The year 1870 was certainly a memorable one in the history of billiards. Indeed, it marks a new epoch, like 1066 in English history. Before this year there had virtually never been a match for the championship. Roberts, senior, had for many years been looked on not merely as champion, but as one who stood alone, unapproachable. The rapidly increasing excellence of Cook's play, however, rendered a meeting between the two inevitable, and it only remained to decide upon the terms. The general feeling at the time amongst the best judges of the game was that Roberts was the best all-round player, but that Cook, owing to his superiority in one particular stroke, viz., "the spot-stroke," would probably win.
It should be remembered that hitherto nothing had been done to settle a question that should have been settled long before, viz., what is the proper shape of the pockets on a billiard table. There are many now living who will remember how often Kentfield's table at Brighton was mentioned-how it was frequently said that had Roberts or any other player to play on his table, how different it would be. Consequently a certain rigid pocket was fixed upon, the object of which there is no doubt was to do away as much as possible with the spot-stroke. Roberts and his advisers were of opinion that with large easy top pockets, Cook, who had made a special study of this one stroke, would prove too good. A model table was made and fixed up. Cook tried the table, made thirty "spots" on it, and approved. Models of cushions, pockets, openings, and slates were made by the three leading manufacturers, and exhibited at the Sportsman office, when the celebrated original low cushion (now called the "Eureka" extra low cushion), made by Mr. James S. Burroughes, of Burroughes and Watts, was chosen by J. Roberts, sen., W. Cook, and the other players in the presence of the representatives of the firms, the Editor of the Sportswear', and many other witnesses. It was then arranged and settled that all future matches for the Championship must be played on tables constructed on this model. Thus originated the present championship table, which, as most players know, virtually does away with the spot altogether. It is a very difficult point to decide how far this alteration was just. Persons are apt to urge that the champion is always the "best player on an ordinary table." But, then, who is to decide the difference between an ordinary table and an extraordinary one ? In 1870 the size of the pockets was in a transition state. Many used to remark on the difference between the public match table at Savile House, and those at some of the clubs in Pall Mall and elsewhere. That Roberts, senior, was right in limiting the size of the pockets has been abundantly proved. Even in the present day we see the evil increased.
The match of 1870, for £200 and the championship, between Roberts, sen., and W. Cook, deserves a special account, the following from the Sportsman being written by an eye-witness at the time:-
"The Match for the Championship.
"Extraordinary preparations had obviously been made for the match, the entrance to the grand hall being strongly barricaded, and police stationed at all the pay places. The table was of course placed in the centre, and temporary seats were constructed which reached beyond the ordinary balconies. The commencement had been fixed for eight o'clock, but the arrival of spectators began a considerable time before that hour; and owing to the capital arrangements in the issue of tickets with counterfoils, places were found without much confusion. The immense company, it is safe to say, included all the representative men of the leading branches of sport, including a preponderating number of turfites, patricians and plebeians. A private box was apportioned for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in the left-hand corner of the chief balcony, many of the racing speculators having secured the most eligible positions immediately surrounding the table, which was corded off, and in one angle of which Joseph Bennett, the referee, took up his official post on a chair.
"Bowles and Dufton were early in making their appearance for the preliminaries of the match, and Mr. Steel (the leviathan) was the first to make an offer in a betting shape by expressing his willingness to accept 50 to 20. Shortly after the same stentorian voice proclaimed his intention of taking 200 to 100 about Roberts. It was agreed when the company were seated that such a spectacle had never before been witnessed at any billiard tournament in the world. Just after eight o'clock the impatient lookers-on began to call 'Time !' whereupon Dufton, addressing them, said that the players were only waiting for order, and they would proceed. The shouting becoming more general, Roberts and Cook made their entree, and were received with loud cheering, which continued for some seconds. Dufton then said it was unnecessary to introduce to them John Roberts, who for twenty years had been champion of England and the world. (Cheers.) He also added that at 600 points there would be an interval of fifteen minutes, and he advised the spectators generally as to taking the best means of recovering the places they might vacate. (Laughter.)
"Roberts's appearance contrasted very much with that of Cook, whose extreme juvenility evidently took the uninitiated by surprise. Each was attired in black and in his shirt-sleeves, Roberts wearing, as is his wont, a wideawake during the match. Perfect order having been obtained after some slight difficulty, the first ball was struck at a quarter-past eight. Shortly afterwards the Prince of Wales, accompanied by Colonel Keppel, the Earl of Leicester, Hon. O. Montague, Hon. Mr. Arundel, Mr. Sumner, and Mr. G. Russell, came in so quietly that for some time the arrival of the Heir to the Throne was unnoticed. Upwards of one thousand spectators were assembled when the game opened. It was plain at first that both men were somewhat nervous, but it soon wore off, and when the first stroke was made the silence contrasted strangely with the hum and babbling just before. The only ladies present were Mrs. Cook, Mrs. J. Bennett, and two or three feminine friends, and the young champion more than once looked up, and, with natural pride, smiled in confidence at his fair partner. During the progress of the first portion of the game the most skillful strokes were greeted with enthusiastic recognition, and Cook, upon the first occasion that he secured position for the spot-stroke (at 40), was greeted with several rounds of applause. The Prince of Wales watched this display, only five in succession, with manifest interest and the deepest curiosity, and when Cook broke down there was a general feeling of disappointment. When the players settled to their work they were quite composed and collected, Cook's bearing being reserved and becomingly modest, while the veteran performed in his lingual jaunty fashion, and constantly offered to back himself, pausing early to hand bank notes up to Steel, who was three or four benches up on the right. The first bet made by Roberts with Steel was 20 to 10. Shortly afterwards a gentleman betted Steel 200 to 100 Cook, which the leviathan not relishing much, disposed of by retailing the same bet out in 'tenners' and small amounts. In the fifteen minutes' interval 100 to 40 was currently offered on Cook, without finding takers. The prevalent opinion among those conversant with Roberts's play was that in the first stage of the game, up to 600, he was too offhand, and ill-natured critics went so far as to describe him as acting with indiscreet 'flashness.'
"The Prince left at twelve o'clock, and expressed himself highly pleased with Cook's fine play in the second half of the match. His Royal Highness at the same time, we understand, declared his intention of not witnessing another match except on the old-fashioned tables, as he wished to see how the great breaks, of which he had read so much, were played.
The Play.
"Cook having won the 'string,' Roberts opened with a miss in baulk, an example followed by Cook. This was repeated a second time by each player, but then Roberts succeeded with 23, composed of losing hazards and cannons. Cook did not score, nor did Roberts, at his next attempt, but then the former added 8. Roberts now made 5 and Cook 19, finally breaking down at a white losing hazard for the middle pocket. Twice in succession did Cook fail to score, and during that time Roberts added 3 and 2. Score-Roberts 35, Cook 29. The champion now had the red ball left over the top pocket. This he holed, and then ran up 19. From 29 Cook went on to 40, when he got into position for the spot-stroke, but in making his second 'spot' hazard he accidentally touched his opponent's ball, and the score was disallowed. Cook was now 44 to 54. Roberts did not score, but Cook added half a dozen and then five more, leaving a double baulk. Roberts gave a miss, and Cook ran from 57 to 94 by an all-round 37 capitally played, and with great care. Roberts next got in with 7, but Cook added a dozen before relinquishing his cue, and passed into his second hundred after playing 27 minutes. When Roberts had again failed to score, Cook went on with 18, and made the marker call the game-Cook 124, Roberts 65. The latter now put together 20 in very fine style, while Cook only added an all-round cannon, an example followed by Roberts at his next innings.
"A couple of misses were now given, and then Cook ran up 18, five 'spot' hazards being in the break. Twice did Roberts fail to score (while Cook each time only made one red hazard before breaking down), and then went on with 13. Score-Cook 151, Roberts 104. The former next made 7, and the latter 9, followed by 17 from Cook. The next to score was Roberts, with 7 and 4, Cook after one futile attempt succeeding with 14. From 130 the elder player added 10, but Cook capped this with 9, after which Roberts ran on with 22, in which were a couple of 'spots.' Failing to score at his next attempt, Cook let Roberts in again, but he only added 7. His adversary's next score was 21, and he then followed with another 7. Small scores carried the combatants to-Cook 241, Roberts 187, when the latter added 34, in which were four 'spots;' and then, Cook not scoring, 7 more; the last-named now went on to 249, but Roberts again at that point resumed scoring, and with a capital 17 attained to within three points of his opponent. Cook now had an opening left, and in very steady fashion put together 38, a break which was finished only by his missing cue. He soon followed this with 12, while Roberts succeeded with 19, and made his game 278 to 302. Here Cook manipulated a nice all-round 24, but had no sooner worked his way up to the spot ere he broke down, the small size of the pockets materially affecting the play of each man in this particular. From 278 Roberts went on to 287, while Cook at 331 added 22 and got as far as 353. Each man now failed to add to his figures, but then Cook ran up 16, and Roberts followed with 30, the game at this point being-Cook 369, Roberts 324. The former next made 23, and the latter 17, after minor breaks, but then Cook entered his fifth hundred with a run of 28, and made his total score 420. A break of precisely the same value brought Roberts on to 378, while another of 20 by each again followed. Roberts with 13, 10, and 8, Cook failing to score, now rapidly reduced the gap between the players, but Cook, with a couple of 7's, ran on again to 456, Roberts then being 431. Two smaller runs of 8 and 13 carried Cook to 478, while Roberts with 23 went on to 456, and thence to 463, in the latter break of 7 a stroke which holed the red ball in one of the bottom pockets and came back round the table and cannoned, fairly bringing down the house for the first time during the evening. From 471 Roberts added 22, and then got on to 497, again taking the lead, which, however, Cook directly afterwards reassumed, and with 10 got to 505, passing into his sixth hundred at half-past ten. At 517 both players were level. When Cook got to 522 he made a couple of such brilliant cannons that the assembly, getting very excited, cheered him again and again. From 532 Cook proceeded with 49, the highest break hitherto made, to 581, and thence, after Roberts had added but 3 more, with 44 more to 625. An interval was now allowed, the total score standing-Cook 625, Roberts 521. Time, 10.45.
"During the interval odds of 100 to 40 were offered on Cook, but these were only taken in isolated cases. It was not until twenty minutes past eleven that play was resumed. For some time it was very slow work, but at length from 641 Cook went on with 18 to 659, Roberts having then reached 540. At 665 Cook stayed for some time, while Roberts gradually crept on to 578, his largest break in doing so being 17. The younger player now went on again with 27, in which his delicate cannons were very conspicuous, and followed it up with 11, after Roberts had scored 10. Cook was now 705 against Roberts's 600, and the former put together a very fine losing hazard and cannon break of 80, at the conclusion of which the whole room cheered to the echo. He followed this with a dozen, while Roberts only made 8 in three breaks, and Cook entered his ninth hundred while his opponent was only 608. Here Roberts put together 20, and then each player added 11 before Cook went on with 14 and 16 to 856. A good spin of 20 now carried Roberts to 660, and another of 16 immediately succeeded, Cook meanwhile making but 5. The latter, however, was next to score with 22, but Roberts, with breaks of 26, 10, and a couple of 17's, while Cook remained stationary at 883, made up a good deal of his leeway. The total numbers were now-Roberts 746 to Cook 887; but the latter could make no move, while Roberts again kept moving with 24, 14, and 12, until he had scored 796 to 897. Here two 'ponies' were offered and accepted about Roberts, who was playing grandly, and in his next break passed into the same hundred (the ninth) as Cook.
"At length, when Roberts had reached 822, Cook got the balls in position, and quickly ran up 63, making his score 962; but as Roberts followed by making 62 (five spots), he did not gain much advantage thereby. When the score was Roberts 892, Cook 977, the latter made a foul stroke, and the balls had to be spotted. At about ten minutes to one Cook completed his 1,000 (Roberts being then 899), and went on in the same run to 1,016 the entire break numbering 35. In the succeeding break Roberts added 39, and followed with 10 and 11, after Cook had gone on to 1,027. Here he stopped, while Roberts put together a very fine break of 31, mainly composed of losing red hazards. Roberts got to 1,000 when Cook was 1,037, and then with a break of 41 went by his youthful antagonist, who, however, again repassed him, and with 22 and some little ones got to 1,069 to 1,049. The excitement was now very great and each stroke was loudly applauded. Again, with 31 and 10, he got farther away, until he reached 1,110 to 1,051.
"Each man was now very careful, and the play proportionately slow for some time, until Cook was 1,132 to 1,083. Here, with a little luck, he got the balls in good position, and worked them so well that he ran out with an incomplete break of 68, several of his losing hazards being especially brilliant. The winning stroke was a losing red hazard into the middle pocket at twenty minutes to two o'clock.
"The match altogether lasted just five hours, of which two hours and forty minutes were occupied in making the first 600. Cook was thus declared the winner (by 117 points) and the champion amid a scene of the wildest excitement. Roberts was naturally much chagrined at his defeat, but after a little while recovered himself, as he found that his old supporters, so far from deserting him in his trouble, crowded round him all the more eagerly to offer consolation."