BILLIARDS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 521, 19 July 1900, Page 6

BILLIARDS

NEW ZEALAND TATTERS AL’S BILLIARD tournament.

The annuJ Tournament in connection with the above Club commenced at their splendidly appointed rooms last month. A. considerable amount of interest was centered in this Tournament, and a lot of wagering on the different heats took place, no less than three 10 to 1 chances getting home. The committee decided to add three very valuable trophies in addition to the ordinary sweepstake which added to the interest, if that was possible. A lot of wagering took place on the production of the handicaps, Cooke being the favourite, though a lot of others were backed for good money. A start was made by the two limit men meeting, W. Dyerand A. de Groea both being on the 110 mark. Dyer was a 2 to 1 hot favourite and justified the confidence reposed in him by winning by 46 points. J» Machat ie (owes 135) then opposed J. Thompson (received 40). Machattie, who was favourite, played a very good and lucky game, and defeated the Taranaki man by 36 points. C. McKinney (received 80), a previous Tournament winner, met A. Harris (owes 25) and the popular little Secretary made a clean run away race of it, winning by 170 points. The winner made some really marvellous shots (I was nearly writing flukes) and quite paralysed his opponent, who, however, has been in bad health for some time past. The next to meet were Dan McLeod (received 20) and T. Tobias (received 70), McLeod being a firm 2 to 1 favourite. He started very quickly when 5 to 1 was laid on his ability to win. Tobias was very slow in getting under weigh, and when McLeod had nearly caught him when 10 to 1 was laid on him, and immediately that was done, the balls broke in Tobias’s favour, and playit g very well, he won by 24 points. There was a grand exhibition of high kicking and Highland fling dancing during the progress of this game, which was highly entertaining to the spectators The next heat was between R. Cleland (received 20) and H. Ihompson (received 40). The latter was favourite. Cleland started very well and quickly passed his opponent, the balls breaking in a remarkably safe way for him, after getting a few points ahead, enabled Thompson to score 80 to his 6, but Cleland kept pegging away, and almost caught him again at2oo, but through a fluke Thornton made 21, and that practically settled the game, for he won by 31 points. F. Whiting (received 50) and R Duder (received 90) were the next to play. Whiting played a remarkably solid game, and never giving the genial North Shoreite a ghost of a chance, won by 70 points On the strength of this game, the winner was well backed for the final. H. Hayr (received 40) ard G. Brimblecombe (owes 10) were the next that were to play, but owing to an unfortunate accident, Hayr was forced to give Brimblecombe a bye. And then came one of the best contested heats of the first round, (J. Davidson (received 70) and J. Cooke (owes 175). Cooke was favourite, and after a really interesting game, Cooke won by 20 points Both men played a game equal to their beet form, especially the loser, who, I think, played the game of his life It was indeed bad luck for “ Ponem ” to meet the scratch man in such good form. The last heat of the first round was of a really sensational character. C. Phillpot (received 80) met 11 Oom Paul ” (owes 80), the Boer being a very warm favourite. He caught his man at 175, and after 10 to 1 being laid 15 to 1 went begging, and no wonder, seeing that after catching up such a big start there seemed but little prospect of “ Philly ” playing him 75 upon even terms, but that is what he did, for at the finish he fairly wore him down, and beat , him, amidst great excitement, by one point. On Philly making the winning shot (a difficult one) there ensued a scene which has seldom been witnessed at the Club for both winners and losers heartily congratulated him on his gallant fight. I think that “ Oom Paul ” showed the white flag in a very pronounced • manner, and was troubled with what the Americans call “ cold feet.” Cooke and Machattie w< rd the first to meet for the seco d round, and after a rather uninteresting game Cooke won by 47 points. Neither played up to their form, and Cooke had the best of the luck. Phillpot (who afler his game with “ Oom Paul ” was always singing They can’t beat the boys of the bull dog breed”) and Whiting then went to the table, and Whiting won by 6 points, after a rather interesting game. Phillpot should certainly. Lave won this game, but his great game a few nights previously seemed to have taken all the ‘‘ go out of him. McKinney and Tobias were the next to meet, and it was really hard to say wh ch was favourite for 5 and 6 to 4 was laid on each of them, but Tobias proved rqual to the occasion, winning by 3 points. McKinney lost this game by his own generosity.. He was leading in the last, 50, and refusing to pot the whit , and playing for a most difficult cannon missed it, and letting Tobias in, who made a break. and won as above mentioned H. Thompson and Brimblecombe were the next to play, Thompson being odds on favourite, but the old Generd played a really good game, and won by 19 joints. W. Dyer secured the bje. The first to meet in the third round were Dyer and Cooke, the scratch man being a firm favourite, and playing a really brilliant game won by 60 points. Cooke excelled himself in this game, mating breaks of 35, 31, 28 29, 36, 35, 41, and 21 unfinished, his average for the whole game being B£, which could have been considerably increased in the last 100, in fact his average up to that stage was 101, a

really first class performance. Brimblecombe and Tobias were the next to play, and after a most monotonous game Brimblecombe won by 25 points. It was the slowest game of the whole senes', and the most uninteresting. Whiting secured the bye, and Brimblecombe was the one drawn to meet him for the semi-final, and after a very uninteresting game Whiting won by 42 points. Both men played in their very best style, the winner especially playing some remarkably good shots. Cooke and Whiting then met the following evening for the final. Cooke was favourite, but once again the non-favourite won. There was a fair attendance to witness it, and a close and keen game was expected, and although it was a close finish the play was of a very mediocere character. The scratch man, who was suffering from a very severe cold, played a ver; poor game The winner also played very badly, in striking contrast to his game with Brimblecombe. E ght to one was laid on Cocke at one time, and 10 to 1 was freely offered without any takers, but Whiting played up much better in the last 50 and won by 11 points, and so became the winner of the Tournament for the year 1900. The following are the winners of the tournament since its inauguration :— Year Ist 2nd 3rd 1892 R. Blaikie C. Phillpot R. Budge 1893 J. E. Cooke F. Whiting J. W. Russell 1894 J. E. Cooke T. Tobias G. Brimblecombe 1895 F. McManemin J. E. Cooke F. Machattie 1896 H. H. Hayr F. Machattie M. Moore 1898 C. McKinney F. McManemin R. Duder 1899 R. Cleland R. Duder G. Rhodes 19C0 F. Whiting J. E. Cooke G. Brimblecombe TOURNAMENT 1900. Fikst Round. W. Dyer receives 110 beat A. De Groen receives 110 by 46 points. . n , F. Machattie owes 135 beat J. Thompson receives 40 by 30 points. C. McKinney receives 80 beat A. R. Dunn owes 25 by 170 points. , „, T. Tobias receives 70 beat D. McLeod receives 20 by 24 points. H. Thompson receives 40 beat R. Cleland receives 20 by 31 points. . F. Whiting receives 50 beat R. Duder receives 90 by 70 points. G. Brimblecombe a bye. J. Cooke owes 175 beat J. Davidson receives 70 by 20 points. C. Phillpot receives 80 beat“ Oom Paul "owes 80 by 1 point. Second Round, J Cooke beat F. Machattie by 47 points. F. Whiting beat C. Phillpot by 6 points. ’ T. Tobias beat C. McKinney by 3 points. G. Brimblecombe beat H. Thompson by IF points W. Dyer a bye. Third Round, J. Cooke beat W. Dyer by 60 points. G. Brimblecombe beat T. Tobias by 25 points. F. Whiting a bye. Semi-Final. F. Whiting beat G. Brimblecombe by 42 points.. J. Cooke a bye. ; Final Round, F. Whiting beat J. Cooke by 11 p lints.. NOTES. The winner of New Zealand TattersaPl’a Tournament had great luck in winning, for he should have been beaten in the second round when he met Phillpot, and again in the final, j when he caught the scratch man decidedly off i and suffering from a very severe cold. The Committee of New Zealand Tattersall’s are considering the advisability of getting up-a second tournament again this year. They did so last year, when it proved a great success. Mr Woodleigh, the Tattereall’s Club billiard : handicapper, did his work well in the recent Tournament, and he marked the games with conspicuous success. The players are keenly looking forward to his handicaps for the next I tournament.