[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Dead Ball Efficiency. Fred Horgan of Canada has, for years, been giving a speech about Dead Ball Efficiency. I am sure that our brother and sister from the Great White Way and my fellow IAABO Members (in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere) have now doubt heard it either in person or by video tape.

What is Dead Ball Efficiency and how does it relate to Double Fouls? Great question. The first thing to remember is that nothing good, for the most part, and happen when the Ball is Dead, so naturally, we want to minimize the amount of time the Ball is Dead. But, the second thing to remember is that taking time to get everything correct is not the same as dawdling and thereby unnecessarily extending the Dead Ball time period.

And the third thing to remember is that when one has to stop the game for an unusual situation, i.e., DFs, FDFs, MFs, FMFs, and TFs, is to not rush. Those few extra seconds to stop and check the numbers of the miscreants involved and then taking a few extra seconds to explain the Fouls when reporting them will actually shorten the time that the Ball will be Dead. It lessen the chance of being recalled to the Table to explain what happened and what will happen.

MTD, Sr.