Jottings of the Month

PROFESSIONAL

• Reece sailed in the Orient liner Orvieto from Tilbury on April 26 on his second tour to Australia. He will break his journey at Colombo, and after touring the Australian States he will cross over to New Zealand. Reece purposes returning home via Vancouver and Canada.
• Arrangements have been completed for a world's tour by H. W. Stevenson and George Gray. They will leave Southampton on May 18 for South Africa, where they hope to visit all the important towns, and will also proceed to Rhodesia if time permits. Leaving South Africa in September, they will arrive in India in readiness for the winter season, and will remain there until March, afterwards going to Australia. Opening in Western Australia in April, they will afterwards proceed to South Australia, thence to Victoria, and on to New Zealand, returning to England for the season of 1913-14.
• The verdict in the Roberts v. Gray case for £1,500 stands pending an appeal. the Lord Chief Justice having decided against the defendant on the two points of law as to misrepresentation and infancy.
• This week W. J. Peall, the famous spot-stroke champion, is playing his son, A. F. Peall, at Leicester Square in aid of the Titanic Fund, the spot-stroke being allowed.
• Playing against Mack in the Professional Tournament, Stevenson scored 751 points in 50 minutes. One innings of the two played accounted for 536—the third of over 500 in successive games and the average for the session was 375.
• As the result of the Inman-Diggle match, in which Diggle (rec. 1,000) won by 444, Diggle wins the £250 aside stakes and wagers, including those relating to the making of the most breaks above 300 and too. This was Inman's first defeat of the season—unless his defeat in the 300 up against Diggle during the Titanic Fund benefit entertainment at Soho Square is to be counted.
• On the occasion of a new billiard table and room being opened in Tenby, Claude Falkiner played two games of 600 up, against local amateurs, conceding 400 in each game.
• In the first game he made breaks of 173, 81, and 61, and in the second 118, 106 (102 off red), 112, 58 and 152, winning both games.
• Fred Lindrum, jun., the young Australian billiard champion, accompanied by his father, sailed in the P. & O. liner Morea from Tilbury for Australia on April 19. He may possibly return in the autumn.
• A young Leeds player, named Harry Taylor, who has only just reached his fifteenth birthday, is said by the Yorkshire professional, George Nelson, to have already made breaks of 453 and 441 with ivory balls on a standard table.
• He also ran out with a 300 break recently when playing against the amateur champion, Mr. Virr. Like Gray, his strong feature is red-ball play. He was born at Bradford, but is now resident at Leeds.
• The Billiards Association is converting itself into a limited liability company as a protection in case of libel suits.

AMATEUR

• A very interesting billiard match of 750 up, between Mr. W. R. Wall (junior champion of Surrey and Mr. Oldfield, of Maiden, was played at the Victoria Hotel, Surbiton. The final scores were 750—515 in favour of Mr. Wall, who made best breaks of 48, 49, 89, and 79. (unfinished), against Mr. Oldfield's best of 50.
• For the Navy and Army Billiard Championship, the majority of the final games are being played locally. One of the semi-finals will be played at Aldershot, and the other at Portsmouth. The finalists will play their game at the Grand Hall, Leicester Square.
• At the Billiards Control Club, on April 11, H. C. Virr, the English and British amateur champion, met A. Hatchard in a game of 500 up for the club championship. Virr winning for the third consecutive year. Hatchard led at 152 to 65. but Virr went in front at 168, and a little later the game was called "348 all." Virr made breaks of 37, 67, 37, 62, and 47 (unfinished), and Hatchard contributed items of 39, 58, 31, and 48. Virr averaged 12½. Final scores,: Virr, 500: Hatchard, 425.
• Mr. Robert Crichton, of Caterham, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 3. enjoyed a game of billiards, of which he is very fond, the same day. He is descended from the Crichtons of Cluny, the same branch as the" Admirable Crichton. "r. Crichton, who claims to be the oldest bachelor in England, received a gracious letter of congratulation from the King.
• The competition confined to the various Metropolitan Borough offices for a challenge cup presented by Messrs. Kendal & Dent, was brought to a successful conclusion on April 19th at Mannock's Rooms, at the Bedford Head Hotel, Tottenham Court Road, Marylebone. H. H. Holmes, 300; T. Kennett, 208; E. Hocken, 300—total, 808. Camberwell— A. R. Bryant, 270; D. J. Fenner, 300; J. H. Cocken, 215—total, 785.
• The president of the Edinburgh Working Men's Club has presented the members with a handsome billiards championship shield for annual scratch competition.
• The final of the Birmingham and District Licensed Victuallers' Billiard League tournament, between F. Hadley (rec. 200) and Charles Sayers (rec. 570), was played on April 2. The game was 800 up, and resulted in a victory for Sayers by 161 points.
• The two scratch players of the Conservative clubs of Hanover Park and Crystal Palace Road met at Hanover Park on April 3, before a crowded attendance, in a game of 600 up. There was much excitement as Mr. Dickets led by 573 to 469, and Mr. Diehl, of the Hanover Park Club, then put on a brilliant break of 128, ultimately winning by 20 points.
• Residents of Twickenham have decided to make a presentation to Melbourne Inman, the billiard champion, to commemorate his success.