationary vantage points. Collegiate wrestling uses

6142-418: The start of the game, including clay, bakelite , celluloid , crystallite , ivory , plastic, steel and wood. The dominant material from 1627 until the early 20th century was ivory. The search for a substitute for ivory use was not for environmental concerns, but based on economic motivation and fear of danger for elephant hunters. It was in part spurred on by a New York billiard table manufacturer who announced

6225-431: The table must be struck first, although any object ball may be pocketed (i.e., combination shot). Each pocketed ball is worth its number, and the player with the highest score at the end of the rack is the winner. Since there are only 120 points available (1 + 2 + 3 ⋯ + 15 = 120), scoring 61 points leaves no opportunity for the opponent to catch up. In both one-pocket and bank pool,

6308-642: The team captains may engage in discussions with the referees by way of the head referee, over calls made. Referees are also responsible for ensuring the skaters are correctly wearing all regulation safety equipment. An Octopush or underwater hockey match is presided over by two or three water referees in the pool, a chief referee on deck, and at least one timekeeper and one scorekeeper. Additional timekeepers can be used to track penalty times in highly contested matches. A tournament referee will arbitrate for chief referees, whilst protests will be adjudicated by at least three independent referees. A volleyball match

6391-461: The team captains to concentrate on the game. Later, the referee, a third "neutral" official was added; this referee would be "referred to" if the umpires could not resolve a dispute. The referee did not take his place on the pitch until 1891, when the umpires became linesmen (now assistant referees ). Today, in many amateur football matches, each side will still supply their own partisan assistant referees (still commonly called club linesmen) to assist

6474-536: The two white cue balls (usually differentiated by one cue ball having a dot or other marking on it and each of which serves as an object ball for the opponent). Carom billiards balls are larger than pool balls, having a diameter of 61.5 mm ( 2 + 7 ⁄ 16  in), and come as a set of two cue balls (one colored or marked) and an object ball (or two object balls in the case of the game four-ball ). Standard pool balls are 57.15 mm ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 4  in), are used in many pool games found throughout

6557-672: The umpires disagrees, then all the judges confer to determine the winner of the bout. Tradition holds that if one of the two top ranked gyōji has his decision overturned, he is expected to tender his resignation, although the Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association usually rejects the resignation. Additionally, as professional sumo has several religious and traditional elements apart from the sport itself, gyōji have additional tasks in presiding over various ceremonies and functions. In an amateur sumo competition, such as those sanctioned by

6640-663: The world, come in sets of two suits of object balls, seven solids and seven stripes , an 8 ball and a cue ball ; the balls are racked differently for different games (some of which do not use the entire ball set). Blackball (English-style eight-ball) sets are similar, but have unmarked groups of red and yellow balls instead of solids and stripes, known as "casino" style. They are used principally in Britain, Ireland, and some Commonwealth countries, though not exclusively, since they are unsuited for playing nine-ball. The diameter varies but

6723-485: Was created as a result of a disputed try that the captains could not agree on whether it had been scored. The rugby laws were changed to require one referee and two touch judges at each game to make the arbitration easier and more consistent. A game of bandy is officiated by a referee, the authority and enforcer of the rules , whose decisions are final. The referee may be assisted by one or two assistant referees. In international basketball and in college basketball ,

6806-429: Was fought for five hits and the foils were pointed with black to aid the judges. A fencing match is presided over by a referee. The referee must award a point to the fencer with right of way during the final action in the event of a double touch in foil and saber. A typical bout has one head referee and a video referee and at the request of a fencer can also have two visual referees. A referee in figure skating sits in

6889-548: Was mainly due to the fact that it was a popular pastime for troops to take their minds off battle. However, by the end of World War II, pool and billiards began to die down once again. It was not until 1961 when the film The Hustler came out that sparked a new interest in the game. Now the game is generally well-known and has many players of all different skill levels. The games with regulated international professional competition, if not others, have been referred to as "sports" or "sporting" events, not simply "games", since 1893 at

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