A spherical object impacting the free surface generates both a splash curtain and a subsurface air cavity. In the case of a spinning sphere, the angular momentum combined with forward motion causes the sphere to move along a curved path, similar to a curve ball pitch in baseball. The hydrodynamics of a billiard ball (diameter 5.7cm) impacting the free surface with a downward vertical velocity of 7.5ms and a clockwise angular velocity of 232rads are revealed through high speed video imaging. The curved trajectory of the sphere is evident in Fig. 1. Figure 2 reveals the evolution of the splash curtain above the free surface as the sphere imparts momentum into the fluid. Initially, at impact, the momentum transfer forms a radial jet just above the free surface, until vertical growth outpaces radial expansion forming the splash curtain [Fig. 2(a)...

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