BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1116, 31 August 1911, Page 13

BILLIARDS.

Von der Luft, a Victorian, beat Rumball, 'of New 'South .yVales, for the amateur billiards chaffipiojiship of Australia by 135 points in 3000 i Several centuries were compiled. The winner’s breaks averaged 13.10.

An interesting game was ’ played in the billiard parlour at the local Civic Club between J. Cooke and Conway. Cooke played in excel ent and consistent fashion, winning by zu3 points, and making best breaks of 60, 41, 37, 29, 23, 23, 22, and 21. The loser, who is quite a youth, p'ayed attractively in runs of 26 and 25-

In local billiards F. Farrell met and defeated F. Massey by 132 points ’’on Monday night. The game was never in doubt from the start, Farrell making a beautiful 64 break from Massey’s safety miss at the start, and he’d the lead right through. The balls were not running well for Massey, who made breaks of 21, 22, and 27, while the winner made 64, 44, 23, 36, 29, and 27.

One of the most noticeable things in billiards (points out Sydney Referee”) is the all-round improvement in the skill of ama+eurs and professionals. Take the amateur championship contests as an example : Twelve years ago last week, when J. B. Belfield defeated Lawford Spencer for the championship, the averages were: Belfield 6.80, Spencer 5.40, for 2000 up. In the following .Tune (1900) Messrs. Belfield and Rumball met at the Hotel Victoria, the figures were little better. Rumball won by 124, with an average of 6.48 to Belfield’s 6.18. Those were the days when there was no control over amateurs, for three months after Rumball defeated Bel'field he played L. Spencer at the Oxford Hotel for the championship, and was defeated by 163 in 1500 up. The averages were distinctly good—Spencer 15.14, Rumball 13-63. Shortly afterwards the Sports Club took control of the championship, and the system of players engaging a hall and charging admission money to view the game in true professional manner received its quietus, let us hope, for ever.