February 23d.—C. F. Conklin, 1800 at 14:2, with 11.76 for average;
George Wheeler, 1419 at 18:2.
* * * * *
=National Amateur Championship at 14:2.=—See year 1908.
* * * * *
=Minneapolis Amateur 14:2 Championship.= February.—Defeating J.
C. Fremont in the final game, Edward Huyck retained the
Brunswick-Balke-Collender medal. Dr. Parker tied Wilmot for second and
third prizes.
* * * * *
=World’s Championship at 18:1.= (Series continued from 1905–6.)—On
January 2, 1907, electing to go abroad, Wm. F. Hoppe forfeited the
championship and $250 to George Sutton, who was soon challenged by Jacob
Schaefer.
Orchestra Hall, Chicago, March 11th.—Contest for 18:1 championship and
regulation stake, $500 a side. George Sutton (champion), 448—51; Jacob
Schaefer, 500—100—13.88.
Same hall and terms, December 2d.—Jacob Schaefer (champion),
500—88—11.63; George Sutton (challenger), 486—37.
Horticultural Hall, Philadelphia, January 23, 1908.—Same terms as
before. Jacob Schaefer (champion), 500—59—7.69; Albert G. Cutler
(challenger), 476—56.
Orchestra Hall, Chicago, March 11th.—Same terms as before. Jacob
Schaefer (champion), 500—95—14.29; Wm. F. Hoppe (challenger), 423—59.
Owing to illness, Schaefer forfeited in May, 1908, to Sutton, who had
challenged in the prior February.
* * * * *
=French “Amateur Championnat du Monde.”= Third and last annual
tournament of the series, and held at the Billiard Palace, Paris,
closing March 15, 1907.—The victor was Lucien Rérolle, Darantière and
Francois tying for second and third prizes. Next to Rérolle’s 17.39, 20,
21.05, and 26.67, Darantière’s 16.67 was the highest winning average.
The only triple-figure runs were Darantière’s 130 and Rérolle’s 103. The
other contestants were Pasco, Blanc, and Mortier. The last withdrew
after losing his first two games, one to Rérolle, and the latter was the
only unbeaten player. This was Rérolle’s fourth successive annual
triumph, and brought this particular championship to a close, it having
been projected for 14:2. The first annual he won was projected for 18:2,
and its championship ended with the tournament that instituted it. The
other had to be won three times, we think.
* * * * *
=N. Y. A. C. Championship at 14:2.= May, and again won by Dr. Walter G.
Douglas, who in this tournament had but two competitors.
* * * * *
=Calvin Demarest vs. Clarence Jackson.= Exhibition at 14:2, October
1–4th, first and third nights at W. P. Mussey’s Room, and second and
fourth at Thomas Foley’s.—Demarest was to go to 1200 against Jackson’s
800, but failed by 42 points, although making five runs—127, 122, 77,
73, and 64—superior to his opponent’s best, which was 58. The winning
average, as near as can be ascertained in penalty of resuming play in an
irregular way on three of the four nights, was 9.88. In reason, it
should have been higher.
* * * * *
=C. F. Conklin vs. Clarence Jackson.= Chicago, week ending October 26th,
four nights of exhibition 14:2 alternately at Thomas Foley’s and A. M.
Clarke’s Room, Conklin playing 1200 to 1000, and winning by 23, with an
average approximately 10.50. High runs—Jackson, 80; Conklin, 79.
* * * * *
=Amateur Championship of Oregon.= Portland, Ore., October, last of the
three 14:2 contests for the gold medal.—W. C. Duniway, who had won the
other two, was also victor now, with an average of 5.13, although
MacBisaillon, his opponent on this occasion, made the highest run (41)
when he had but 50 to go to Duniway’s 9. The final score was 200 to 198.
* * * * *
=T. J. Gallagher vs. Ora Morningstar at 18:2.= Maurice Daly’s Room, New
York City, October 28th to November 2d, the latter to play 2500 to
1800.—Gallagher, 1800—150—16.09; Morningstar, 1467—79.
* * * * *
=Gallagher vs. Ed. McLaughlin.= Maurice Daly’s, New York City, November
4–9th, six nights of 18:2.—Gallagher, 1800—80—14.06; McLaughlin,
1571—105.
* * * * *
=“Imperial” Class B Tournament at 14:2.= L. A. Curtis’s Room, Boston,
closing November 6th.—Prior, who won his whole five games and made the
highest run (36), was winner of the gold watch. Parker, beaten only by
Prior, was second, besides being high in both averages, 4 for single and
3.42 for general.
* * * * *
=Trenton, N. J., Tournament.= Held in November, and tied for by three
whose playing off placed them in this order: Wm. Allen, of the Mercer
County Wheelmen, first prize; Whitehead, second; and Fischer, third.
* * * * *
=Foley’s Class A 14:2 Handicap.= Thomas Foley’s Room, Chicago, ending
week of December 11–16th.—Ten competitors, with Clarence Jackson as
scratchman (300). With 84 and 17.65 as the highest run and winning
average of the tournament, and with a general average of 10.96, Jackson
won every game but that with A. J. Brown, who tied W. K. Cochrane for
third and fourth, Percy Collins being second. Collins and Brown were at
260, and Cochrane at 200. Brown had second highest run, 56, and Collins
second highest winning average, 10.40.
* * * * *
=George F. Slosson vs. Albert G. Cutler.= Slosson’s Room, New York City,
December 9–21st, two exhibition games at 18:2.—Slosson won the first by
1800 to 1430, and the second by 1800 to 1518. Neither game went beyond
10 in winning average, and the highest runs were 77 by Cutler and 72 by
Slosson.
1908.
=World’s Championship at 18:1 and 18:2.= For contests in 1908, see pp.
312–13.
* * * * *
=Crescent A. C. Annual 14:2 Championship.= At Brooklyn, N. Y., ending
January 3d.—Tournament won by Dr. H. D. Jennings from E. A. Clough
(second prize) in final game, increased from 200 to 300 points.
Jennings, 300—41—5.77; Clough, 145—29. The highest average of the
tournament, 8.33, was by Jennings in defeating Banker by 200 to 49.
* * * * *
=Knickerbocker Annual 14:2 Handicap.= F. A. Keeney’s Room, Brooklyn,
tournament closing January 1st.—J. Ferdinand Poggenburg (400), Chas. E.
White (250), Frank Boyd (225), and Walter A. Leonard (220) tied for
first four places. Playing off the ties made the winning order White,
Leonard, Boyd, and Poggenburg. Naturally, the scratchman (Poggenburg)
made the highest run and average, which were 136 and 11.11 in his last
regular game, won from Boyd by 69. The second highest run was 69, made
by J. M. Millette (230) when averaging 5.90 in defeating Poggenburg by
111. The other contestants were Christian Scheidig (250), Dr. H. D.
Jennings (230), and John A. Keane (185).
* * * * *
=E. W. Gardner vs. Ferdinand Poggenburg.= Tim Flynn’s Room, New York
City, January 31st.—Match at 18:2 for one hundred cigars. Gardner,
400—89—11.76; Poggenburg, 345—60.
* * * * *
=T. J. Gallagher vs. Ora Morningstar.= February 3–7th, match of single
games of 400 points at 18:2 for a purse subscribed by patrons of Maurice
Daly’s Room.—Gallagher won the three middle games, and Morningstar the
two at the extremes. The highest run, 136, and the highest winning
average, 28.57, were made by Morningstar in the final game, which was of
no use to either. Gallagher’s best run and highest winning average were
85 and 26.67.
* * * * *
=California 18:2 Handicap.= W. H. Berry’s Room, Los Angeles, January
27th to February 1st.
W. H. R. W. A. G. A.
H. A. Wright (400) 1 111 14.81 15.17
George Kennedy (300) 3 57 11.54 9.48
Wm. Maguire (300) 1 65 11.11 9.82
Frank A. Du Bois (200) 1 52 9.09 5.80
Kennedy and Maguire rate as professionals. The one victory of Du Bois,
with its average of 9.09, was over Wright, all of whose games were so
near victories that his general average surpasses his highest winning
one.
* * * * *
=Championship of Wisconsin at 14:2.= Coleman & Perrigo’s Room,
Milwaukee, Wis., tournament ending February 25th in the sixth regular
game, which, between James Brown and Alexander Emslie, determined first
and second places, Brown winning by 300 to 147, and making at once the
highest run (36) and the highest average (7.32) of the tournament. With
Thomas Bigelow, winner of third prize. Brown and Emslie represented
Milwaukee, Charles H. Schweizer coming from La Crosse.
W. W. A. G. A.
Brown 3 7.32 6.00
Emslie 2 5.45 4.64
Bigelow 1 4.76 4.29
Schweizer 0 3.14
* * * * *
Roomkeepers’ 18:2 Championship of Wisconsin. Tournament closed April
22d, Milwaukee, with decisive game: H. A. Coleman, 300—47—6.98; John
Hahman, 221—32.
* * * * *
National Amateur Championship at 14:2. Instituted March 12 to 21, 1906
(see that year), this was continued in March, 1907, at the rooms of the
German Liederkranz Society, N. Y. City, with the results in the table
first appended, and concluded at the rooms of the Chicago, Ill.,
Athletic Association, March 14–23, 1908, as set forth in the second
table.
W. H. R. W. A. G. A.
Calvin Demarest 5 115 27.27 14.85
C. F. Conklin 3 68 12.00 9.18
E. W. Gardner 3 101 10.71 9.32
J. Ferd. Poggenburg 2 101 21.43 11.55
Dr. L. L. Mial 2 94 14.29 9.51
T. M. S. Rolls 0 96 8.10
Conklin and Poggenburg defeated Gardner and Mial in the extra or
play-off games, Poggenburg running 115 and averaging 42.86. Neither the
average nor the run counts against the figures in the table.
Nevertheless, the 42.86 was the highest of record for a player of
Poggenburg’s class.
The regular games, 300 points up, were fifteen. In Chicago they numbered
the same, but were 400 points up.
Demarest’s victory in Chicago closed the series by making him owner of
the emblem, with 202 (in his tie game with H. A. Wright) and 57.14 (in
his regular-schedule game with E. W. Gardner) as the highest record run
and single average of his class at 14:2. The same is true of his general
average of 21.22, which, could his two tie games be computed with it,
would be transformed into 23.19.
W. H. R. W. A. G. A.
Calvin Demarest[13] 4 170 57.14 21.22
H. A. Wright 4 133 30.08 16.14
C. F. Conklin 4 141 15.39 12.11
E. W. Gardner 2 75 13.80 11.01
J. F. Poggenburg 1 116 21.05 11.29
Clarence Jackson 0 56 10.85
Footnote 13:
Lost to Wright by 133 (average and high run 16.67 and 83 for winner,
and 11.13 and 66 for loser), which caused a tie among himself, Wright,
and Conklin.
* * * * *
=American Debut of Firmin Cassignol of France.=—March 2, Geo. F.
Slosson’s Rooms, N. Y. City, beginning a series of 18:2 exhibition games
with the proprietor.
* * * * *
=New French Championship at 18:2.= Tournament held in Paris, France,
April 3–10, 1908. The general average of Rérolle is closely approximate
only, all known on this side as to the final game, which was between him
and Robert Mortier, is Rérolle’s recollection that Mortier averaged 25,
and that he himself did not make half the game. Points were 400, and
balls presumably 61 millimeters. Games, 400 up.
W. H. R. W. A. G. A.
Mortier 5 118 25.00 16.26
Rérolle 4 175 20.00 14.02
Blanc 3 98 22.22 11.79
Darantière 2 121 21.06 13.59
De Drée 1 79 7.55 7.94
Labouret 0 58 6.37
* * * * *
=International Tournament for Amateur World’s Championship at 18:2.=
Held in the large hall of the German Liederkranz Society, N. Y. City,
five competing and finishing in the order given in the subjoined
summary, viz., Lucien Rérolle, Toulouse, France; Calvin Demarest and
Chas. F. Conklin, Chicago, Ill.; and E. W. Gardner and J. Ferd.
Poggenburg, N. Y. City. Apart from the championship emblem, which, the
gift of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., and formally presented by the
National Association of Amateur Billiard Players, is subject to annual
competition until some one player shall have won it twice, the prizes
were at the choice of the players in the order of their standing as
winners of games, which were 400 points up, April 28 to May 7.
W. H. R. W. A. G. A.
Demarest 4 151 28.57 20.00
Rérolle 2 103 15.38 13.44
Conklin 2 59 13.79 9.93
Gardner 1 62 10.53 8.50
Poggenburg 1 55 11.76 9.47
In playing off the ties, the winners, Rérolle and Gardner, both
surpassed their prior best winning average by respectively making 16
flat and 10.81, Gardner also making his highest run of all (83, which is
a record for him), and Rérolle his second best (91). Demarest’s general
average is record high, but his single average of 28.57 and his run of
151 are second best.
Conditions of the tournament barred “anchor” and imposed balls of a
diameter of 61 millimeters, or 2⅜ in. plus. Games, 400 points.
BEST RECORD PERFORMANCES
ON DIFFERENT LINES, BUT ALWAYS ON A 5 × 10 TABLE.
AVERAGES IN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES.
26.67 in 800, 14:2—F. C. Ives, 1892.
15.00 in 600, 18:1—F. C. Ives, 1898.
33.33 in 500, 18:2—George Sutton, 1907.
20.83 in 500, 18:1—W. F. Hoppe, Paris, France, 1906.
RUNS IN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES.
155 in 800–point game, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 189.
91 in 600–point game, 18:1—F. C. Ives, 1898.
100 in 500–point game, 18:1—J. Schaefer, 1907.
232 in 500, 18:2—George Sutton, 1907.
AVERAGES IN CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS.
40 in 600, 8:2—J. Schaefer, 1883.
31.25 in 500, 18:1—F. C. Ives, 1897.
50 in 500, 18:2—M. Vignaux, Paris (championship of France), 1902.
100 in 500, 18:2—G. Sutton (championship of the world), 1906.
RUNS IN CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS.
246 in 600–point game, 8:2—M. Vignaux, 1883.
140 in 500–point game, 18:1—F. C. Ives, 1897.
175 in 600–point game, 18:2—M. Vignaux, Paris (championship of
France), 1902.
234 in 500–point game, 18:2—G. Sutton (championship of the world),
1906.
BEST GENERAL AVERAGES (CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS ONLY).
23.23, game 8:2, Chicago—J. Schaefer, winner, 1883.
9.39, game 18:1, N. Y. City—G. F. Slosson, winner, 1897.
14.95, game 18:1. N. Y. City—F. C. Ives, loser, 1897.
27.73, game 18:2, Paris, France—Edouard Fournil, tied with L. Cure
and M. Vignaux, and second in play-off, with Cure first
(championship of France), 1902.
22.29, game 18:2, Paris, France—M. Vignaux, tied with L. Cure and G.
Sutton (championship of world), 1903.
24.14, game 18:2, N. Y. City (championship of the world)—G. Sutton,
1906.
AVERAGES IN NON-CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES.
44.75 in 3000, 8:2—M. Vignaux, Paris, 1884.
38.10 in 800, 8:2—J. Schaefer, 1884.
14.55 in 800, 12:2—J. Schaefer, 1885.
25.86 in 3000, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 1886.
22.22 in 800, 14:2—G. F. Slosson, 1891.
27.41 in 4000, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 1893.
48.62 in 3600, 14:2—F. C. Ives, 1894.
18.29 in 1500, 18:2—J. Adorjan, 1902.
22.90 in 3000, 18:2—J. Schaefer, Paris, 1904.
RUNS IN NON-CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES.
329 in 3000–point game, 8:2—M. Vignaux, Paris, 1884.
211 in 800–point game, 8:2—J. Schaefer, 1884.
109 in 800–point game, 12:2—J. Schaefer, 1885.
230 in 3000–point game, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 1886.
173 in 800–point game, 14:2—G. F. Slosson, 1891.
456 (anchor) in 4000–point game, 14:2—F. C. Ives, 1893.
359 in 3600–point game, 14:2—F. C. Ives, 1894.
139 in 600–point game, 18:1—J. Schaefer, 1899.
255 in 3000–point game, 18:2—L. Cure, Paris, 1904.
AVERAGES IN NON-CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS.
75 in 600, 14:2—M. Vignaux, 1885.
38.46 in 600, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 1890.
100 in 600, 14:2—J. Schaefer in New York and F. C. Ives in Chicago,
both due to anchor, 1893.
50 in 600, 18:2—F. C. Ives, 1896.
40 in 400, 18:1—J. Schaefer, 1898.
83.33 in 500—G. Sutton, Chicago, 1906.
RUNS IN NON-CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS.
566 (anchor) in 600–point game, 14:2—J. Schaefer, 1893.
200 in 600–point game, 18:2—F. C. Ives, New York, 1896.
111 in 500–point game, 18:1—J. Schaefer, 1896.
138 in 400–point game, 18:1—J. Schaefer, 1898.
195 in 600–point game, 14:2—M. Vignaux, 1885.
307 in 500–point game, 18:2—W. F. Hoppe, Chicago, 1906.
CUSHION CAROMS.
[When not otherwise specified, all play was at ordinary C. C., with
three 2⅜ balls on 5 × 10 table, cushion being taken at some time
before hitting second object-ball.]
1867.
=First Public Exhibition.= Opening of Tobin & Bosworth’s Room, Boston,
October, 1867.—Played with four balls on a 5½ × 11 four-pocket table,
Joseph Dion, of Montreal, defeating John McDevitt, of N. Y. City.
1878.
=First Public Match Contest.= Bumstead Hall, Boston, February 21st.—$250
a side, Jacob Schaefer discounting John H. Flack. Schaefer’s actual
score at close, 300; average of all points he made, 2.50; best run, 35.
Flack’s total, 299; best run, 8. Time, 5h. 50m.
* * * * *
=First Tournament.= Begun in a St. Louis billiard room, March 14th.—The
games, as reported, were 400 points up, and the best averages of the
four prize-winners (Frank Day, S. G. Baldwin, Eugene Wolff, and Edward
Warner) 3.60, 2.98, 2.14, and 3.15, with 23, 18, 14, and 38 as their
high runs respectively. Figures sometimes need vouchers. It was not
until three years later that the finest professionals in the land were
able to equal some of the foregoing, and not until 1883 that such
professionals ventured upon longer games in tournament than 200 points,
and then on a 4½ × 9 table.
1881.
=The Sexton-Schaefer Matches.= All independent of one another. First:
Cooper Institute, N. Y. City, February 15th.—$500 a side, Schaefer,
400—3.92—26; Sexton, 396—21.
Tammany Hall, same city, $1,000 a side, February 26th.—Sexton,
400—3.33—27; Schaefer, 363—20.
Same hall, December 29th.—$2,500 a side. Sexton, 600—3.87—77; Schaefer,
576—23. That 77 is still record-high for a public match.
Academy of Music, same city and like stake, April 27, 1882.—Sexton,
600—4.05—32; Schaefer, 538—28. (Owing to the 77 run in the other, this
match drew by far the most money cushion-caroms have ever known.)
* * * * *
=First Tournament in the East.= Philadelphia Roomkeepers’ Championship,
played in various rooms, April 4–20, 1881.—Victor Estephe winning 6—0,
McLaughlin 5—1, Chris. Bird, Ed. Nelms, and Robt. Hunter 3—3, Pincus
Levy 1—5, and Jas. Palmer 0—6. All games 150 up.
In ensuing matches, same points, Estephe beat McLaughlin and Hunter, and
then McLaughlin won six straight—from Estephe, Bird, and Palmer once
apiece, and from Hunter thrice.
* * * * *
=Only Four-handed Game in Public.= Winter Circus, Paris, France, June
26, 1881.—4½ × 9 table, purse game. Vignaux and Garnier, 600—6.12—25 and
12 each for best run; Slosson and Lucien Piot, 577—22 and 14 for runs.
* * * * *
=Only World’s Championship.= Tammany Hall, November 14–19th and Cooper
Institute, November 21–26th, both N. Y. City.—For an emblem and $2,500
in prize money. Games, 200 points up, nine for every player. Slosson and
Lon Morris were first and second in playing off triple tie.
W. R. Av. G. A.
J. Dion, $1,000 7 45 4.26 3.40
Schaefer, $700 6 35 6.25 3.20
Slosson, $500 5 32 5.13 3.56
Morris, $300 5 37 4.35 3.
Wallace 5 26 3.45 2.98
Daly 4 44 3.85 3.04
Gallagher 4 29 3.72 2.91
Carter 4 27 4.44 2.85
Sexton 3 32 3.57 2.93
Heiser 2 18 3.68 2.49
There having been but one other first-class professional tournament, and
that on different terms, it would subserve no purpose to figure out the
exact average of the entire play. Approximately, 3.04.
There was never a match for this championship. Sexton challenged, and on
September 23d Dion resigned on the ground that the conditions announced
when he competed for the emblem had not been observed. Sexton held it
thenceforward without challenge.
1882.
=First Tournament “Down East.”= Boston, Mass., closing January 5th.—For
amateur championship. Prize-winners were Moses Yatter, E. H. Marshall,
G. A. Roberts, Thos. R. Tarrant, and Chas. F. Campbell. The last
subsequently acquired the emblematic silver cup and lost it to Marshall,
April 12th, by 250 to 241. Campbell and Yatter played for the State
championship on January 25, 1883, and out of that match (C.,
250—1.85—12; Y., 249—11) came the State championship of 1884.
* * * * *
=Piot vs. Schaefer.= Grand Café, Paris, February 10th.—$50 a side. P.,
200; S., 198.
* * * * *
=Eugene Kimball vs. Sexton.= Cooper Institute, N. Y. City, April
29th.—$500 a side. K. (with odds of 150), 500—3.37 in 350—26; S.,
403—42.
* * * * *
=Slosson vs. Sexton.= Assembly Buildings, Philadelphia, public contest
in aid of National Billiard Association. Slosson, 300; Sexton, 198.
* * * * *
=Daly vs. Kimball.= Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, June 1st.—$500 a side,
even up. D., 500—4.35—28; K., 347—30. [See Sexton vs. Daly below, and
also Carter vs. Gallagher under 1884, for 4.35 as a tie on high record
average thrice.]
* * * * *
=Sexton vs. Daly.= Independent matches, each for $500 a side and in
Tammany Hall, N. Y. City.—December 1, 1882: S., 500—3.57—27; D., 456—24.
January 6, 1883: D., 500—4.35—44; S. 467—30.
1883.
=Only Championship of America.= Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, May
14–25th.—$3,000 in money and an emblem presented by H. W. Collender; 500
points on 4½ × 9; shot to count whether cue-ball cushioned before
hitting second object-ball or after hitting both and before hitting
either again. This was a revival. It was little followed after 1883, and
was expunged from the rules in 1897.
W. R. Av. G. A.
Daly, $1,200 5 56 8.06 6.550
Wallace, $800 4 41 5.62 5.25
Schaefer, $500 4 49 10. 6.559
Vignaux, $300 3 43 7.94 6.09
J. Dion 3 47 6.17 5.21
Sexton 2 65 6.89 5.37
Carter 0 36 4.82
This tournament is exceptional among professional ones in that before
his one defeat (by Schaefer) Daly had won the championship, Wallace and
Vignaux won play-offs. In thus defeating Schaefer, Wallace ran 76 and
averaged 7.25. Sexton’s 6.89 is a losing average. The general averages
of Daly and Schaefer were a close call, of which the old form of
expression (6–248/451 and 6–238/426) gives scant idea. Average of
tournament, 5.66.
There was but one match. Sexton and Vignaux both challenged, Daly
resigned to Sexton as having priority, and Slosson challenged on
September 22d. Sexton thereupon named Chicago and unexpectedly a 5 × 10
table for the contest. This was the first time that a champion ever
chose a place not his own residence, and such a naming did not happen
again until April, 1902, when, Schaefer and Vignaux both being in Paris,
the former named N. Y. City, and in consequence there was no contest.
Slosson was not to be balked, and finally found himself up against a
faster Collender cushion than he had been given to practise with, which
will explain the drop in average.
SEXTON LOSES TO SLOSSON. Central Music Hall, Chicago, October
24th.—Championship and $500 a side. Slosson, 500—3.55—38; Sexton,
483—30.
Next day, Slosson resigned the emblem to its donor. Passing again to
Sexton without further competition, it eventually became his in
perpetuity.
* * * * *
=Johnson vs. Reeves for $1,000 a Side.= Madison Square Hall, N. Y. City,
November 9th.—4½ × 9 table. David Johnson, 250—2.14—13; John T. Reeves,
233—12. (See Bookmakers’ Tournaments.)
1884.
=Carter vs. Gallagher.= St. Louis, February 20th.—$500 a side. C.,
400—4.35—33; G., 327—31. [Carried a term higher, Carter’s average
becomes a shade better than the best prior match record, being 4.348 to
Daly’s 4.347.]
* * * * *
=Championship of Massachusetts.= W. P. Marshall’s Room, Boston,
tournament on 4½ × 9, ending March 1st.—Moses Yatter 8—1, E. H. Marshall
7—2, C. F. Campbell 6—3, and T. W. Allen 3—4, prize-winners. Allen made
the best run, 26, and Campbell the highest winning average, 3.33.
There were nine match-contests for the emblem, John Morse winning the
first three, Campbell the fourth and fifth, and Yatter the remaining
four.
* * * * *
=Championship of Ohio.= Mozart Hall, Cincinnati, April 21–26th.—4½ × 9
table. Seven contestants, these four being prize-winners: John A.
Thatcher, 6—0, $200 and medal; Tony Honing, 4—3, $125; Harry Bussey, 4—2
(beaten by Honing in play-off), $75; and West (beat W. De Long in
play-off), $50. Championship competition ended with tournament.
1885.
=Second Massachusetts Championship.= This was the pioneer prohibition
one, Yatter and Campbell being barred. Boston, January 12th to February
13th.—4½ × 9 table. Jas. O’Neil 9—0, Fred Eames 7—2, E. H. Marshall 6—3,
and Chas. Barnard 5—4, were prize-winners. Best average, 3.45, was by
Eames, whose 22 tied W. G. Gilman’s for high-run prize, won by G. in
playing off. Emblem was held successively by O’Neil (forfeited through
illness), Marshall, O’Neil again, and Eames finally.
* * * * *
=Sexton vs. Slosson.= Irving Hall, N. Y. City, May 6th.—$2,550 ($1,500
staked on Slosson against $1,050 on Sexton). Sexton, 500—4.42—30;
Slosson, 486—35. (See 1866 and 1887 for this match average surpassed.)
1886.
=Bookmakers’ Handicaps.= The Reeves-Johnson match of 1883, which was a
heavily speculative event, led to a series of bookmakers’ tournaments in
this city, February 8–18, 1886; January 31st to February 14, 1887;
January 23–27, 1888; and January 14–22, 1889, the winners of which
severally were Chas. Davis, Joseph Cotton, Davis again, and David
Johnson. The last-named was at “scratch” in two out of four, and Davis
always at “scratch” except in the third, when Reeves, playing 170 to his
150, tied him, but was beaten in the play-off. All but the 1887
tournament were on a 4½ × 9.
* * * * *
=Only Real Sweepstakes Known to Billiards.= Two of the foregoing
bookmakers’ handicaps—those of 1888 and 1889, Davis winning one and
Cotton the other—were genuine sweepstakes. Entrance fees may combine to
form stakes, but not sweepstakes when portioned out.
* * * * *
=Slosson vs. Schaefer.= Masonic Hall, St. Louis, November 27,
1886.—First game of home-and-home match, each for $2,000 a side.
Slosson, 500—4.07—26; Schaefer, 469—26.
Return game, Central Music Hall, Chicago, December 17th.—Schaefer,
500—4.50—48; Slosson, 430—22.
1887.
=Slosson vs. Schaefer.= Central Music Hall, Chicago, April 4th.—First
game of match of two (see “Balkline,” 14:2, 1887, for the other), each
for $500 a side. Slosson, 500—4.81—25; Schaefer, 488—49. The average is
still match-high. Winner overcame the longest lead known to a public
match at this game. When Schaefer needed but 130 to go, Slosson was 120
behind.
* * * * *
=First Contest of Multiple Nights.= Light Infantry Armory, Washington,
D. C., May 23–28th.—Game for a purse, 300 points nightly. Daly,
1800—4.66—38; Sexton, 1182—46. Multiplying nights at cushion caroms has
been given a trial but once since, and then by Slosson and Schaefer (see
1899).
* * * * *
=First Public Handicap.= Madison Street Theatre, Chicago, November
5–22d.—This was Frank C. Ives’s tournamental début.
W. R. Av. G. A.
Carter (170) 9 29 6.80 4.53
Schaefer (200) 8 54 10. 5.53
Moulds (110) 7 24 3.79 2.66
Ives (110) 6 16 2.70 2.36
Thatcher (110) 6 25 2.60 2.24
J. Matthews (110) 6 25 4.40 2.60
Gallagher (160) 5 30 3.90 3.30
Slosson (200) 3 40 5.89 4.
J. F. Donovan (110) 2 21 2.44 1.77
Hatley (115) 2 20 2.57 1.90
Catton (160) 1 18 4. 2.50
Average of tournament, 3.005. There has been no technically public
handicap at cushion caroms since.
* * * * *
=Donovan vs. Chas. Schaefer.= St. Louis, December 19th.—Match for $500 a
side. S., 200—1.98—13; D., 152—10.
1888.
=Championship of Pennsylvania.= Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, January
9–26th.—200–point games, eight contestants and seven prize-winners,
viz., McLaughlin, 7—0; Burris, 6—1; Bullock, 5—2; Pollard, 4—3; P. Levy,
3—4; J. Cline, 2—5; Palmer, 1—6. Eighth man was Edward Woods, 0—7.
Matches were not meant to follow. The championship emblem, won by
McLaughlin along with $210, was presented by H. J. Bergman.
* * * * *
=Saratoga, N. Y., Three-handed Tournament.= Town Hall, August
6–8th.—Slosson, $500; Daly, $350; Sexton, $150. Play was inconspicuous
in runs and averages.
1889.
=Five-handed Tournament in Boston.= John J. Murphy’s Hub Palace,
finishing January 4th.—4½ × 9 table. Eames, 4—0; Yatter, 3—1; and John
Dankleman; C. F. Campbell, and W. M. Gilman, 1—3 apiece, divided third
money.
On January 16th, for $150 a side, 4½ × 9, Eames defeated Yatter by 200
to 209, and in same room, March 7th, and at C. T. Shean’s Room,
Springfield, March 20th, he defeated L. A. Guillet in a home-and-home,
$100 a side.
1892.
=Garnier vs. Carter.= Paris, February 2d.—$500 a side. G., 300; C., 293.
February 26th: G., 300; C., 233.
* * * * *
=Carter vs. Vignaux.= Paris, February 10th.—$500 a side. C., 50; V., 49.
* * * * *
=Schaefer vs. Vignaux.= Paris, December 27th.—$500 a side. S., 400—3.96;
V., 345.
1894.
=Fournil vs. Gallagher.= Daly’s Room, N. Y. City, December 3–7th.—Formal
American début of Edouard Fournil, of Paris, France. Purse game, 200
points nightly. With 45 for high run against 37, F. won by 1,000 to 848.
1896.
=Last Professional Tournament.= Bumstead Hall, Boston, April
13–17th.—Under auspices of Daly and Ives, 300–point games.
W. R. Av. G. A.
Ives 3 85 5.88 5.29
Schaefer 2 39 5.36 4.91
Daly 1 29 4.62 4.35
Garnier 0 43 3.82
Approximate average of tournament, 4.67. Ives’s 85 was run against Daly.
While it is absolutely the highest in public, yet it cannot properly be
compared with Sexton’s 77 in virtually a $6,250 stake match (not
counting side bets) that he won from Schaefer by no more than 4 per
cent. in 600.
1899.
=Schaefer’s Highest Run of Record.= Lenox Lyceum, N. Y. City, May
22d.—Second game of match of two, each for $500 a side (see Balkline,
May 13, 1899, for first). Slosson, 500—4.60—34; Schaefer, 359—55.
* * * * *
=Second Match of Multiple Nights.= Madison Square Garden Concert Hall,
N. Y. City, October 30 to November 1st.—$500 a side. Slosson,
900—4.57—37; Schaefer, 757—41.
* * * * *
=McLaughlin vs. Gallagher.= Maurice Daly’s, N. Y. City, November
6–10.—Purse game, best in five. McLaughlin, who won the odd, also made
the more points—944 to 924.
1902–3.
=Amateur Revival Tournaments.= After having been out of fashion for
years, the game was revived in winter of 1902–3 at Maurice Daly’s, N. Y.
City, by Messrs. Mark Muldaur, Albert Brock, Wm. Gershel and F.
Poggenburg, who finished in that order without unusual play, and at
Foley’s, Chicago, August 31st to October 31st, C. F. Conklin (scratch at
125) winning by 7—1 in games, and making best run (21), and highest
winning average (2.75). S. W. Miller made 3.33 in the opening game, but
it was canceled with the game itself when Ballard, whom Miller had
beaten, withdrew from tournament. Miller, Beard and Hale tied, and
play-off gave Miller second prize, Beard third, and Hale fourth. Conklin
was beaten by none but Hale (100). Miller and Beard were at 70.
BEST RECORD PERFORMANCES
ON 5 × 10 AND 4½ × 9 TABLES, BOTH HAVING BEEN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDARDS
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AVERAGE.
3.55 in 500—G. F. Slosson, 1883.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RUN.
38 in 500 (still his best record in match, with 40 his best in
tournament)—G. F. Slosson, 1883.
CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT AVERAGE.
6.25 in 200—J. Schaefer (with 3.56 by G. F. Slosson for high general
average, but the two were second and third winners only), 1881.
10.00 in 500–point game, 4½ × 9 table—J. Schaefer, with 6.559 for
best general average, that of winner-in-chief (M. Daly) being 6.550,
1883.
CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT RUN.
45 in 200–point game—J. Dion, winner, 1881.
65 in 500–point game, 4½ × 9 table—W. Sexton, 1883 (T. Wallace ran
76 in play-off for second prize, but championship tournament was
then over).
NON-CHAMPIONSHIP AVERAGES.
3.92 in 400—J. Schaefer, 1881.
4.81 in 500—G. F. Slosson, 1887.
4.05 in 600—W. Sexton, 1882 (see under 1881).
4.66 in 1800—M. Daly, 1887.
4.57 in 900—G. F. Slosson, 1902.
NON-CHAMPIONSHIP RUNS.
27 in 400—W. Sexton, 1881.
77 in 600—W. Sexton, 1881.
46 in 1800—W. Sexton, 1887.
55 in 500—J. Schaefer, 1899.
41 in 900—J. Schaefer, 1902.
NON-CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS.
In Chicago, in 1887, Schaefer made his best average (10 in 200) on a
5 × 10 table, and Slosson his highest run of all (40); and in
Boston, in 1896, Ives ran 85 (highest of all runs) and made the best
general average on 5 × 10 table (5.29).
THREE-CUSHION CAROMS.
1878.
=First Tournament.= C. E. Mussey’s Room, St. Louis, January
14–31st.—50–point games. Leon Magnus, 4—1; Carter, Gallagher, and
Heiser, 3—2; W. C. McCreery, 2—3; Thomas Potts, 0—5. Carter won
play-off, with Gallagher second. The best run (6) and the best average
(.75, or ¾ of a point) were Gallagher’s.
1882.
=McCreery vs. Magnus.= St. Louis, February 2d.—$200 a side. McC.,
50—.94—runs not reported. Magnus scored 31. It is not known of this
unknown game that the winner’s average, nearly one point, has ever been
equaled in so long a match as 50 points. (See May 30–31, 1900.)
1886.
=First Tournament in the East.= Schaefer & Emerich’s Room, N. Y. City,
25–point games. Gus Newland, 7—2, won first prize, $75 and a gold medal,
and Al. Sauer, Herbert Haskell, W. Clark and C. Wilson tied at 6—3. The
other contestants, not all of whom finished, were Arthur R. Townsend,
Charles Heineman, Joseph Stiner, Ed. Williamson, and Mr. Pollock.
1898.
=Schaefer vs. Ives.= Auditorium Recital Hall, Chicago, April 4th.—$100 a
side. Schaefer, 120—average unreported—8; Ives, 106.
* * * * *
=Capt. A. C. Anson vs. L. Jevne.= Chicago, September.—Each game for $50
a side, Jevne giving odds of 10. First: A., 50; J., 38. Second: A., 50;
J., 39.
1899.
=Schaefer vs. Carter.= Chicago, Ill., February 4th.—$200 a side. S.,
100; C., 89.
* * * * *
=Frank C. Ives’s Last Match.= “Ives Room,” N. Y. City, May
24–25th.—Four-handed for announced $250 purse and $2,500 stake. First
game: Ives and W. H. Harrison, 60; Schaefer and J. A. Thatcher, 45.
Second game: S. and T., 65; I. and H., 55.
While rather an exhibition than a match, nevertheless these games are of
interest as the last formal ones in which Ives took part. All but
Schaefer were soon dead.
* * * * *
=First Tournament in N. Y. City.= “Ives Room,” ending July
29th.—Thatcher, 13—1, first; Maloney, 12—3, second; W. H. Myers, 10—5,
third.
* * * * *
=John Daly vs. Luis Vasquez.= Chicago, Ill., December 13th.—$50. D.,
50—av., .34; V., 39.
1900.
=Averaging in Short Games.= The Daly-Vasquez contest has been given a
place because it typifies generalship on the part of a winner lacking
his opponent’s executive ability, and the following are added as
representing free play or catch-as-catch-can billiards. Chicago, May
30th: Capron, 30—av., 1.25; Sutton, 17. May 31st: Carter, 30—av., .97;
Sutton, 15.
* * * * *
=Carter Loses Championship to Jevne.= Clarence E. Green’s Academy,
Chicago, June 15th (postponed from June 8th because of C.’s unfitness).
J., 100—.45—6; C., 66—5.
Winner was challenged by C., who had to declare forfeit by reason of
further unfitness. W. H. Catton challenged, but nothing came of it.
This championship was instituted through an emblem presented it by the
B. B. C. Co. for a tournament in Chicago. Catton won it and at once
resigned it. Clarence Green sought to revive the championship a few
months later, Carter won it in tournament, and no match but that he lost
for it has ever been played. Its time expired years ago.
* * * * *
=Championship of Louisiana.= John Miller’s Room, New Orleans, ending in
September. Seven entries. Wm. Zaehringer (5—1) made best run, 7; M.
Tarleton (4—2) ran 6, as also G. H. Miller, who, with 3—3, tied L.
Abrams for third and fourth.
* * * * *
=“Red, White, and Blue.”= Foley’s Room, Chicago, October and
November.—This was an experimental tournament to ascertain how one
cue-ball for both players would work. Instead of making a red of the
other white, it was colored blue. This handicap of amateurs ended in a
tie between Messrs. Anderson and Bunker, and on November 20 the former
won the play-off by 27 to 12.
1901.
=Amateur Championship of Pacific Coast.= “The Waldorf,” San Francisco,
October.—Probably 4½ × 9. J. C. Howard, unbeaten, Dr. W. F. Davis, W. I.
Barry, J. Berry, and J. J. Roggan (won no game) closed in that order.
General averages and best runs: Howard, .48—4; Barry, .42—6; Davis,
.38—4; Berry, .36—5.
1902.
=Fred Eames vs. Jevne.= Denver, Col., January 28th.—$500, former getting
odds of 10. E., 85; J., 61. Table possibly a 4½ × 9.
* * * * *
=St. Louis Tournament.= January.—Clarence Hutchings lost but one game,
and that to Wright after having already won the tournament. Wright tied
Clayton and Brock for third place, G. E. Hevner being second, and also
having the best general average (.44), besides standing off Hutchings,
Brock, and Wheeler on high run (5). Best single averages were
Hutchings’s .65 and Wright’s .63.
* * * * *
=Metropolitan Academy Tournament.= N. Y. City.—Ending April 4th in ties
between Wm. Gershel and “Williams” for first and second, and W. S.
Johnson and A. D. Ferguson for third and fourth. Gershel won by 4 in 35,
averaging .52 (averaged .55 against J. V. B. Rapp), and Ferguson by 35
to 25, averaging .40. “Williams” ran 5 in the play-off, but in the
tournament proper the highest was 4, by Gershel and others. In the
tourney of November, 1903, Ferguson was winner-in-chief, and Gershel
last.
1903.
=“Mussey Challenge Trophy.”= Closing March 20th at Mussey’s Room,
Chicago, “Harris” (scratch, 50) averaging .57, won final game from
“Wadsworth,” who took second prize, as well as that for high run (7) in
an amateur field of eight.
In April, May, and June, a larger and higher class, numbering eleven,
comprised a new tournament for the “Mussey Challenge Trophy.” “Harris”
made high run (12), but Avery won first prize, and “Harris,”
“Wadsworth,” Riley and Wheeler tied for next four places. In the first
challenge match that followed, June 19th, Avery was defeated by
“Wadsworth.” This challenge series is still (February, 1904) playing,
Morin, “Wadsworth,” and Riley having severally won the most matches. Had
Morin won the match he lost to Riley in January, 1904, the emblem would
have been his to keep.
* * * * *
=Gallagher vs. Luis Vasquez.= Daly’s, N. Y. City, May 27–29th.—Purse
game. V. made the highest run (11), but lost by 200 to about 170. This
was the Spaniard’s debut in the East.
* * * * *
=Jevne vs. Barutel.= Same room, August 3–5th.—Purse game, J., 150—.55—4;
Barutel, 147—4. This was Jevne’s first formal bow in the East, although
years before he had three-cushioned privately here with De Oro.
1904.
=San Francisco (Café Waldorf) Tournament.= December, 1903, to February,
1904. Won by Mitchell (George), with Pellage second, in a field of
eleven.
* * * * *
=Billiard Club Championship.= N. Y. City, tournament of eleven
contestants, ending April 19th.—Winner, F. R. White, who lost not a
game. E. O. Presby, second, was beaten by White only.
* * * * *
=An Amateur Average of 1.03 in 50 Points.= Tournament at W. P. Mussey’s
Room, Chicago, April and May.—Won by James Shea, who in one game scored
his 50 in 49 innings, although his best run was but 7. Tieing Riley for
second and third prizes, Henry W. Avery lost the play-off. Charles Morin
won fourth prize.
* * * * *
=Professional Tourney in Los Angeles, Cal.= Begun at W. H. Berry’s Room,
May 2d, contestants being Arthur Seymour, George Kenniston, Walter
Johnston, Robert Upton, and Joseph W. Carney, who finished in that
order. On the 13th, Seymour scored his 40 points in 40 innings, an
average of 1 flat. His general average we figure as .628, or not far
short of two-thirds of a point to an inning, and the average of the
whole tournament was almost half a point. As in Shea’s case, table was a
5 × 10.
* * * * *
=Other Notable Averages.= In an amateur handicap tournament at A. M.
Clarke’s Room, Chicago, Charles F. Conklin, defeating Kasey by 30 to 12
in the final regular game, September 2d, averaged 1.07. This made a tie
for first prize among himself and Hyatt (30 each), John Daly (scratch at
35), Scovil (25), and Kasey (20), the five having severally won seven
times and lost thrice; and Daly, in defeating Hyatt in the play-off, was
reported in Chicago newspapers as having run 17, 7 and 5, and averaged
1.25. The run especially needs verification.
In November, in a tournament at Hauser’s room, St. Louis, the press of
that city credited G. Gundaker with running two 6’s and two 4’s and
averaging 1.20 in defeating Coon by 30 to 13. There a 4½ × 9 table was
liable to have been used.
About the same time, it reached here through Duluth, Minn., papers that
Wm. F. Hatley, in playing an amateur in that city, averaged 1.03 in 150.
Here, too, a 4½ × 9 table was peculiarly liable. Moreover, the length of
the game suggests that it was an exhibition of two or more sessions.
Considering the number of points, the average is phenomenal. It is not
known to us that Hatley has ever claimed it.
In October, 1905, in Davenport, Iowa, Lloyd Jevne, in playing Louis
Magnus, was reported as having scored a game of 50 points in 41 innings,
which is an average of 1.22. There was no higher run than 7, which each
player made.
* * * * *
=Team Tournament.= W. P. Mussey’s, Chicago, November 28th to January 10,
1905, playing in pairs.—Messrs. Sayles and Jones, who had led almost
from the start, won by defeating Messrs. Wesseling and Short in the
final game by 50 to 39.
* * * * *
=Down-town Amateur Handicap.= Keyser & Garraty’s Room, N. Y. City,
beginning February 6th and ending March 31st in the success of W.
“Goodday” (20) after tieing T. French (40, scratch) and F. “Shawt” (34)
in a tally of 7—2. The highest run (6) was made by both “Shawt” and
Roux, and up to the last regular contest the best winning average (.67)
was by “Larry Dooley” (34). In his first and last games, however, French
averaged .63½ against Stone (30) and 1.03 against “Goodday,” who had won
his first seven games straight, lost his eighth to “Dooley,” and now
lost his ninth. The 1.03 is the best average to date in a tournament in
the East. The general averages of the three leaders were: French, .48;
“Shawt,” .42; “Goodday,” .25. In playing off the ties, April 4th, French
lost to “Goodday” by 7 and to “Shawt” by 1, and “Shawt” to “Goodday” by
8. Wallace (21) won fourth prize. The other contestants were Freeman
(32) and “Professor Turnero” (21).
* * * * *
=Team Tourney at Mussey’s, Chicago.= Ended week of June 3d, Shea and
Howe (45) tieing Morin and Burdick (50), and outscoring them in the
play-off by 45 to 44.
* * * * *
=Single-handed at Bensinger’s, Chicago.= Week ending June 3d, Lawrence
won by defeating Huey by 45 to 24. Ball won second prize, and Huey
third.
1906.
=Handicap Heat Tournament at G. F. Slosson’s.= N. Y. City, January
15–26th.—Eight were forced out by their one defeat in the first week,
and of the remaining eight the ones longest to last were Rinehart
(scratch, 40) and J. A. Pallasco (36). The latter averaged .38, and the
former scored 33, Pallasco thus winning first prize, a costly fur
overcoat.
* * * * *
=Bensinger’s Professional Handicap, Chicago.= January 15–20th.—Charles
Weston (50), third; George Wheeler (45), first; Clem E. Ellison (42),
fourth; Frank Maggioli (40), second.
1907.
=Amateur Handicap.= W. P. Mussey’s Room, Chicago, closing in April.—Ties
played off made Stanley first, Austin second, and Lord third. Stanley
and Lord, with Fuller, were scratchmen.
* * * * *
=James Ryan vs. Benjamin Laurie.= Imperial Billiard Room, Boston, nights
of April 1st, 3d, and 5th.—Ryan, 150; Laurie, 139. They played again May
21st, 22d, 24th, Ryan winning by 150 to 144.
* * * * *
=Amateurs in Los Angeles, Cal.= Jas. F. Morley’s Room, June.—Thirteen
entries, and 25–point games. J. B. Bayne promised most, but was
eventually overhauled by Clark, who beat him for first place. Milsap and
Lacey were next best. J. G. Kendrick won prize for high run, which was 9
in a game wherein Chapell beat him by 25 to 22.
* * * * *
=Championship of Los Angeles, Cal., Club.= July 17th to August
27th.—Nineteen entries, with handicaps from 25 to 12. Only one of the
three scratchmen, T. E. Gordon, finished among the first three. Dr. R.
B. Griffith (18) was first, Gordon second, and Carter (15) third.
* * * * *
=Championship of New England.= “The Hub,” Boston, November.—Won by
Albert G. Cutler, who “out-safetied” his strongest opponent, James Ryan.
* * * * *
=Lambert Three-Cushion Championship of America.= St. Louis, November and
December, tournament for the Lambert Emblem.—Contestants were Henry P.
Cline and John Daly, tied for first and second; John Horgan, third;
Lloyd Jevne, fourth; Alfredo De Oro, Thomas Hueston, and Frank P. Day,
tied for fifth, sixth, and seventh; and Horace B. Lean and Joseph Capron
eighth and last. Thus the two best known as caromers, Cline and Capron,
were first and last, for Cline defeated Daly by 50 to 41 in playing off.
Runs never reached double figures, but Day, in defeating De Oro with no
run above 5, was credited with the remarkable average of 1.32 for his 50
points.
St. Louis, February 6th, 7th, 8th.—First match, three nights, 50 points
per night. Henry P. Cline (champion), of Philadelphia, 133; John Daly
(challenger), 150. The winner averaged .66, and on neither side was
there a run above 6.
St. Louis, May 7th, 8th, 9th.—Second match, same terms. John Daly
(champion) vs. John Horgan (challenger). Daly, 150—8—.59; Horgan, 142—6.
The money-stake in this series is $250 a side.
* * * * *
=A Game of 568 Innings.= City of Mexico, November, six nights’ play, 50
points a night, continuous.—Luis Vasquez, 300—7—.51; S. Johnson, 282—5.
1908.
=Amateur Handicap at G. F. Slosson’s Room.= February
3–11th.—Contestants, Messrs. Gremmels (50), French, Blair, Strauss, and
Pallasco, the last four at 40. Won by French, who in his final game,
defeating Gremmels by 20, averaged .52. One higher average (.67) had
been made by Blair when he ran 6 and defeated Pallasco by 40 to 34.
* * * * *
=Three-Handed Professional Exhibition.= Maurice Daly’s Room, week ending
February 22d, 50–point games, playing twice around.—Won by Edward
McLaughlin, who lost only his second game with T. J. Gallagher.
Morningstar won only his first game with Gallagher. The latter made the
highest run and best winning average of the tournament, respectively 6
and .67. McLaughlin’s .55 was high general average, .65 being his best
winning one.
BEST PERFORMANCES.
There are few unquestionable records. Most of the professional
games, whether short or long, have of late years been played in
“academies” by “academy” employees. To admit one such to record, on
the plea that there was a public admission-fee, as well as more or
less of a staking, would be to admit all. Then, again, this is a
game that has never had a standard as to length. It is unlikely that
since 1878 there has been a better average for 50 points in a match
than Wayman C. McCreery’s .94; but there may have been before that
year, and without attracting any attention whatever. In a tournament
game of 50 points at Mussey’s, Chicago, Avery surpassed it by making
.98 during season of 1901–2. The best verified run is 14. Two
amateurs made it—Peterson in St. Louis, and Avery years afterward in
Chicago, both in Mussey’s rooms. Also in Mussey’s, in 1905, James
Shea, another amateur, reached 1.03 in a game of 50, while Charles
P. Day, in the St. Louis tournament of November and December, 1907,
attained to 1.32 in 50 points.
BEST PERFORMANCES BY AMATEURS
The New York Racquet Club was the first to institute a national
championship of amateurs (1887–88–89–90), which it did not attempt to
renew. There was no second essay until the Amateur Athletic Union
entered the field in 1898–99. Anything in the nature of amateur record,
therefore, may be said to begin in 1887 and end in 1890, to resume in
another direction in 1898 and continue until now.
AVERAGES AT REGULAR THREE-BALL GAME.
17.33 in 300 (championship)—Orville Oddie, Jr., 1889.
11.03 in 1500, gen. av. (championship), Orville Oddie, Jr., 1887.
RUNS AT REGULAR THREE-BALL GAME.
257 in 300 (non-championship), Arthur R. Townsend, 1890.
195 in 300 (championship)—Orville Oddie, Jr., 1889.
BEST RECORD AVERAGES AT 14:2 BALKLINE.
57.14 in 400 (championship)—C. Demarest, Chicago, 1908.
42.86 in 300 (tie game of championship tournament)—J. F. Poggenburg,
New York, 1907.
BEST RECORD RUN AT 14:2.
202 in 400 (championship)—C. Demarest, Chicago, 1908.
BEST RECORD RUNS AT 18:2.
175 in 400 (championship)—L. Rérolle, Paris, France, 1908.
151 in 400 (championship)—C. Demarest, N. Y. City, 1908.
BEST RECORD AVERAGES AT 18:2.
33.33 in 400 (championship)—Lucien Rérolle, Paris, France, 1903.
28.57 in 400 (championship)—C. Demarest, N. Y. City, 1908.
BEST GENERAL AVERAGES AT 18:2.
20 in four games (1600 points, championship)—C. Demarest, N. Y.
City, 1908.
16.26 in five games (2000 points, championship)—R. Mortier, Paris,
1908.
15.91 in seven games (2800 points, championship)—L. Rérolle, Paris,
1903.
BEST PUBLIC MATCH RECORDS.
109 run in 1200 (non-championship)—L. Rérolle, Paris, France, 1904.
12.24 average in 1200 (non-championship)—L. Rérolle, Paris, 1904.
IRREGULAR CONTESTS
=Ives vs. John Roberts.= Henley’s Circus, London, Eng., May 29th to June
2, 1893.—$5,000 a side, 1,000 points nightly. I., 6000—run, 2540; R.,
3821—run, 249. Roberts’s total has been variously given. The figures
here are from Major Broadfoot’s “Billiards.”
This was styled a “compromise match” at the English winning-and-losing
game on an English 6 × 12 six-pocket table.
CENTRAL MUSIC HALL. Chicago, September 18–23.—$5,000 a side. Ives, 6000;
Roberts, 5303.
LENOX LYCEUM. N. Y. City, October 2–7th.—$5,000 a side, R., 10,000; I.,
8738.
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. Roberts.= On October 16–21st following, at Madison Square
Garden, N. Y. City, these experts played alternately on an English and
an American ball-pool table for an announced stake of $1,000 a side and
the championship of the world, De Oro winning by 1000 balls to 927. No
two players can ever be justified in creating a championship.
* * * * *
=Hugo Kerkau vs. Johann Trebar.= In 1900 these experts, German and
Hungarian, engaged in more than one series of “straight rail” games in
the chief cities of their respective countries. The two were known to be
far apart in skill. In one series, Kerkau scored 40,000 to Trebar’s
4998, and made runs of 1656, 1743, 2194, and 3843. It invalidates these
runs as comparisons with the lesser deeds of earlier men that, although
scarcely through fault of Kerkau, they were not achieved under similar
conditions. Years before he ran his 3843, Kerkau ran 3092 against Woerz
in Berlin. This was under the old rule as to “frozen” balls, but it was
probably also on a 4½ × 9 or smaller table. The 3092 were made in
January, 1896. When, not far from that time, Kerkau was here, he showed
capacity for but about half that height on a 5 × 10.
FIFTEEN-BALL POOL.
A 5 × 10 table, unless otherwise stated. After the close of 1887,
the game is always “Continuous Pool.”
1878.
Record properly begins with the
=First National Championship Tournament.= Union Square Rooms, N. Y.
City, April 8–20th.—Best in 21 games of 61 up, for an emblematic gold
medal and $550 in four parts. Among the contestants were all the
recognized first-class American caromers of that period, with the
exception of Albert Garnier, Maurice Daly and Jacob Schaefer. In
addition were the pool-players Samuel F. Knight, Clarke E. Wilson,
George Frey, J. McWarble, and Gottlieb Wahlstrom, “The Swede” No. 1.
Winners in this order were C. Dion, Knight, Wahlstrom, and J. Dion.
McWarble and G. F. Slosson tied for fifth and sixth places, Wilson got
seventh, Wm. Sexton eighth, and A. P. Rudolphe tied with Frey for ninth.
* * * * *
Wahlstrom and Wilson had played a match (December 13, 1877, Terrace
Garden, N. Y. City, which “The Swede” won by 26 games to 13 out of 50)
announced as for the championship of America and $500 a side; but they
were not warranted in thus appropriating that title to the exclusion of
other experts. The medal of 1878 was held successively up to 1881 by C.
Dion, Knight, Alonzo Morris, Wahlstrom and Knight again.
1879.
=First Championship of Indiana.= Crescent Hall, Indianapolis, January
2–11th.—Won by D. Hough from Albert Hawkins, George Morris, and R. E.
Whitney (tied), C. Eden, Weller, Gould, and Mack. After losing his first
game to Eden, Mack forfeited his remaining six by withdrawing.
1881.
=Début of Albert Frey.= Union Square Rooms, N. Y. City, December 29,
1880, to January 5th.—Frey, Chas. Schaefer, Otis Field, and Joseph King
were graduated from a preliminary tournament of nine into the one next
following.
* * * * *
=Second National Championship Tournament.= Union Square Rooms, N. Y.
City, January 6th.—Under amended rules. Winners of the five prizes were
Wahlstrom, Frey, A. Morris, King, and Knight. Among the other four
participants was Jacob Schaefer, beaten by Wahlstrom, Frey, and Knight.
* * * * *
=Only Match for the New Emblem.= Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, June
2d.—Money-stake, $250 a side, best in 41 games. W., 21; Frey, 18.
* * * * *
=Frey vs. King.= Tammany Hall, September 29th.—$250 a side. F., 21; K.,
16.
1882.
=Frey vs. Knight.= Tammany Hall, March 8th.—$500 a side. F., 21; K., 18.
* * * * *
=First Tournament at Pyramid (Eight-ball).= Republican Hall, N. Y. City,
May 3–17th.—Best in 21. Frey beat John Dankleman in playing off for
first money and the pyramid championship emblem. George Sutton (début in
public) won third, and Jacob Schaefer (tied by Thomas Wallace) fourth.
The others were Eugene Carter, John Bessunger, Knight, C. Schaefer, and
Albert Lambert.
1883.
=First Amateur Challenge Championship.= C. E. Mussey’s Room, St. Louis,
October 15th to November 7th.—Matches were to be 150 balls up, for $25 a
side, none but St. Louis amateurs eligible. E. Thompson, tied with E.
Block for first prize, won play-off. There were eight other contestants.
In the match that followed, December 4th, Ed. Dale won championship by
150 to 98.
1884.
=Third National Championship.= Madison Square Hall, N. Y. City,
beginning January 10th.—Call ball, but not pocket. J. L. Malone won
emblem and first money, $250, Frey and King tied for second and third,
George Sutton took fourth, Lambert and Charles H. Manning tied for fifth
and sixth, and Knight, Dankleman, and J. S. Leonard were the trailers.
* * * * *
=First Call-ball-and-pocket Tournament.= Morrissy’s Room, Syracuse, N.
Y., January 28th to February 15th.—Eleven were in, the prize-winners
being Frey, Malone, Sutton, Leonard, and King.
During this year, as well as in 1883 and 1885, the leading players named
above, along with Knight and others, all supported by local talent,
figured in tournaments in various cities, all partaking of the nature of
exhibitions, but Frey almost invariably winning.
* * * * *
=Championship of Ohio.= Won by Gus Heman in tournament ending April 6th,
Cincinnati.
1885.
=Peter Rodgers Defeats Malone.= Bumstead Hall, Boston, Mass., December
11th.—$100 a side. R., 21; M., 11. This contest was regulation neither
in table, which was a 4½ × 9, nor in size of pocket-openings, which were
large.
1886.
=First Match of Multiple Nights.= Maurice Daly’s Assembly Rooms,
Brooklyn, March 15–19th.—80 to win in best 31 games nightly, $250 a
side. Frey, 80; Malone, 72.
* * * * *
=Frey vs. Malone.= Irving Hall, N. Y. City, May 11–15th.—Same terms as
above, except that stake was $500 a side. F., 80; M., 63.
* * * * *
=Henry Claess vs. C. Schaefer.= St. Louis, Mo., October 15th.—$50 a
side. C., 16; S., 14. Same city, January 29, 1887.—$500 a side. C., 21;
S., 10. January 29th, S. beat C., and in a later game C. beat S., each
for $50 a side.
1887.
=Fourth National Championship.= Fifth Avenue Music Hall, N. Y. City,
February 14–20th.—Tournament under amended rules again. Alfredo De Oro,
of Havana, Cuba, making his first public appearance, tied Frey and
Malone, but was third after play-off, Frey being first, with King,
Manning, and James Hamilton fourth, fifth, and last.
The first match for this championship, represented by the Grote
Challenge Emblem, was played at Daly’s Assembly Rooms, Brooklyn, March
28th to April 1st. Frey, 80; Malone, 40.
On May 15th, Frey forfeited to Malone by failing to cover his
challenger’s money within the time set by the rules, and on May 30th
Malone forfeited to De Oro, declining to play when challenged; but they
came together for the Grote Emblem on February 10th, 1888, at Slosson’s
Columbian Room, N. Y. City, in a single night’s contest, 125 balls up,
best in 31. De O., 16; M., 15.
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. Manning.= Turn Hall, Springfield, Mass., April
7th.—Pyramids, $300 a side. De O., 16; M., 12.
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. Claess.= Schaefer’s Room, St. Louis, May 21st.—$500 a side.
De O., 21; C., 9.
* * * * *
NOTE.—This year established 4½ in. at the points of the corner-pocket
jaws, and 4¾ in. for the side pockets, as the standard width in
conjunction with 2–5/16 balls.
* * * * *
=First Continuous Pool Tournament.= Daly’s, Brooklyn, January 30th to
February 9th.—$50 entrance, games, 150 balls. Frey and Malone tied for
first, and Malone lost play-off. Albert G. Powers was third, Daniel
Lawlor fourth, De Oro fifth, Manning sixth, and Knight seventh and last.
* * * * *
=Wm. Clearwater’s First Tournament.= Grand Billiard Hall, Syracuse, N.
Y., February 20th to March 3d, continuous pool. De Oro and Clearwater
tied for first and second, Malone and Powers for third and fourth,
Manning won fifth, Myron Eggleston, George Kuntzsch, Dankleman and
Wharton tied for sixth, and Louis Shaw was last. Clearwater defeated De
Oro, but Malone and Powers did not play off.
* * * * *
=Powers vs. De Oro.= Hub Billiard Palace, Boston, Mass., May 1–3d.—Best
in 101 games of pyramid on a 4½ × 9.—$300. P., 51; De Oro, 35.
1889.
=Fifth Championship Series.= Hardman Hall, N. Y. City, February 25th to
March 2d.—Continuous pool, 100 balls up, for the B. B. C. Co.’s
Challenge Emblem and money prizes. Frey, De Oro, and Malone tied as the
first three, Clearwater and Manning tied for fourth and fifth, and King
came next and last after forfeiting to Manning. The first three ties
were played off in Daly’s Assembly Rooms, Brooklyn, March 11–16th, 300
balls, 150 per night, and resulted in Frey first and De Oro second.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES FROM 1889 TO 1904. By rule, 200 balls nightly for
$150 a side and the emblem. Albert Frey having died suddenly of
pneumonia, the first match was between De Oro and Manning, and was
played at Daly’s, Brooklyn, June 20–22, 1889, De Oro winning by 600 to
564.
Same hall, April 10–12, 1890.—De Oro, 600; Manning, 565.
Hardman Hall, N. Y. City, May 8–10th.—Powers, 600; De Oro 569.
Daly’s Room, Brooklyn, June 19–21st.—Manning, 600; Powers, 489.
Same hall, July 31st to August 20th.—Champion Manning’s opponent was
Geo. Kuntzsch, who did not appear on third night, and Manning was
awarded match.
Same hall, October 29–31st.—Manning, 600; Powers, 526.
January 6, 1891.—Manning forfeited to Powers.
Recital Hall, Chicago, March 16–18th.—Powers, 600; P. H. Walsh, 392.
Same hall, May 13–15th.—De Oro, 600; Powers, 517.
The emblem became De Oro’s exclusively in May, 1892, and in Syracuse, N.
Y., in March, 1893, there was a tournament for another B. B. C. Co.’s
emblem, which, like the one of 1889–92, was meant to represent the
championship of America, but came to be accepted, in courtesy, as for
the championship of the world. De Oro, Sherman, and Stewart tied for
first, and won play-offs in that order, Clearwater being fourth.
* * * * *
=First Match.= N. Y. City, June 15–17th.—De Oro, 600; Walsh, 398.
In November, 1895, this emblem having run its time, the B. B. C. Co.
gave another. Clearwater won the tournament, with De Oro, Keogh, and
Walsh second to fourth.
* * * * *
=First Match.= Pittsburg, Pa., March 19–21, 1896.—Clearwater, 600;
Keogh, 535.
Pittsburg, April 22–25th.—Clearwater vs. De Oro, a draw, and played over
May 7–9th: De Oro, 600; Clearwater, 544.
Hardman Hall, N. Y. City, June 11–13th.—De Oro, 600; Eby, 404.
Illness forced De Oro to forfeit to Stewart.
N. Y. City, May 6–8, 1897.—Stewart lost to Grant Eby, his first
challenger: 583 to 600.
Palm Garden, N. Y. City, June 7–9th.—Keogh, 600; Eby, 505.
Academy of Music, Scranton, Pa., August.—Keogh, 600; Clearwater, 350.
Bumstead Hall, Boston, Mass., March 7–9, 1898.—Clearwater, 600; Keogh,
567.
Pittsburg, Pa., April 27–29th.—Keogh, 600; Clearwater, 447.
Chicago, Ill., April 11–13, 1899.—De Oro, 600; K., 515.
Daly’s Room, N. Y. City, November 30th to December 2d.—De Oro, 600; Fred
Payton, of Omaha, 479.
Same hall, April 19–21, 1900.—De Oro, 600; Keogh, 481. This was the
final contest of the series, the emblem becoming De Oro’s.
[For Boston tournament, won by Frank Sherman, see 1901.]
Sherman vs. De Oro. Odd Fellows’ Hall, Washington, D. C., April 16–18,
1901.—De O., 600; S., 498. This was the only match for the emblematic
medal, which became De Oro’s personal property in the following April.
[For Brooklyn tournament and the “Green Trophy,” won by Clearwater, see
1902.]
Green’s “Montauk,” Brooklyn, N. Y., May 8–10, 1902.—Clearwater, 488;
Eby, 600. First match for Green Trophy.
Pittsburg, Pa., December 4–6, 1902.—Second and last match for the Green
Trophy. Eby, 600; Walsh, 375.
This emblem became Eby’s by time-limit in May, 1903, and up to October,
1904 (see p. 340), no other championship has been instituted.
1890.
=Tournament for Kuntzsch Medal.= Geo. N. Kuntzsch’s Room, Syracuse, N.
Y., March 17th to April 8th.—Medal and $125, De Oro; $100, Powers; $75,
Clearwater; fourth, Manning; fifth and last, Joseph Dinning.
* * * * *
=First Handicap Tournament.= Lawrence’s Room, N. Y. City, ending April
26th.—Playing off for first prize, C. Erickson (95) defeated P. H. Walsh
(95). Powers (100) was third. Later came Edward Dougherty, Edward
Barton, James Luddington, Stewart, and Dinning.
* * * * *
=Binghamton, N. Y. Tournament.= Keogh first in field of seven.
1891.
=Clearwater vs. Kuntzsch.= Grand Central Rink, Pittsburg, Pa., January
29–31st.—$300 a side. C., 600; K., 428.
* * * * *
=Second Medal Tournament in Syracuse, N. Y.= Grand Billiard Hall, and
thence to Standard Theatre, February 23d to March 16th.—Powers first, De
Oro and Clearwater tied (De Oro lost play-off), Frank Sherman fourth,
Jerome R. Keogh, Wm. Wenrick, and Kuntzsch tied for fifth (divided), and
Chas. Strewe, Nathaniel Ward, and Luddington, together with Eulalio
Saborido, of Cuba, bringing up the rear.
* * * * *
=Binghamton, N. Y., Tournament.= March 23d to April 4th.—Clearwater, De
Oro, Sherman, and Eggleston tied for first, and Stewart and Powers for
fifth, Stewart winning play-off, and the quartet finishing finally as
named above. Keogh, Kuntzsch, and Wenrick were the others.
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. John Werner.= Recital Hall, Chicago, April 9–11th.—$500 a
side, Werner starting with 75 balls. De O., 600; W., 493.
* * * * *
=Chicago Tournament.= “White Elephant,” April 27th to May 2d.—$100
entrance, with $300 added by the B. B. C. Co., 125 balls up. Powers won
first, with Clearwater, De Oro, and Eggleston tied for second, and
finishing play-off as named. Werner was fifth.
1892.
=Powers vs. Clearwater.= Philadelphia, March 2–4th.—P., 600; C., 420.
* * * * *
=Syracuse, N. Y., Tournament.= March 7–18th.—$500 in prizes, games of
100 points. Winners—De Oro, Powers, Werner, and Clearwater.
1893.
=“White Elephant” Tournament.= N. Y. City, January 16th to February
1st.—Professional games for money prizes. Winners—P. H. Walsh, P.
Rodgers, H. E. Stewart and Wm. Wenrick.
* * * * *
=Championship of America.= Syracuse, N. Y., tournament ending March
24th. First, second, and third winners—De Oro, F. Sherman, and Stewart.
[For match, see under 1889.]
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. John Roberts, of London.= Madison Square Garden, N. Y., Oct.
16–21.—Match of 1000 balls for $2,000 on standard English and American
tables, playing every sixty balls by turns on the two tables. De O.,
1000; R., 924.
* * * * *
=Clearwater vs. De Oro.= Pittsburg, Pa., November 2–4th.—C., 600; De O.,
447.
* * * * *
=Binghamton, N. Y., Tournament.= Won by Keogh.
1894.
=Pennsylvania Championship.= Philadelphia, closing February
22d.—Winners—Keogh, Sherman, Dougherty, Wilson, and Tate.
* * * * *
=Clearwater vs. De Oro.= Cleveland, O., April.—As reported at the time,
there were two series, C. winning the first by 1000 to 863, and the
second by 1200 to 1188.
* * * * *
=T. E. White vs. H. King.= May 7–12.—Half in Philadelphia and half in
Washington, $1,000. W., 500; K., 372.
* * * * *
100 to 0. Pittsburg, Pa., May 17th.—Clearwater thus won a game with
Frank Munsey. Probably a 4½ × 9 table.
1895–96–97.
=Championship Tournament.= Syracuse, N. Y., November and December, 1895,
closing 14th.—Clearwater first, De Oro second, and Keogh third. For
matches, see under 1889.
1897.
=Seventy-five Balls Consecutively.= Dallas, Tex., January 9th.—The late
Samuel Barnes, giving his opponent odds of 60, holed 75 balls from the
start without a miss. Almost certainly on a 4½ × 9 table, and probably,
also, with pocket-openings above regulation size.
* * * * *
=Ninety-seven Balls in Succession.= Toledo, O., September 10th.—By
Clearwater. See remarks above. There is the further objection to going
outside of a frame to count pocketings as “runs” that the best players
are not usually their makers. Such “runs” tend rather to come to losers.
A player anxious to win cannot afford to run a risk that, sometimes
justifiable when far behind, is folly when commandingly ahead. Besides,
the rules themselves have been in conflict, one championship code
(expired) having required the winner of one frame to open the next,
while a later championship code (also expired) made it optional with
him. The Toledo game was probably a mere exhibition. Clearwater has
since holed 118 balls on a 4½ × 9.
1898.
=Roomkeepers’ Championship of Philadelphia.= November.—Horning and Levy,
5—1 each; J. Thornton, 4—2; Ed. Burris, 3—3; Sol Allinger and Rhoades,
2—4 each; McCabe, 0—6. Horning won play-off.
* * * * *
=Championship of America (Nominal).= Syracuse, N. Y., December
10–13th.—Tieing Eby and Horgan on 7—2, De Oro won play-off. Challenge
matches were not contemplated.
1899.
=Professional Tournaments.= N. Y. City, January 23–28th.—Won by Keogh.
That in Chicago, Ill., ended in favor of De Oro by his defeating John
Daly by 125 to 97.
* * * * *
=Special Championship of Philadelphia.= February 15–17th.—Match.
Dougherty, 600; Kelly, 504.
* * * * *
=Keogh vs. De Oro.= Daly’s Room, N. Y. City, 150 balls nightly, for a
purse. K., 900; De O., 813.
1901.
=Championship Tournament in Boston.= Hub Billiard Palace, February and
March.—Announced as for the championship of the world. Frank Sherman won
by 6—0, Stofft and De Oro 4—2 each, Eby 3—3, Clearwater 2—4, and Wm.
Stubbs and Irving Long 1—5 each. De Oro beat Stofft in play-off, and
then De Oro and Sherman entered into the only match ever played for the
emblem. See under 1889, “Championship Matches.”
* * * * *
=De Oro vs. Eby.= Boston, Mass., March.—$250 a side. De O., 600; E.,
463.
1902.
=World’s Championship, 1902–03.= Clarence E. Green’s “Montauk,”
Brooklyn, N. Y., March 10–25th.—Continuous pool, 125 balls, for
championship emblem and money prizes. Clearwater and Charles Weston tied
for first and second, and former won play-off by 20. Wenrick won 6,
Keogh 5, Walsh and Long 3 each, Eby and H. P. Stofft 2 each, and W.
McCune 1. (For the two matches that followed, see under 1889.)
* * * * *
=Championship of Louisiana.= Miller’s Room, New Orleans, May 26th to
June 20th.—Eugene Price and Emile Carreche tied on 5—1, and Carreche
lost play-off.
In first match, Carreche took emblem from Price, and Tarleton made it
his own by winning the next three from Carreche by 250 to 214 and to
160, and by 250 to 225 from Price in between.
1903.
=Professional Tournament for Money Prizes.= Clarence E. Green’s
“Montauk,” Brooklyn, ending February 6th.—Stofft and Weston, 8—1 each;
Kirkland, Sneden, and Rodgers, 5—4 apiece; Burns, 4—5; Smith, Ward, and
Wenrick, 3—6 apiece; Hamber, 1—8. Stofft beat Weston for first money,
Sneden defeated Kirkland and Rodgers for third, and Kirkland won fourth
from Rodgers.
* * * * *
=Buffalo, N. Y., Tournament.= Schwabl’s Room, March.—Byron Gillette
unbeaten in field of nine, and Charles Porter, beaten only by Gillette
(150 to 108), second.
* * * * *
=Championship of Louisiana.= Miller’s Room, New Orleans, April 17th to
May 12th.—New annual series. Mark Tarleton won 6—0, and E. Carreche and
James Vorhoff tied on 4—2 for the other prizes, Carreche winning the
play-off. Price was fifth only, Geo. Vorhoff being fourth. The others
were Harry Alana and David Moore, who tied on 5—1.
* * * * *
=Championship of N. Y. Athletic Club.= This annual series of tourneys
merits mention now because Dr. W. G. Douglas, who for several years had
been the club’s champion at both caroms and pool, this April lost the
pool tournament to S. W. Becker, who had long been of promise.
1904.
=World’s Championship Tournament.= St. Louis, Mo., October 12th to
November 2d.—For a trophy emblematic of the championship of the world,
and given by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., with money prizes in
addition. Contestants were Alfredo De Oro, Jerome Keogh, Wm. H.
Clearwater, Frank Sherman, Grant Eby (all ex-champions then), Thomas
Hueston, Charles Weston, and Benjamin H. Brumby, of Marietta, Ga. This
was Brumby’s first in tournament, and he withdrew after playing
four-sevenths of his games. On a game-tally of 5—2 (beaten 11 balls in
125 by Brumby, and 18 by Eby), De Oro tied Keogh and Hueston for the
first three prizes, and defeated both in playing off. The decisive game
was De Oro vs. Keogh, and the score 125 to 120. Having already defeated
Hueston, Keogh took second prize. Clearwater tied for fourth and fifth
on 4—3, Weston was sixth on 3—4, and Sherman won no game apart from
receiving forfeit from the Georgian. Hueston was the first challenger in
this series, wherein the stake must be at least $150 a side, though by
mutual agreement it may be more.
St. Louis, November 24–26th.—De Oro, 600; Hueston, 470. Eby challenged
next.
St. Louis, January 15, 16, 17, 1905.—De Oro, 600; Eby, 480. Keogh
challenged on January 20th.
Late in March, the official stakeholders, on appeal by Keogh, awarded
the championship and the full stake of $150 a side to the challenger
because of De Oro’s failure to comply with the rules as to place and
time of playing. De Oro was the next challenger, and each side wagered
$100 in addition to the usual $150.
Concert Hall, Buffalo, N. Y., May 18th, 19th, 20th.—De Oro, 600; K.,
563. W. H. Clearwater challenged.
St. Louis, October 19th, 20th, 21st.—De Oro, 600; Clearwater, 409.
Winner was challenged by Thomas Hueston.
De Oro declined to play, on the ground that he had already held the
emblem for the required one year, whereas he had forfeited it to and
reacquired it from Keogh no farther back than the prior spring. Hueston
demanded play or pay, and the official stakeholders on December 20,
1905, awarded the emblem to Hueston.
San Francisco, April 9–12th.—Hueston, 800; J. W. Carney, 512.
1906.
St. Louis, February 8–10th.—Hueston, 600; Chas. Weston, 589.
St. Louis, May 17–19th.—John Horgan, 600; Hueston, 542.
St. Louis, October 4–6th.—J. Horgan, 600; H. B. Lean, 454. Horgan
resigned emblem to Jerome Keogh.
Rochester, N. Y., November 21st, 22d, 23d.—Jerome Keogh (champion), 600;
Fred. Tallman (challenger), 346.
Buffalo, N. Y., December 27th, 28th, 29th.—Jerome Keogh, 507; Thos.
Hueston (challenger), 600.
New York City, February 7th, 8th, 9th, 1907.—T. Hueston, 600; Edward
Dawson (challenger), 368.
New York City, March 21st, 22d, 23d.—Thomas Hueston, 600; Jerome Keogh
(challenger), 497.
Keaggy’s Rink, Greensburg, Pa., April 23d, 24th, 25th.—Thomas Hueston,
600; Wm. H. Clearwater (challenger), 537.
St. Louis, January 27, 28, 29, 1908.—Thomas Hueston, 600; Jerome Keogh
(challenger), 584.
This, conferring upon Hueston permanent possession of the emblem,
brought this championship series to a close.
* * * * *
=Amateur Championship of “Greater New York.”= Tournament ended at
Clarence E. Green’s, Brooklyn, N. Y., Feb. 24th, 1905, when Albert F.
Young, Jr., won the final game, defeating Clinton Robinson by 100 balls
to 11. This defeat tied Robinson with Geo. Kowenhoven for second and
third. Messrs. Lewis, Fancher, Lake, and Alexander finished from fourth
to last in that order. Defeating Kowenhoven and Robinson in a challenge
match with each, Young soon made the emblem his own. Later, or ending
April 20th, he and Arthur Hyman were matched to play four nights—half at
Green’s and half at Samuel Gruhn’s Room, Manhattan—for a separate
championship emblem. Young won by 500 to 356.
* * * * *
=Championship of Cook County, Ill.= Thomas Foley’s Room, Chicago, March
29th to April 25th.—Eight contestants, of whom McNamarra and John Daly
forfeited five games each. George Banks and Martin Fey, each of whom had
won six times and lost once, played off, Banks winning by 100 to 88.
Tripp, tied with Pelletier for third and fourth, beat him by 100 to 89.
This was a challenge series, there were a dozen or more matches, and the
emblem changed hands several times, its winner oftenest and finally
(from Pelletier) being Fey in the winter of 1905–6.
* * * * *
=Strollers’ Club Handicap.= Begun May 31st, N. Y. City.—Played in heats
instead of rounds. There were 128 entries, but many of them forfeited
without ever hitting a ball. The one to last was W. S. Fraley, who
represented the Rochester, N. Y., Club. Next in endurance was Evan A.
Gamble, of the N. Y. A. C., whom Fraley defeated in the final game by
150 balls to 98. George C. Smith, of the Union League, Edward F. Gray,
of the Strollers, Dr. Walter G. Douglas, of the Billiard Club, and
Albert F. Young, Jr., of no club at all, also lasted until near the
finish. It was Gray who put out Smith by 10 balls, and Young who
finished Douglas by 125 to 97. Aside from the final game, 125 balls
constituted “scratch.”
* * * * *
=Championship of Illinois.= Tournament at A. M. Clarke’s Room, Chicago,
July 17th to September 2d.—George Banks won, with Dupree and Martin Fey
tied for second and third. Pelletier was fourth, and John Daly fifth.
1906.
=Fifth Avenue Hotel’s Second Annual.= New York City, February
15–16th.—Contestants, who played from “scratch” and in heats, one defeat
distancing, were Geo. A. Roff, Edward Rice, Joseph E. O’Donahue, Gillman
Collamore, S. J. Dewey, Franklin Bien, Jr., F. B. Colton, and Mr.
Schutt. The undistanced were Roff and Bien, and the winner of their
game, by 100 balls to 46, was Roff, who was awarded a sterling silver
cup. All the earlier games were 50 up.
1907.
=Third Fifth Avenue Hotel Annual.= New York City, February, 1907.—Eight
competitors, George A. Roff winning the silver loving cup by defeating
Franklin Bien, 100 to 95, in the final game.
* * * * *
=Crescent A. C. Championship Annual.= Brooklyn, N. Y., February.—Having
defeated leaders like J. M. Heatherton and Augustus S. Hart, lost to
nobody, and needing to play only H. M. Barrett, who had won but one game
out of six, E. H. Griffith was beaten by Barrett. This tied Griffith
with Hart, and their play-off increased to 200 balls, terminated in
favor of Hart by 77, the latter thus winning a championship that
Griffith had to wait for until December 26th. In the tournament of that
month he lost only to Williams (third to Kryne’s fourth), and twice
defeated J. M. Heatherton (second).
* * * * *
=Amateur Championship of Houston, Tex.= “The Brunswick,” ending February
22d.—Twelve were in, and Messrs. Thompson and Smith, each having lost
but once, played the final game, which Thompson won by 75 to 56. Lubbock
won third prize.
* * * * *
=N. Y. A. C. Championship Changes Hands.= Annual tournament closed April
16th in game doubled to 200 balls, E. A. Gamble deposing W. A. Tilt by
200 to 108. This tied Tilt with Dr. W. G. Douglas, and his skill as a
coin-tosser made Douglas winner of second prize. J. M. Heatherton was
among the contestants.
* * * * *
=Championship of Ohio.= So announced, as well as for $400 a side, in
September, when a four nights’ contest at E. A. Pearce’s Room, Columbus,
Ohio, between that player and McCoy, of Cincinnati, holder of the title,
ended in favor of the latter by 800 balls to 513.
* * * * *
=Championship of Louisville, Ky.= December, three nights and 600 balls
for a purse of $50 besides.—Emmett Doran, 600; Ed. F. Schu, 352.
1908.
=Final Match of Professional Championship Series.= For Hueston-Keogh
contest, see under 1907.
* * * * *
=Last Fifth Avenue Hotel Annual.= Held in closing week of
February.—Contestants, Geo. A. Roff, Franklin Bien, F. B. Colton,
Gillman Collamore, Putnam, and Andrews. The last and decisive game was
won by Roff from Bien, 100 to 99. The famous hotel is slated for other
uses. Roff has its loving cups for the last three years. This February’s
tournament was the fourth.
* * * * *
=N. Y. A. C. Championship for 1908.= Tournament held in February and
March. The chief winners were W. A. Tilt, J. M. Heatherton, and E. F.
Crowe, in the order here given. Heatherton and Crowe tied for second and
third, and the former won the play-off.
* * * * *
=New World’s Championship Series.= Tournament held in Recital Hall,
Chicago, April 6th to 17th, for a championship emblem given by the
Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., and money prizes. Won by Frank Sherman,
of Washington, D. C., whose tally of games won and lost was 6—1; Charles
Weston, 5—2; Alfredo De Oro, Thomas Hueston, and Edmund Pelletier tied
for third money on 4—3; Benj. Allen, 3—4; H. B. Lean, 2—5; and Martin
Fey, 0—7. De Oro, Allen, and Hueston promptly challenged, the first
being first to do so; and he and Sherman played the first match of the
new series in Allinger’s Academy, Philadelphia, May 18, 19, 20. Frank
Sherman, 597; Alfredo De Oro, 600.
The money-stake in this series is $250 a side.
RULES GOVERNING VARIOUS GAMES
These can be had, free of charge, on application to the
Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co.’s publishers.
RULES GOVERNING PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
At present there are but two, whether at caroms or at fifteen-ball pool,
whose terms have not expired. The elder of these is the 18:1
(Eighteen-inch Line, One Shot in Balk), and the other the 18:2 (same
line, with Two Shots in Balk). The rules appended relate to the making
and the conduct of matches, and not to the general playing.
* * * * *
=World’s Championship at 18:1 Balkline.= 1. Contests for the Emblem
shall, in addition to the Emblem, involve a money stake amounting to
$500 a side. This amount is necessary in order that the holder of the
Emblem may not be challenged by unskillful players, whose only object in
challenging would be to gain notoriety.
2. The sum of $250 must accompany all challenges to give them validity.
3. The holder of the Emblem must cover his challenger’s money within ten
days after being notified that he has been challenged. Failure to do so,
without sufficient cause therefor, will entitle the challenger to the
Emblem. The holder of the Emblem shall not, however, be required to
cover the money of more than one challenger at a time.
4. When $250 has been put up on each side, the $500, as well as the
Emblem, becomes subject to forfeiture. The remaining $250 must be put up
at least ten days prior to the date of contest, and after such final
deposit the match shall be “play or pay,” i.e., death alone relieving
the players from their contract.
5. The holder of the Emblem may be required to play at the expiration of
sixty days from the time of being challenged, but not before. Should
either party refuse to play within the specified time, he shall forfeit
his claim to Emblem and stakes. Should both parties conspire to defeat
this or any other rule relative to the Balkline Emblem, the match shall
be declared off, and the stake money returned. The Emblem will revert to
the original donors.
6. To define the above rule, a challenge issued while a match for the
Emblem is pending, and being next in order, shall go into effect on the
next day after that match has been disposed of either through play or
forfeiture. A challenge issued while there is no match pending shall
take effect on the day of its date, provided it is not in any way
subject to the rule next below.
7. The challenge of a player who has been defeated while contending for
the Emblem shall not go into effect until fifteen days after the contest
in which he was defeated.
8. There shall be no umpires, and no one will be allowed on the platform
after the game is called, except the contending players, the referee and
the marker. Should there be no platform erected in the hall to set the
billiard table on, and for the players to walk on, then no person except
the above mentioned shall be allowed within ten feet of the table.
9. The referee and marker to be mutually agreed upon by the players. In
case of failure on their part to agree before half past seven o’clock of
the evening of the match, then the donors of the Emblem shall name the
referee and marker.
10. All games to be 500 points up.
11. The holder of the Emblem will be required to defend it for two years
against all comers. During this probation he must deposit with its
donors, The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., the sum of five hundred
dollars ($500) to insure its preservation in good order, and its
delivery to the donors before 12 o’clock noon of the date named for any
contest in which it may devolve upon him to defend it. Failure to do so
(without good and sufficient cause) will entitle the challenger to the
Emblem and the stake money, and the donor of the Emblem to the amount
deposited as a guarantee for its safe-keeping and delivery, as
hereinbefore provided for.
12. The Emblem becomes the property of any player who wins it from the
champion and successfully defends it against all contestants for a
period of two years.
13. In all matches for the Emblem, the stakeholders shall be the donors
of the Emblem, The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., and all challenges to
the champion must be addressed through them, in order that each
challenge may be officially recorded, and the champion officially
notified.
14. All matches for the Emblem shall be played with 2⅜-inch balls, upon
a 5 × 10 table, manufactured by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., and
furnished with their “Monarch” cushions.
15. The city in which contests shall take place must be located in the
country of which either party is a resident. In case of a disagreement
between the parties as to the selection of a hall or room in which the
contest shall take place, the donors of the Emblem shall have the final
decision.
* * * * *
=World’s Championship at 18:2.= The foregoing code governs, with the
following amendments and additions as adopted by the undersigned players
finally on April 4, 1906:
Sec. 4 is made partially inoperative as to a challenge issued at any
time within sixty days of the expiration of the two years’ term. The
champion must cover the forfeit, and himself either play or forfeit,
even if challenged as late as the day before his term would otherwise
expire.
Sec. 8 is amended so as to require a railing around the table, and “not
less than seven feet from the outer edge of the table.”
Secs. 8 and 9 together are modified thus: “There shall be no marker.”
The championship term in Sec. 12 is contingently prolonged as provided
in Sec. 4 above.
15. The holder of the Emblem has the right to choose the city wherein
the contest shall take place. However, he is bound to select a city
located in the country in which he or his opponent has his legal
residence. In case of a disagreement between the parties as to the
selection of a hall or room in which the contest shall take place, the
donors of the Emblem shall have the final decision.
16. All litigious points that might be raised by either of the
competitors in connection with the challenge herein mentioned, either
before, or during, or after the contest for the World’s Championship
Emblem of the 18–inch balkline (2 shots in) game of billiards, shall be
settled, without appeal, by the donors of the said Emblem, and the
competitors shall have to sign a copy of the present rules, accepting
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. as supreme referee in all difficulties
that may arise between them on account of the contest.
THE ADDITIONS ARE:
1. There shall be no intermission, neither shall it be allowable to
brush the table or wipe the balls during the progress of the game.
2. Winner shall take all receipts and pay all expenses.
3. The balls shall have a medium-polish finish—that is, between a dead
finish and a high polish.
4. There shall not be any string of markers over the table.
GEO. F. SLOSSON,
JACOB SCHAEFER,
ORA C. MORNINGSTAR,
GEO. SUTTON,
LOUIS CURE,
WM. F. HOPPE,
ALBERT G. CUTLER.
INDEX.
Acute draws, 128, 160, 170
Aim and delivery, 26, 27, 56, 57, 77
“Albany Pony,” 8
Angle, false, 92, 93
Angles, 54 to 57, 64, 81, 86, 87, 90 to 92, 106 to 112
Around-the-table, 84, 85, 116 to 119
Attitude, 21 to 23;
for females, 22, 23
Averages:
how to figure, 204;
decimals best, 204, 205;
general or grand averages, 205, 206;
true and false, 206
Balkline Games described, 261, 264
Balkline Games recorded, 261 to 319
Balklining an American idea, 7
Ball:
ivory and its care, 14 to 18;
composition ball, 18;
standard size, 18;
fractional divisions, 27, 29, 41 to 44;
slowed in play, 38, 100, 103, 104, 115, 124, 127;
sometimes slides, instead of rolls, 31, 38;
illustrated cue-ball as struck for draw, follow, twist and massé, 28
Bank shots (cushion first), 167, 168, 178 to 181
Billiard-room:
its proper dimensions for various tables, 9;
how best to light it, 9, 10
Billiard-table arranged for different games, 72
Billiards:
pre-eminently a mental pastime, 1;
participation its chief charm, 1;
as a spectacle, 1;
historically considered, 4 to 8;
progress of, 1 to 8;
in its new forms, essentially American, 7;
appliances, their choice and care, 9 to 18
Bridge hand, 35, 36, 68, 69
Buist, Andrew, 8
Care of ivory, 14 to 18
Care of table, 11
Caroms illustrated and directed, 46 to 199
Carr and his magic chalk, 7
Chalk, 7, 13
Change of impingement, 56, 57
Changing habits of play, 19, 20
Close draw, 193, 199
Cloth, 12, 13
Cue, 12, 13, 24;
how to hold, 25, 26;
elevation, 38, 39
Cue-ball, 28;
divisions of, 27, 29, 43, 44;
control by means of, 53, 106, 107
Cue-leathers:
alleged origin, 6 to 7;
choice and care, 13, 24, 25
Curve, convex and concave, 48, 49;
allowance for, 53
Curve massé, 130
Cushion-carom Game, 8, 320 to 328;
change of rule, 322
Cushion first (see bank shots)
Cushion follow, 88, 89, 136, 137
Cushion kiss, 67, 137, 138, 144, 147, 149
Cushion shots illustrated, 55, 56, 58, 61, 63, 64, 72, 73, 82, 84, 86,
88, 92, 96, 99, 100, 107, 117, 119, 122, 130, 147, 154, 158, 160,
163, 167, 182, 186, 188, 191, 193
Cushion twist, 60 to 63
Cushions: their requisites and care, 13, 14
Degrees of cue-elevation, 38, 39
Degrees of strength of stroke, 47, 75
Delicacy of touch, 24
Delivery, 26, 27, 31, 50
Diagonal, retrograde, rotation and impulsion, all in one stroke, 58
Diagrams of strokes, 46 to 199
Dions in England, 8
Direct caroms, 74, 78, 82
Direct draws, 152, 153
Division of cue and object balls, 41 to 44
Doubling object-ball, 100 to 105, 134, 172
Draw, alleged origin of, 6
Draw, acute, 128, 160, 170
Draw and twist combined, 112
Draws and spreads illustrated, 32, 77, 120, 128, 130, 133, 153, 160,
163, 167, 172, 192 to 194, 199
Driving shots illustrated, 100, 103, 104, 124 to 129, 142, 143, 150,
177, 186
Early billiards in America, 5, 6
Elevation of cue, 38, 39
“English” (see twist)
Equal angles, 56, 57
Estimating odds, 202, 203
Excessive twist, 88, 91, 92
Eye at instant of stroke, 26
False and natural angles, 90 to 92
Fifteen-ball Pool, records of, 314 to 324
“Fine-cut” caroms, 117, 154, 184 to 187
Follow cushion (or cushion follow), 88, 136
Follow shots, 29 to 31, 52, 53, 77, 88, 136, 172, 174, 175
Force of delivery, 50
Forearm movement, 22;
with wrist stroke, 112
Forfeitures, 200 to 201
Four-ball Game, records of, 208 to 236
French (or Three-ball) Game, records of, 237 to 260
Games:
Four-ball, 208 to 236;
Three-ball, 237 to 260;
Champion’s, 261 to 263;
Balkline, 264 to 319;
Cushion Caroms, Straight and Triple, 320 to 336;
Fifteen-ball Pool, 339 to 354
Gaslight, height of, 9, 10
Gathering shots illustrated, 78 to 84, 150, 156 to 165
Habits, discarding wrong ones, 19, 20
Half massé, 39
Handicapping, 202, 203
Heavy cue, 24
Height of gas, 9, 10
Higham, Linley, 8
Historical, 4 to 8
Hollanders, 5
How to build a room, 9
How to hold a cue, 25, 26
Huguenots, 5
Illustrated caroms, 47 to 199
Incidence, angle of reflection and, 55 to 57
Introductory, 1 to 3
Ivory balls, care of, 14 to 18
Jump, its cause and prevention, 14, 39, 40
Kiss draw, 196, 197
Kiss follow, 196, 197
Kiss shots illustrated, 67, 123, 137, 138, 141, 144, 147, 163, 185,
193, 196, 197
Knights-Templar, 5
Ladies’ attitude at play, 22, 23
Learning from a book, 20
Leathering cues, 13
Machinery of billiards and its care, 9 to 18
Manual: