BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1055, 26 May 1910, Page 12

BILLIARDS.

Joe Read who visited England last year is on his way back to New Zealand and is at present in Hobart.

A. E. Williams and Fred Lindrum, jun., are playing a match of 16,000 up level, in the billiard parlours of Messrs- Alcock and Co., in Melbourne. Lindrum is putting in good work, but before the game is over he’ll surely surprise the Englishman.

In connection with the match of 18,000 up between Roberts and Campbell, that was abandoned on account of the King’s death, it may be pointed out that the 22 sessions played occupied 33 hours. Roberts scored 16.502 points, which works out at a fraction over 500 an hour. This, John Roberts states, constitutes a record for Australia.

The recent amateur championship of England comprised players from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Hong Kong. Amongst the competitors were a Parsee and West Indian —but no Australian. Next to England, I think we can lay claim to being greater supporters of billiards (says the “Arrow”), as well as being the breeders of greater players than any other portion of the Empire, and certainly consider it well within the possibility of Australia holding both the world’s amateur and professional championships at billiards. Unfortunately, different systems of play and tables are in vogue in Canada. Yet there are quite a lot of English tables there, and we may yet see an international amateur billiard championship, in which Father Leo will compete against clubs from Australia, Canada, South Africa, India, and other outposts of the Empire for supremacy at the most scientific of all pastimes.

Inman and Reece were engaged last month in what was proving one of the most strenuotis battles ever fought upon a billiard table. This was in their match of 8,000 up level for £lOO, and the winner to play Stevenson for the world’s cnampionship and £2OO aside. Inman has always proved the master of Reece, but in this match the latter, when the mail left, looked like reversing the order of things by giving Inman the battle of his life to keep pace with him. Inman bolted in the opening sessions on Monday, the 4th ult., and secured a good lead, the scores being: Inman 1333, Reece 704, just 629 behind his points- Reece opened out on the Tuesday afternoon and fired a bombshell into Inman’s camp in the shape of a magnificent effort, of -559. Things warmed up as Inman replied with a 215, and Reece countered with a couple of centuries, bringing the session to a close with scores at: Inman 1849, Reece 1561 and a 167 unfinished. In the evening Reece added but 7 to this break, and in a couple of sticks later he repeated his afternoon performance with a lovely 549, and with a fine 117 passed Inman at 1991. The latter now

brought all his dogged, forces to play, and once more secured the lead—In-

man 2,334, Reece 2,296. A great and grand battle now raged, each bringing all his forces to bear, Reece out-pointing his “bogey” rival at every stage; and at the close of Wednesday afternoon’s play the scores stood: Reece 3,177, Inman 2,692; while the evening’s session closed with Reece 3,845, Inman 3,211. Thursday found Inman in good form and distributing breaks in the 200 class, which brought him to within easy call of Reece, who, however, maintained his hold of first place at close of play—Reece 4,282, Inman 3,987. At latest Reece was in front.