BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1066, 11 August 1910, Page 10

BILLIARDS.

LINDRUM v. ROBERTS.

THE VETERAN AGAIN DEFEATED.

The Sydney “Referee, ” just to hand, shows that in their second game the young Australian, F. Landrum, again defeated the veteran John Roberts. Commenting upon the game the exchange mentioned says:—

Although not so pronounced as in their first bout, Landrum had a good winning margin over John Roberts in their second game—the figures in his favour being no less than -2307, or 693 less than the start Roberts conceded. These points were lost in the first half of the game, when the visitor scored 86Q8 to the youth’s 7500. Landrum found touch in the last few days of the second half, and despite some heavy breaks by Roberts, he aggregated 505 more points, by scoring 7500 to Roberts’ 6995- In the figures set out below, it will be seen that Wednesday was Roberts’ best day, when he aggregated 1896 to Landrum’s 1250. It was in this session that he put up the top break of the match with 500, made in 35 minutes. The final day—Friday—iwas Roberts’ worst, for, despite a 313 break in the evening, his total for the day was only 719 —124 in the afternoon and 595 at night. In the afternoon session Dindrum made his points in four cues, averaging 150. The averages of both players are excellent —Roberts 40-13, and Dindrum 38.81. In the second half of the game Dindrum had the fine figures of 47.16 to Roberts’ 43-74, both of which are excellent, and rarely reached in an important engagement. The table by Alcock and Co. was a trifle slow during the early sessions, but as the game proceeded it accumulated pace, and towards the close was running excellently- B.C.C. rules controlled the game, which took place at Alcock’s Tournament Hall, at

Billiards, Limited- Following are details of the game:— THE FIRST HALF: F. Lindrum (receives 3000) .. 10,500 John Roberts 8,698 Roberts, 302 points behind sessional points. Averages for first half of game: Lindrum, 32.32; Roberts, 37-49. THE SECOND HALF. Friday Night.—Lindrum scored 625, Roberts 837. Breaks: Lindrum 91, 164, 211; Roberts 127, 128, 110, 122, 201- Scores: Lindrum. 11,125; Roberts, 9535. Averages: Lindrum, 32-89; Roberts, 44.05. Saturday.—Lindrum scored 625, Roberts 777- Breaks: Lindrum 118 (full), 96, 31, 51, 192, 77, unfinished; Roberts, 30, 20, 47,235, 50, 377. Scores: Lindrum, 11,750; Roberts. 10,312. Averages: Lindrum, 39.1; Roberts, 48.9. Monday. — Lindrum scored 1251, Roberts 608. Breaks: Lindrum, 133 (full), 46, 69, 315, 62, 248, 238, 130, 69 unfinished; Roberts, 31, 58, 23, 57, 414. Scores: Lindrum, 13,500; Roberts, 10,930' Averages: Lindrum, 89-28; Roberts, 43.42Tuesday.—Lindrum scored 1250, Roberts 1274. Breaks: Lindrum 29, 25, 117, 380, 77, 61, 102, 120, 97, and 17 unfinished; Roberts, 33, 59, 121, 241, 255, 86, 269- Scores: Lindrum, 14,250; Roberts, 12,204. Averages: Lindrum, 32.0; Roberts, 32.66. Wednesday.—Lindrum scored 1250, Roberts 1896. Breaks: Lindrum, 180 (full), 211, 108, 196, 62, 98, 220 unfinished; Roberts,, 500, 246, 90, 162, 94, 274, 160, 203. Scores: Lindrum, 15,500; Roberts, 14,100Thursday.—Lindrum scored 1250, Roberts 814- Breaks:. Lindrum, 391 (full), 118, 147, 112, 337; Roberts, 201, 63, 90, 54. Scores: Lindrum, 16,750; Roberts, 14,974. Friday.—Lindrum scored 1250, Roberts 719. Breaks: Lindrum, 342

(full), 86, 120, 156, 40, 175, 194; Roberts, 21, 64, 22, 313, 67, 88, 56. Averages: Lindrum, 54.30; Roberts, 31.26. FULL SCORES: Fred. Lindrum (rec- 3000) ... 18,000 John Roberts 15,693 AVERAGE FOR WHOLE GAME: Fred. Lindrum 38-81 John Roberts 40.13 BREAKS OVER 100:

POINTS ACTUALLY SCORED: First half: Lindrum scored 7500; Roberts scored 8698. Second half: Lindrum scored 7500; Roberts scored 6995. The story of the second meeting of Roberts and Lindrum is a revised edition of the Melbourne game—Lindrum off-colour at start, Roberts going strong. At half-way it appeared that the veteran would shake the lad up, but as the pace of the table increased Lindrum gained confidefnce, and towards the end had regained the form that characterised his runaway performance in the Southern city. On Wednesday John was at his best, with the splendid aggregate of 1896 and high-class breaks of 500, 274, .246, 203, 162 and 103; and were it not for the little waits in between might have wiped off the deficit. When the youth started working the red on Thursday for the first time during the game the fact dawned on Roberts that he was in for another defeat. Lindrum scored 1250 to 874 that day, and contributing an unfinished run to 342 on Friday afternoon, reaching' his points with an average of 150 for the session, he put on the closure, for, de-, spite a run of 313 at night by Roberts, the Australian scored 1250 to 719; and that was how Roberts was beaten by 2307 points.

The 500 made by John Roberts is his third break of those dimensions made in Australia under Association rules. His previous runs were 500 at the Gaiety Theatre. Sydney, against Fred- Weiss, July, 1900 and a month later 559 at Brisbane. Both of these breaks were made on Heiron and Smith’s tables under B-A- rules; his last 500 was on an Alcock table under Billiard Control Club rules. Roberts’ best breaks of‘ recent years was 821 at Glasgow against J- Duncan, but as the table ha,d not been passed by the Billiard Association, the break was not allowed to go on record. Even in Australia, if the table is not measured by a representative of the Billiard Association “before the game starts,” any record is refused recognition-

After playing Weiss, John Roberts will try conclusions again with Lindrum in six short games of 3000, Lindrum receiving 500 start in each. '

In a match between John Roberts and Fred. Weiss for “ £5OO aside,” played in 1900 in two sections—the first in Sydney and second half in Melbourne—a few of the incidents of ten years ago may foe worth recallingThe match was 21,000 up. Weiss receiving a third of the game (7000) start. During the first half Roberts made breaks of 306, 272 and 240, and an average of just under 37, to Weiss’ 29.56, and best breaks of 308, 250, and 169. The Australian was 1.433 ahead when the game was transferred to Melbourne. In the second section Roberts at one period got within four points of Weiss, but the Australian pulled ahead again and finally won by 890 points. The winner’s average for the whole game was 24.90, while Roberts’ figures were 34.39 —considerably worse than in last week’s game with Lindrum.

F. Landrum (48): 391, 391, 380, 342. 337, 315, 283, 248, 238, 229, 227, 211, 211, 204, 194, 196, 192, 185, 183, 180, 175, 175, 164, 156, 155, 147, 144, 143, 133, 134, 130, 125, 120, 120, 120, 102, 102,. 102. Total, 8404 points. J. Roberts (50): 500, 414, 377, 364, 313, 298, 298, 274, 27, 269, 255, 248, 246, 241, 203, 203, 201, 201, 190, 177, 167, 162, 163, 158, 151, 142, 139, 139, 137, 137, 129, 128, 127, 125, 122, 121, 121, 121, 119, 117, 116, 112, 110, 108, 107, 105, 102, 100, 100- Total, 9385 points.