BILLARDS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 359, 10 June 1897, Page 11

BILLARDS

An interesting match at billiards was played in the billiard-room of the Old Colonists’ Club, Ballarat, on May 21, between Charles Memmott and F. Weiss. The game was 750 up (all in). Memmott won in the end by 236 points. Several good breaks were made by the players, the most notable of which were —Memmott, 164, 54, 48 (twice), 45, 42, and 41 ; Weiss, 82, 67, 66, 58, 53, and 31. The play was mosthighly appreciated and loudly applauded by a very numerous audience, consisting of many of -the best billiard players and others interested in the game. It was admitted the finest game ever witnessed in Ballarat. The spot-in champion, W. J. Peall, and C. . Dawson have been playing a series of matches 500 up all-in, and 500 spot-barred, in London, with varying success. On the first afternoon Dawson won the spot-barred by 322, and Peall the all-in by 181. In the evening they reversed the order of things, Peall winning at spot-barred / by 89, and Dawson the all-in by 488. The Brixtonian only, scored 12 on this occasion, Dawson making breaks of 111 and 378 unfinished, in which were 34 and 125 spots. A company is being formed in London to be called the “John Roberts Billiard Co., Limited.” It is being formed for the purpose of acquiring and developing the business of John Roberts and Co., billiard table makers to the Prince of Wales, billiard saloon keepers, and proprietors of the Hilliard Review, together with the leasehold premises at 99 Regent-street W., 37 Cumberland Market, N.W., and the drawing-room, Egyptian Hall, Picadilly W. The company will, according to the prospectus, also take all profits arising from Mr John Roberts’ match play at home and abroad, and any other professional income he may derive in the United Kingdom from his position as “ Champion of Billiards.” Messrs John Roberts and F. M. Hotine, the vendors, will Act as joint managing directors for a period of at least five years from the date of the incorporation of the Company without remuneration other than the dividend arising from their shares. The capital of tho Company is £70,000 divided into 35,000 6 per cent, cumulative preference shares of £1 each, and 35,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, the preference shares to rank first both as to capital and dividend. The whole of the ordinary shares will be taken by the vendors as fully paid in part payment of the purchase money. On the final evening of their second match of 24,000 up, spot-barred, between Peall and Roberts the scores were, Peall (to play) : 23,466, and Roberts 22,272. So the champion had to score 1728 to win—an almost impossible task. Peall did not play too well, and Roberts put together 1001 to his 544.