Mexborough & Swinton Times, October 29, 1949

Swinton’s Champion Wants to Hear from Other Women Billiards Players

Mrs. Marie Keeton, a Swinton housewife, who won the all-England women’s amateur billiards championship last week-end at her first attempt, was told she would ” amaze ’em ” in London. She did; but our latest South Yorkshire champion is modest enough about her achievement, The atmosphere of a national championship is something to tackle, and she still feels she wasn’t quite at her best.

Actually, Mrs. Keeton just missed a couple of further successes—the best snooker break by four, and the best billiards break by seven. And, of course, she also reached the semi final of the all-England women’s snooker title. That and her billiards final kept her busy from eleven in the morning until seven-thirty at night (with a break for tea which melted from half an hour to five minutes).

The handsome silver bowl which she brought with her from London now takes its place on the sideboard with the two northern title trophies she won earlier this year—and the two miniatures.

Mrs. Keeton is disappointed this latest success (carries with it no miniature. Famous names on the plinth include (three times) Thelma Carpenter, Ruth Harrison, and Sadie Isaacs, whom Mrs. Keeton beat in the northern titles.

Mrs. Keeton learned her billiards as a girl. Her well-known footballing father, Mr. Arthur Rodgers, was then licencee of the Commercial Hotel. Since then there has been an interval in her training, but towards the end of 1948 some friends of hers at Ashwood Road Club, Parkgate, entered her name for the women’s northern amateur billiards and snooker titles. She went into serious training only a fortnight before the title matches, and won them both.

She is an aunt of footballer Herbert Barlow of Portsmouth, who earlier this year, on tour in Sweden, sent congratulations and best wishes to “Aunt Marie” in her northern title bids.

Mrs. Keeton still feels there are many women in this district who could give a good account of themselves on a billiards table “if only they had the courage to come forward.” She wishes they would. She’d be very delighted to hear from them if they like to drop a line to her home at 23, Talbot Road, Swinton.

Our latest South Yorkshire champion has very definite ideas about the prowess of men and women on a billiards table. The better? Men, every time!