THE GREAT BILLIARD MATCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE GREAT BILLIARD MATCH

JOHN ROBERTS V. CHARLES DAWSON. The great billiard match between John Roberts and Charles Dawson was com- 1 menced on Monday, March 20, at tiro Argyll Hall, Oxford Circus., The pair agreed to play 18,000 up, on level terms, for £100 aside and the whole of the gate receipts, the winner being practically the spot-barred' champion of the world. The commencement! was a sensational one, as, after the usual safety miss, Dawson got quickly going and established a big lead. True his best breaks were only 66, 31, and 35, but he aggregated 252 winle Roberts made 32. For a long time after this, however, Roberts had the run of the balls, subscribing 39, 32, 35, and a. grand 91, which took him into the fourth hundred only 60 behind his rival. Then with a brilliant 125 Roberts went in front at 459 378, but, not to be denied, Dawson came out in his best form with beautifully com-: piled items of 152 and 150, against 35, 62, and 39, and reached his points first with the scores: Dawson (in play), 750; Roberts, 652. In the evening Roberts came out with 126, 105, and 112 (unfinished), and was the first to reach his points, being at the close 110.in front of Dawson. Scores: Roberts, 1501; Dawson. 1391.

That extraordinary interest was taken in the match was again seen 011 Tuesday, by the , crowded state of the Argyll Hall, when, except for a few places at a pound each, there was hardly standing room. Roberts, who had overnight gained his points by the aid of an unfinished 112, only added five points ere coining to grief. Dawson was in rare form, and put on a magnificent break of 278, and in the afternoon completed a grand 156, but left all three balls at the top of the fable. This just suited Roberts, who quickly seized the opportunity, Flawing in his usual fast and irresistible style be compiled 130, rattling up 10 after 10 as quickly almost as the marker could call the scores. Later he ran up 111 in admirable style. Roberts' fine play, however, had only the effect of stimulating Dawson to further exertions, for lie increased his lead by the aid of brilliant compilations of 104, 138, and a grand 122. The 'cores at the close ivere: Dawson (in play), 3002; Roberts, 2218. During the day Dawson aggregated 1611 points to Roberts' 711. On Wednesday Dawson only managed to add nine to his overnight unfinished break of seven, and after Roberts had failed to score, there was a short delay owing-to an appeal by Roberts to the referee to have the balls changed, on the ground that they were foul. A new set was requisitioned, but each man paid three visits to the table ere anything of moment was done. Then Roberts put on breaks of 110 and 172. and on the afternoon's play rubbed off 330 points. In the evening against .78 by his rival the champion ran up 163, but afterwards progress was dreadfully slow, and at the close the scores stood: Dawson (in play), 4501; Roberts, 3991. Dawson completed a splendid break of 264 on Thursday. Roberts subsequently got his chance and made it yield 105. Re was in his best form. Playing at a great pace he soon knocked up a hundred, and had added 82 more, making in all 182, when he gave a miss. The afternoon figures were: Dawson (in play), 5252 Roberts, 4873. For somo time after the resumption of the game in the evening the play was of a most moderate character, and at one period it became excessively tedious, each man paying half a dozen visits to the table without making a double figure score. Dawson only increased his unfinished break of 50 to 79, and afterwards put in 24 and 55, against Roberts' 38 and 43. After this Dawson had matters all his own way, putting in 186, 126, and 68 unfinished, and left off with a big lead, the final scores being: Dawson (in play), 6000; Roberts, 5128. . Roberts was born in 1847, and Dawson in 1866, and whereas Roberts stands fully six feet in height, the Yorkshireman is well under the middle height. Roberts first won the championship in 1870, when he defeated the late W. Cook. He lost to Joe Bennett in 1871, but soon regained his laurels. Roberts met Cook again in 1872 and lost, faring no better in 1874. However, Roberts' turn came again in 1875, and since that year he liasbeen the acknowledged champion. Dawson first came into public notice when, receiving 9000 start from Roberts in a game of 12,000 up, lie proved successful by a large number of points. In a match of 9000 up against W. J. Peall, Dawson with 2000 start, won by 15 points, but a second game saw I'eall, who compiled a break of 3304, an easy winner. Since his return from Australia, Dawson has played some remarkable games, but after winning the billiard Association championship, was defeated by Stevenson, who received 3500 start, in the final heat of Messrs. Burroughes and Watts' handicap. Dawson, however, wasjhen suffering from a mild attack of influenza, in order to shake off the effects of which he spent a week, at Brighton, with most satisfactory results. Roberts had been most assiduously practising in London. [A cablegram published a few days ago brought news of Roberts' defeat of his opponent by a substantial majority. What is known as the "push stroke" used in the compilation of nursery cannons, a form of play that Roberts has been devoting considerable. attention to of late, was barred yet despite the fact that he had to return to the practice of his old strokes on this account, the Lancastrian clearly demonstrated that he is. still entitled to style himself the spot-barred champion of the world.] 1