Jottings of the Month

• Stevenson gave a wonderful exposition of billiards at Leicester Square during the fortnight ending October 19, when he finished by scoring 6,000 to Falkiner's 3,896 (less 2,250 start). On the previous Saturday, Stevenson beat Cook by 9,000 to 6,120 (less 3,500 start), and on the previous Tuesday he beat Peall by 3,000 to 2,507 (less 1,000 start). Thus, so far as the actual play was concerned, he ran up 18,000 points against 5,773, or more than three to one. Included in the breaks against Cook were a 523, a 729, and a 1,016, the last-named a world's record under present conditions, the specialized Gray-stroke alone excepted. The huge break was made, furthermore, in only two minutes over the hour. Further references to this remarkable performance appear on another page.
• George Gray has been playing at Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris, and is now in Alexandria and Cairo prior to joining his father and Stevenson, who leave London to-day (Nov. 1), at Port Said on Nov. 6.
• Gray is reported from Australia as being anxious to return home, and desirous of making the India tour as short as possible so as to reach Australia early in the new year. Gray's mother, brothers, and sisters live in Sydney, the two youngest boys being twins.
• Inman reached London from his Australian and Canadian tour on October 28. Reece will only arrive just in time to play Peall in the Tournament on Nov. 11. Inman's first act on reaching Fishguard was to wire congratulations to Stevenson on the latter's 1,000 break.
• Inman's 419 break in Canada established a Canadian record, putting down Roberts's also recent 378. Against Reece in Australia Inman made a break of 584—his best of the tour. He says he has a new shot of the prolific scoring variety.
• Inman has been playing very successfully in Vancouver, where the start of 400 in 1,000 proved to be of no use whatever to the local "cracks" who were opposed to him. What, indeed, could these players do with such breaks against them as 400, 300, and 200? After the matches Inman gave some fancy strokes and also instituted a novel competition for a cue which he presented. Each man had a chance at a difficult shot, the competitor making the most points from it taking the cue. By the way, Inman is said to be opposed to meeting a red ball specialist for the championship.
• Inman's challenge to concede any English player 1,000 in 18,000 up for £100 (open to £250 a side), with ivory or crystalate balls, has met with response from Diggle, who is stated to be willing to play Inman on the following conditions:— The best of three games of 16,000 up level for a wager of £250 on the rubber, with either ivory or crystalate balls, one of the games to be played in Liverpool or Manchester. Diggle, however, wants the gate to be equally divided, whilst Inman asks two-thirds, win or lose.
• W. Smith intends to challenge Inman for the championship, in which case he would first play Reece. Interviewed, Smith says:—"I mean to try my luck. I have a bigger chance, perhaps, than many imagine, and I have the necessary backing behind me."
• A young Dublin professional named Joseph Brady is being given an opportunity of further attesting his metal by placing Cook 7,000 up at Leicester Square, and is receiving a start of 1,500.
• Raynor states that he is willing to play Peall 7,000 up for £25 a side. In their match of 2,000 up in the preliminary tournament at Soho Square a close and exciting contest was won by Peall by 79 points only.
• There is much in the play of Peall and Falkiner that is reminiscent of that of Inman and Reece. The two newcomers may, indeed, be regarded as, to a certain extent, the two great players written smaller. Peall favours safety and the open game as Inman does and Falkiner rapid top-of-the-table (including close cannon) methods as does Reece.
• If proficiency in billiards is a sign of a mis-spent youth, is not ignorance of so delightful a game equal evidence of a mis-spent maturity?
• The old Palace at Cettinje is called the "Billardo," because it once contained the only billiard table in' the country. The table was borne up the (then) almost perpendicular path from the sea by fifty men—a notable feat— although their burden less resembled a "Burroughes and Watts" than a bagatelle board!—Evening Standard.
• The handicapping of Aiken against Smith in the Tournament and the recent performance of the latter against the Scottish champion suggest an interesting calculation. Aiken (who won last year's tournament) is handicapped to concede Smith in the tournament 1,500 points in 7,500, or one-fifth of the game. Attempting to concede Smith 1,600 in 16,000 (or one-tenth of the game) in Scotland, Aiken was beaten by 127 points and in the similar return match the scores at the end of last week stood: Smith 6,978, Aiken 6,128. There will clearly be abundant interest in this year's Tournament.
• Young Taylor, who could do nothing in the preliminary tournament, is now reported to have made a 400 break against G. Nelson at Yeadon, Yorkshire.
• There is an entry in the Leeds Professional Handicap of "H. C. Virr (Bradford) rec. 325." Does this mean that Mr. Virr intends to follow in the wake of Lovejoy and Breed?
• Playing Mr. Alfred Graham, Ilford, 500 up, Miss Ruby Roberts scored 407 to Mr. Graham's 500. Miss Roberts is now (Nov. 1) playing a week's match with C. Falkiner at Bristol.
• A sub-committee of the Billiard Association will discuss the question of amalgamation with the Billiards Control Club.
• The Stock Exchange Handicap starts on November 4, and the Manchester Charity Tournament on Nov. 25.
• Entries for the professional championship close to the Secretary of the B.C.C. on Nov. 30, for the Press Handicap on Nov. 4, and for the Sheffield Amateur Championship on Nov. 5.
• Reece is now back in England and is booked to play Newman at Leicester Square forthwith. Harverson will probably be here during the month. Diggle is already back; and in Australia, where all these players have been during the English summer, cricket is now taking the place of billiards.
• It is stated that Leeds differs from nearly all other great towns visited by professional billiard players in the smallness of the gatherings that assemble there to watch the play. Even the best players, when they visit Leeds, do not appear to receive such enthusiastic support from the public as would be anticipated.