AMATEUR BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20925, 15 July 1931, Page 14

AMATEUR BILLIARDS.

RECENT EMPIRE TOURNAMENT SUPERIORITY OF ENGLISHMEN. "Unless New Zealand produces another McConachy and Australia another Lindrum we will never stand a chance of winning an international billiards trophy," said Mr. W: E. Hackett, the Auckland and New Zealand billiards champion, who returned by the Marama yesterday from the Empire amateur billiards tournament in l Sydney. "Even if players of that standard are again produced, it is difficult to see how they could be persuaded to retain their amateur status." Mr. Hackett is of the opinion that if the English competitors, Steeples and Lee, retained their amateur status, which he doubted they would do, it was next to impossible for' the trophy ever to be won from England now that country had captured it. "l am informed that, even if they do turn professional, there are other amateurs in England who are very nearly approaching these representatives in their skill, which is altogether beyond tho Australian and New Zealand standard," said Mr. Hackett. "Steeples established three world records'in his game against me. He made an unfinished break of 461, a sessional average of 111, and an average for the whole game of over 50. I saw him make breaks of 500 and over in his practice almost every morning. He made a break of 421 against a South Australian competitor, and Leo also made a break of 433. "I played my ordinary game and I had no possible chance of winning," added Mr. Hackett. "In one session I had tho best average I have ever had of 32, which, of course, made no impression on Steeples' 111 in the same game." Mr. Hackett said both the English players were fine sportsmen and made themselves wonderfully popular in Sydney and other Australian cities. Great hospitality was accorded the visitors by tho Australians in control of the tournament.