1908 snooker table finds new home at Legion

A 118-year-old snooker table has been donated to Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 3, where it will soon return to regular play after years in storage.

The historic table was presented on behalf of the Marshall McMorris family by Hugh McRuer, who said the piece had been in the family for over 20 years before being passed along with hopes it would eventually be used in a community setting.

“The Marshall McMorris family had the table for over 40 years, and he wanted it to go to my son, Kiely … it’s been stored in my basement for 20 years,” McRuer told the Sun. “And Kylie is not going to have room for a table like this … so that’s why it was given.”

McRuer said the table, originally purchased from an auction in Killarney after a pool room closed, has a long and heavy history — literally. Based on its serial number, the Legion believes it was built in 1908.

Each of the five slate pieces weighs over 400 pounds, he said.

When the table was moved, it required significant effort and equipment. “We had three half-ton trucks, and we didn’t want to damage them, so just one slate per truck each trip,” he said.

McRuer said the decision to donate it to the Legion was both practical and personal.

“Those days of pool parties in basements … you just don’t get enough people,” he said. “You go to places like Legions to play pool, so that’s why it was given … I know they’re going to take care of it, and they’ll use it.”

He said that his own background and connection to the Legion made the decision feel fitting. “I was in the navy, I belonged to the Boys in the Legion … I’ve been a Legion member ever since,” he said.

McRuer said the donation was not a direct personal gift but a continuation of the family’s intention. “I was just an intermediary … I kept it for my son, who’s not going to be able to use it,” he said.

For the Legion, the arrival of the antique table restores both capacity and tradition.

Legion Branch No. 3 president Fred Pritchard said the addition comes at an important time after older tables became unusable.

He said the addition of the McMorris table and restored ones will help revitalize the Legion’s snooker program.

“So now that we have a nice level playing field again, we can start getting back into the circuit of having tournaments for snooker and stuff,” Pritchard told the Sun. “To have something of that age here, we’re humbled. It’s an honour to have it here.”

Pritchard said the facility already sees steady use, but expects the upgraded tables to broaden participation.

“We have a good, steady group that comes in to use the tables as it is, but now that we have level tables, we can start including other organizations … and have leagues and tournaments,” he said.

Despite the historical value of the 1908 table, Pritchard said its greatest significance will be in its continued use.

“It’s just a bonus for what we offer here,” he said.

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