BILLIARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 240, 7 October 1916, Page 16

BILLIARDS.

It trill be surprising if Walter Liadrnm does not make a Teconi break in the course of hie match with hie elder brother Fred, says a writer in the Melbourne "Herald." Hie play all the week has been brilliant H. W. Stevenson at hie best never gave a better exhibition of top of the table play than this young player has. No phase of the game has troubled him, and experts are freely looking to ihim to win the highest 'honour* the world of billiards holds.

And be is going to be an immensely popular player, for he has a delightfully free style. Indeed 1 , I have never eeen a faster scorer. One well-known expert, ■with a life-long experience of the game, stated on Wednesday that he at first thought that Walter was just going to make a fairly solid player. "But after seeing him rattle up that 400 odd on Tuesday," eaid the expert, "I am convinced that he will become one the most brilliant players we have ever eeen. Without having eeen it I could not have credited a player with making the improvement in a few months that Walter (has." In conversation the young player a few hours before the match: eaid lie "felt great." As much ac in any other ■branch of eport it is necessary that a billiard .player should keep in good condition. Being neither a smoker nor a drinker, Walter does not find this harJ Ib can fcardly be pleasant to Fred to realise that his hitherto supreme position in the Australian world of billiards is threatened by his young brother. Elder brothers are always apt to forget that the younger members of the family j advance, and perhaps one would not have to look back far to the time when Walter marvelled at the skill of Fred. But Walter is coming along apace, and when they meet in earnest for the championship—it ie understood they are to do so in a few months' time—Fred will need all his powers to hold the title. Up to the time of writing Fred had not shown liis best form by any means. In praising Walter it must not be forgotten wha> a genius of the cue the champion is. At the top of his form he may be able to account for his brother. At all events, it would be a great struggle.