“OUT OF PICTURE”

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7201, 26 April 1930, Page 13

“OUT OF PICTURE”

SMITH COMPLAINS ABOUT BILLIARDS’ CONTRACTS LINDRUM’S RECORDS Two days before the finish of.the match between Smith and Lindrum last month, great surprise was created in sporting circles by Smith’s announcement, in the Press that he intended to retire from professional billiards on the termination of his contract with Burroughes and Watts. He explained that this was not due to the inevitable defeat that awaited him at Lindrum’s hands, but because there “were cleaner things that lie could associate himself with than' those which were happening in billiards today.” Later ho explained his grievance. It was that Lindrum, Davis, McConachy and Newman had signed up a contract to play for Thurston’s, Ltd., next, and that as he was bound to play for Burroughes and Watts he would be “out of the picture.” Smith appears to be under the impression that tho four players mentioned have engaged to play under the auspices of Thurstons for the express purpose of depriving him of profitable engagements next season (comments H.S. in the “Australasian”). When Smith has got over the very natural resentment that he feels in finding himself through no fault of his own stranded high and dry, so to speak, he will probably reconsider this opinion. Apart from any other reasons, it is on the face of it extremely improbable that Lindrum, Davis, McConaehy and Newman would boycott Smith, for he is tho most popular of all the English professionals, as well as the most attractive to watch, and if he were included in the team he would undoubtedly materially increase his earning powers. What seems to have happened is that the other players were offered better terms by Thurstons than by Burroughes and Watts, and naturally they have accepted them. Among the records that Lindrum has made during his English tour are the following:—Break of 3,262, four four-figure breaks in consecutive sessions, 4,259 in one day’s play, 11 breaks of over 1 ; 000 in a fortnight, break of 100 in 56sec, break of 1,000 in 29 minutes, 36,252 scored in a match.