BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1073, 29 September 1910, Page 11

BILLIARDS.

DONT’S FOR PLAYERS.

The following “ Dont’s” contain good advice:—

The cloth is cloth—not asphalt. 1 Don’t imitate the Hon. M. Scott—the table is not a putting green. If you cut the cloth, ring up Heiron and Smith (don’t say “ I’m sorry”) and ask them to put on a new cloth at your expense. Your opponent’s flukes count to him, and likewise, for the same rea- ■ son, yours count to you. Always tell your opponent how to play the shot, or how it ought to have Keen played—it’s worth 30 in 100 to you. If the balls are running well for I your opponent, mention the fact frequently, and, of course, loudly, because neither he nor the spectators ’ may be aware of it. To improve the polish on the woodIwork, leave your cigarette alight on the cushion rail. When you fail in a shot, blame the table, the cushion, or the balls—it can never be your own fault. j If you don’t score in the first five or I] Six strokes, change your cue—it must j be bad ! j Unless you can give Belfield 40 in 100, do not give a start to anyone until you know their game- You ) won’t get a start then. | When returning a ball to a player, j imitate Cotter or Roy Hill —it’s good ; for both the ball and the cloth, as well as showing what an independent fellow you are. Don’t leave any chalk in the cups. But do aim straight, play the strength, and —don’t boast.—“ Sydney Referee.”

The young Australian champion, George Gray, will shortly make his public debut in the Old Country. For the opening games his opponent will be George Nelson, champion of Yorkshire, with whom he has been booked to tour the large cities of the county of Broadacres and adjoining Lancashire. In the latter county he will probably be pitted against Diggle at Manchester, and the result of this game will be his “ reference” to the English billiard world. Word comes from Leeds (where George is putting in eight hours daily at the table) that in a game of 750 against Nelson, he went out in nine sticks, averaging 83, his principal runs being 345 and 156. It must have been breaks of this magnitude that induced his manager to put the boy against such an expert and seasoned player as Diggle.

In John Roberts’ reminiscences he attributes the defeat of his father by William Cook in their famous match for the championship in 1870 to an offer made by Lord Dudley (ancestor of our Governor-General) while the match was in progress to give him £lOOO if he won- The offer made Roberts anxious, and defeated the well-meant intention of the generous donor. The late King (then Prince of Wales) was present at the match, which started at 8.27 p.m., and did not finish until 1.38 a-m. Cook won by 117 points in 1200 up.