Stevenson has made his second "thousand" record. His previous one was that thousand centuries in the wonderful season in which nothing went wrong with him; in which he paralyzed all competition; and at the end of which Inman, badly beaten by Stevenson in his last heat in the tournament, grimly remarked that he could hold his own against a man, but not against a machine.
There was a compliment involved in this remark, coming, from the source whence it did, but it was an inadequate remark all the same. For, whatever Stevenson may be in his play, he is very far indeed from being a machine. He is an artist to the finger tips, and an extremely human player.
Now he has made his second "thousand" record in the shape of a perfect 1,016 off the balls under exacting modern conditions, and this extraordinary performance will find its place in billiard history alongside of his thousand centuries.
For let it be considered what this latest thousand break really means. There have been previous thousand breaks, but they have been made either with the push or jamb stroke permitted, or by means of the unlimited winning or losing hazards. John Roberts made a spot-barred break of 1,392 on May 3 and 4, 1894, before the push stroke was abolished, and although he may have made but little use of the push, it may, nevertheless, have come to his aid at a critical moment before the 1,000 was reached. Tom Taylor had previously made even more, with his 1,467 on April 24, 1891, but this included 729 cannons when the balls were jambed in a top corner pocket, just as 2,539 (including 1,267 anchor cannons) were made by Frank Ives on June 1 and 2, 1893; 42,746 by the cradle cannon stroke between May 29. and June 4, 1907, and 249,552 by T. Reece between June 3 and 6, 1907. By means of the spot stroke, the elder Peall made 3,304 on November 5 and 6, 1890; C. Dawson, 1,848, on September 20, 1890; F. White, 1,745, on March 13, 1889; J. G. Sala, 1,012 (including 186 consecutive screw-backs) on March 20, 1888; and J. Watson, 1,075, on April 3, 1890.
There is also a 1,237 unfinished standing to the credit of C. Memmott on August 20, 1892, under the conditions then prevailing, and the 2,196, mostly off the red, by George Gray is still quite recent history.
But other times other methods, other rules, and other men; and H. W. Stevenson stands forth as the only player in the world who, in the game of billiards, as it is controlled to-day, has made a break exceeding 1,000 points. It was made, moreover, without any adventitious happening to mar its completeness, and by a varied and delightful use of "the game, the whole game, and nothing but the game."
To those billiard enthusiasts or students who had the good fortune to be present, a delightful and most profitable lesson was afforded, a lesson ever-changing yet ever-progressing.
Sometimes the great player was in the calm and tranquil sea of the losing hazard from hand; sometimes in the more uncertain and treacherous waters of the top-of-the-table area; and once or twice actual breakers were ahead where risk had to be taken, but where disaster was triumphantly averted, albeit by the narrowest shave. These things, taken together, made up the enthralling mosaic of the break, in the course of which the spectators were alternately held in tension and suspense and comfortably reassured.
It was a great performance and a memorable entertainment, and by its means the ex-champion has altogether blotted out that unwelcome phrase about "the Stevenson of other days" and strongly re-asserted himself as "the Stevenson that still and now is." Everyone will wish him a prosperous and brilliant tour through India or where else he may now, in association with Gray, be intending to pitch his moving tent, and everyone will even more cordially bid him welcome home again, when, the bonzoline phase suspended, and normal all-round conditions restored, he chooses once more to contest for the temporarily laid-down position of champion of English billiards.