BIG BILLIARD BREAKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 406, 15 January 1909, Page 11

BIG BILLIARD BREAKS.

' .The boy Gray,, whose big billiard ..breaks'in . Sydney have been so much in evidence lately, ■ recently scored.4s4, 435 being oil the red. Gray, E who recently toured New Zealand,.in his Will Hard match with.Liudrum (champion of Australia) won.by 4643 points, or 643 more than : . ;tho handicap, conceded by Lindrum. Gray: in l this match maud a number, of breaks over the 6 . century, his best 'effort being 395;(393 off the red), which constitutes a world's record off' the fed. The game Was played on a Standard match table ereoted by Alcocknhd Co. Du'rr ing a four-handed game between Smith, senior, . and jujiior, and Harry 'and George' Gray, - the boy accomplished another wonderful feat by putting up a break of 531, which'constitutes ■ the Australian billiard record. George Gray is only 16 years old, and has been playing for only three years, his'solo tutorVbeing his : fatUer,. Harry Gray. • Describing a big break by Gray, the ■ "Sydney Morning Herald" says: "Gray, ,in the evening . session of. his billiard .match with Lindrum, continued .his over-dinner break until he had made 395,. 393 of which caino from the red.- Thus he not only made new figures: for hazards off the coloured ball, the previous best being his own 315 off . tho red, but placed the break where it may Te- - main for some years; For a lad of ; -onfy 16' r years of age to put up', such a performancei'*is . a wonderful feat. He has practised the losing j, hazard game until-he has becomo. so perfect as to be ■ able to Keep going at it until it has j becomo purely a mechanical effort, and until failure to continue is the result of muscular 5 and mental exhaustion.'' •''■'.".• fj "Still, making all allowance'for the youth ... of the player, it is n.branch:,of the game '1 which does not possess sufficient variety. There' 'i is more entertainment in si 60 break of all--e found play than in a .succession of losing e hazards, which consist of rolling the ball' up 0 and down the. table; and the white running e into tlio centre pockets,' or- driving. the red ,f round the angle and' back •to the centre in .. getting the long loser.' There is beauty hi the B top of the table play, or in close: cannons, ' and seeing the capacity possessed by Gray in ; masse strokes, it is strange he does-not'go in. ' for more variation'in the vicinity of the 1 spot, j ■* It is said to be the intention to send him to e England. > His-skill in short and long losers )- will make.his appearance interesting;.but not i- nearly as much as would-the nil-round game, d At the finish of his record.break there was a n magnificent burst of cheoring. •' A collection was made'in the room, and £6 was gathered."