BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1021, 30 September 1909, Page 10

BILLIARDS.

CONTROL OF BILLIARDS. The following cable was receiv d in Auckland last week: —The Billiard Association has authorised the Auckland Amateur Sports Club to act as the governing body for billiards in New Zealand. The association has also decided to give a gold medal annually to the winner of the amateur championship in New Zealand. The Auckland Amateur Sports CL’3 m May last wrote to the British Billiard Association suggesting that the ? ocal club be appointed the controlling body for billiards in New Zealand. The local body had in view the holding of an amateur championship of New Zealand. A meeting is to bo held shortly, and in all probability arrangements will be made to hold the first tournament at ChristmasInman will again be with us next season, as he leaves England in April next. » * * * I received a note from Mr. J. Read early in the week. Read is now at Hastings, and on Saturday evening conceded two players from the Hastings Club 200 in 400, winning each game. Judging by his letter, “ Joe” was in pretty good form, and made breaks of 173, 88, 86, 76, 73, 59, 56 and 52. * The following is the position of the Crystallate Cup Inter-club Billia. 1 Competition in Wellington at the end of the second round: —Group A. — Grimstone two wins, Stewart two wins, Po’nton two wins, Asher one win, Barton one win. Group B. —Key two wins, Cole two wins, O’Neill two wins, Steward one win, Hamilton one win. » « * Harold McNeil, of the Newton Bdliard Saloon, has decided to hold a billiard tournament, and patrons of me room will fully appreciate this move. The game will be a handicap of 250 up, and the prize is a beautiful silver teapot, now on view in Mr. A. Kohn’s window, Queen-street. Nominations close at the Newton Saloon on Friday evening. 4t ♦ ♦ * Lindrum and Gray, seniors, are old opponents of the “ spot-in” days. Both were connected with the hotel business in Adelaide in the eighties, and although Gray is four years Lindrum l senior, they were contemporaneous in the billiard world a couple of decades back, and often met in matches. Perhaps their most important game was for the “ Australian Native Championship,” a title coined as a counterblast to a series of Australian championship games which were then being played by Evans. Memmott, and Weiss. This event was 3000 up, and took place in Melbourne on May 5,6, and 7, 1887. Lindrum, sen., was then two years older than the champion now is. So solid was his play, that on the first day he scored 803 to Gray’s 603 in the middle portion of the game. Gray then put in 42 spots and almost reached his opponent, wlio, however, got going again, and at the late hour, of 12.30 made his points for the session with a lead of 1000 to 865 —a session long enough indeed to satisfy even the greatest glutton for billiards. On the second evening Lindrum was in better touch with 194, 78, 182, and 155, and reached his points of 2000 the second evening to Gray’s 1358. The latter’s hopeless position settled the Interest in the game, for “old Harry” was never, a great battler, and Lindrum won the championship by 1147 points. It may be that these two old opponents will again meet during their New Zealand tour. Both are good players, Lindrum using the left hand, while Gray does his work with the right. In latter-day billiards both are but medium players. They made their names with the “ spot-in,” which, while a prolific source of scoring, was almost as momentous to watch as the present-day “ red loser.” The impatience of the public settled it as a spectable—a fate which may befall its latter-day cousin in the near future. — “ Referee.” • • • • The Alcock billiard tournament has been continued at the Christchurch Cycling and Motor Club’s rooms. The games resulted as follows: —W. Lavery (scr.- 300 beat C. Goggin (100), W. G. Walden (85) 300 beat “Avon” (55) 273, A. Cameron (70) 300 beat A. T. Washer (70) 228, C. E. Brown (8a) 300 beat J. H. Tompkins (125) 228, “ Wiremu” (40) 300 beat J. McKendry (95) 273, E. A. Barrett (10) 300 beat A. T. Washer (70) 236, G. Wilkinson (85) 300 beat E. Fox (130) 289, E. Francis (115) 300 beat S. Heap (70) 276, W. G. Noble (20) 300 beat A.

Gorman (110) 200, “ Avon” (55) 300 beat L. Partridge (25) 288, E. EDaniels (80) 300 beat A. H. James (20) 290. It is anticipated that the final will take place to-morrow. Advices to hand show’ that George Gra y easily defeated Lindrum in their Albury engagement of 8000 up. Gray received 500 start and won by 2792, thus scoring 2292 more than his opponent.