Jottings of the Month

PROFESSIONAL

• Stevenson won the last of his matches of 18,000 up against George Gray by 18,000 to 16,503. Taking aft three matches together he aggregated 54,000 points against 53,910 by Gray—an extremely fine performance considering the nature of the methods employed by the two players.
• The suggestion having been made in various quarters that the play in the Gray-Stevenson matches was regulated with a view to the gate the Council of the Billiards Control Club arranged to discuss the matter at their meeting on March 1.
• Meanwhile The Billiard Monthly is certain that in all three matches both Stevenson and Gray did their utmost at each and every session and that the ding-dong nature of the contest was the usual result of a stern meeting where there are excellence and determination on both sides.
• It is understood that Gray hopes to be on the boat for South Africa in May next. From there he will, it is said, proceed home, via India, and he is hardly likely to be seen in England again for another couple of years. He may take an even longer way round to get home to Australia.
• Stevenson has not yet won a heat in the Soho Square tournament, and if he is in England next winter it is probable that he will be less heavily handicapped against the other players.
• Aiken (who holds first place thus far in the professional tournament) is also playing extremely well against Lindrum in the north at Newcastle this week, notwithstanding the change from ivory to bonzoline balls.
• Diggle, who has just been beaten in a level money match by Inman, generously admits the great improvement Inman has made in his game. "He has come on 1,500 in 8,000 during the last four years," Diggle says.
• Stevenson played George Gray 54,000 level and scored 90 more points. He showed inter alia that he can perform the losing hazard game with success, but he thinks the method against good billiards, and injurious to the sight.
• Roberts issued a challenge for Newman to take 4,000 in 16,000 up against any player for £200. This has not been responded to, but Harris offers a level match.
• Walter Osborne and T. A. Dennis will play a match of 7,000 points up, the winner of which will play E. C. Breed (the holder) for the championship of the Midlands.
• In reply to a letter published in The Sporting Life from Inman (who seemed to suggest that as he had beaten Stevenson with bonzolines he could also beat Gray), Mr. H. W. Gray offers Inman a match of 18,000 with similar stakes to those in the Stevenson-Gray match, but Inman declines the challenge, and says that he would require 6,000 start in such a match with composition balls. Meanwhile he has challenged any player in the world to accept 1,000 start from him in 18,000 with ivory balls for £200, and Reece's reply to this is that he is prepared to increase the stakes in the championship match by a further £250 on level terms.

AMATEUR

• At the Palmerston Restaurant, Old Broad Street, a large company witnessed a most interesting heat in the fourth round of the Stock Exchange Handicap, in which P. Wood (owes 300) beat L. Heimerdinger (rec. 30) by 60. The winner made breaks of 16, 19 (thrice), 22 (twice), 44, 25, 23, 20, 49, 27, 34, and 32. Scores:—P. Wood, 250; L. Heimerdinger, 190. In a break competition in connection with the handicap, the first four were P. Wood 47, S. Harwitz 23, W. D. Waite 23, and P. Harwitz 22. There have also been flying handicaps.
• The Yorkshire Charity Handicap was brought to a successful conclusion at Leeds when Mr. R. Verity, of Leeds, the limit man, beat Mr. T. Johnson, of York, who owes 50. As a result of the handicap, £13 or £14 is handed over to the" Santa Claus " Fund of The Yorkshire Evening Post.
• Lord Lonsdale has consented to become president of the Billiards Control Club. The club championship is now in progress.
• The Amateur Championship of Liverpool was won by F. Scott (Liverpool), who met and defeated in the final E. A. Coleman (New Brighton). Scores:—F. Scott, 1,000; E. A. Coleman, 720.
• In the deciding heat of the Herefordshire Billiard Championship the final scores were: F. Fisher, 550; S. Myer, 320. Breaks: Fisher, 35, 30, 22, 23, 23, 22, 20, 20, 20; Myer, 26, 24, 21.
• In the first round of the Birmingham Licensed Victualler's Handicap, C. Brettell (rec. 20) beat J. Fulshaw (rec. 65) by 400 to 291; and J. Wilkinson (rec. 260), beat J. Bikker (rec. 270) by 400 to 399. Subsequently Eli Fletcher (rec. 260) beat W. Ireland (scratch) by 400 to 299.
• At the Bingley Conservative Club in an exhibition game between Mr. H. Virr (Bradford), the English amateur billiard champion, and Mr. W. J. Buck, of Bingley, Mr. Virr conceded 250 points and won by 750 to 489, with breaks of 117 113, and 90. At Hull on behalf of the local teachers' charities, Mr. Virr successively played Pindar, who conceded 150 and won by 750 to 588, and Mr. F. Grant, amateur champion of Hull, who won by 750 to 696.
• Mr. H. G. Nutt, the Isle of Wight amateur champion, played 750 level with Mr. A. Freeborough, amateur champion of Hants., at Portsmouth, in aid of the Naval Disaster (Submarine A3) Fund. Final scores: Freeborough 750, Nutt 506. The winner made breaks of 62, and 60, and Mr. Nutt 31 (twice), 34, and 45. At Ryde Mr. Nutt played T. Reece, who conceded 300 in 750 and lost by six points only. At Cowes Reece conceded Mr. Nutt 400 and won by 1,000 to 955.
• In the final heat of the B.A. Handicap, A. C. Edwards (rec. 250) beat A. W. T. Good (scr.) by 272. Good did not have the best of the luck, and played below form, his best breaks being 23, 34, 33, and 46, while the winner made 10 and 27 (twice).