BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1148, 11 April 1912, Page 19

BILLIARDS.

GRAY-STEVENSON CONTROVERSY.

Irrespective of the result of the third “test” match between Stevenson and Gray (won by the former), it is suggested that these matches have done no real good for the game ‘‘down under” (so says “Ivor” in the “Sporting Chronicle”), They have earned, no doubt, some thousands of pounds among the people interested in them —that is all —and he asks: “(1) Who authorised them, and for what reason?? (2) Does the Billiards Control Club, seeing the tests were played under their rules, x*ecognise the matches as legitimate trials of skill? (3) Will these so-called tests be made a precedent for similax* engagements in the future, and the conditions, still favouring the use of a for-eign-made composition ball, while making victory an absolute certainty tor one of the players? (4) Does George Gray hold the ‘ashes’ of English billiards.”

These queries were addressed to the secretary of the 8.8. C., who has no doubt satisfactorily answered them ere this. It is generally concluded, however, that any two p ayers may come together and make their owxx arrangements for exhibit.on games, without requiring authority from any person or body. Money is what the pros, want, and Stevenson and Gray did well to arrange their programme on a money-xnaking basis. That they were legitimate, trials of skill cannot be denied, and the playing of them undex* any other conditions could not have made them more so. Seeing that Gray beat Diggle, Inman, Reece, Harverson, Aiken, Cook, Nelson, etc., with crystalates, and then comes along and wins two or three “test” games from Stevenson with bonzolines, it seems clear that skill is required to make victory an absolute certainty rather than any particulax* make of ball. The championship not being involved, the “ashes” are still safe with England. Gray is not evidently looking for them.