The Meeting of the Methods
GREAT SERIES OF THREE 18,000 POINTS MATCHES BETWEEN STEVENSON AND GRAY FOR £1,000
No more important billiard contest has yet been staged than that which, during the successive months of December, January, and February, will take place in London, Liverpool, and again in London, between H.W. Stevenson, the champion of the world, and George Gray, the compiler of many stupendous records by means of red ball losing hazards. Here are all the elements of a strenuous and exciting match, which should, and undoubtedly will, arouse and maintain keen interest amongst thousands of billiard lovers and students of the game during the next three months. For it is not only that two great players will be upon their trial, but two great scoring methods in billiards will be equally put to the test and submitted to the popular verdict.
Observant spectators of the forthcoming matches will especially note two things. They will note that, whereas Gray will take the earliest opportunity of potting the white and of depositing it apart from the area of red ball play, Stevenson's chief care will be to keep it in close attendance upon the red ball, in order that a cannon may be available between every two pocketings— one from spot and one from play—of t h e red. Thus, whilst Gray's sole object will be continuous hazards off the red, Stevenson's main idea will be as many pottings of the red, in the course of each hundred or session, as the rules a n d opportunity permit.
Stevenson, it is true, will not always be at the top of the table, but he will be there as frequently and for as long as he can. and when he leaves that most prolific area—far more prolific, be it noted, in points per minute than Gray's red ball in-offs—his controlling idea will be to get back there with the least delay possible. At the same time he will not take unnecessary risks to avoid a return to baulk, as he knows quite well that, when the contemplated red winner is not to his liking a corner pocket in-off leaving either a drop cannon or a middle pocket loser will take him back to the top in a few strokes and that he will, meanwhile, be scoring"all the time.
To the enthusiastic follower of the game—and no player who has attained to anything like a scientific proficiency in his billiards is other than enthusiastic—there are few thing's more fascinating than closely watching the alternate loss and recovery of top of the table position, which stand in the same relation to top of the table play as does the occasional interposition of a winning hazard into the losing hazard game. When George Gray does not find the almost straight run through in-off to his liking he promptly shapes for the pot, leaving the cue ball nicely placed for a succeeding in-off and simultaneous recovery of the losing hazard position. And it is these little interval's of suspense and of mental activity on the part of the spectators that lend added spice and attractiveness to the spectacle.
But the engrossing question that is in our readers' minds just now is:" Will Stevenson or Gray win? "At any time during last season, and under last season's conditions, the answer to this question would have been almost obvious.
Stevenson could not possibly have won. Gray, with his extraordinary average of 81.11 against Stevenson's also fine, but much lower, average of 54.68, could hardly have failed to have won. But when the changed circumstances and conditions of the present moment are considered, it will be found that last season's form on either side has little to do with the present case and that any forecast of the coming great matches, as based upon the results of Gray's meetings last year with such players as Inman and Diggle would be altogether futile.
No one would suggest that Gray is at the present moment playing other than finely.
So recently as the last day of November, and just as these lines are going to press, we have intimation of an 875 break by him at Birmingham, followed by 412, 399, and an unfinished 339.
This shows that he is getting into his stride again, even with different balls and different tables.
But in our December issue of last year we recorded as then made to date by Gray, four breaks of over 1,000, three of over 900, four of over 800, four of over 700, eleven of over 600, and seven of over 500, as compared with a mere sprinkling of large breaks made during an equal period this season.
A brief and yet accurate indication of the actual position would seem to be that, whereas Gray knew his table and the balls intimately last season and was never puzzled by them, he does not know the balls and the tables on which the coming matches will be played as Stevenson just now knows them and that herein lies the tantalizing uncertainty of the approaching combat, concerning the ultimate result of which only a bold and rash man would venture to prophesy.
For the match which commences on the 4th inst, at Holborn Hall, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., and which will be continued daily at 3 and 8.30 p.m. for a fortnight, a special table will be erected by Messrs. Burroughes and Walls, Ltd., and a special sealed proportionate break cheque is offered by them. It is interesting to add that the money stakes at issue in the three matches are absolutely genuine.