The following challenge is published by Mr. R. Wootton, The well-known racehorse trainer:-
"I am prepared to back George Gray against any player in the world in a billiard match of 18,000 up level for £250, open to £500 a side, such match to be played with the standard ivory balls in general use among the leading English professionals. I should prefer that Stevenson will accept this challenge for two reasons: (a) because he is at present generally recognized as the world's foremost player with ivory balls, and (b) because I want to get this question of supremacy under all conditions settled without having to work through several players before arriving at the very best."
Gray's father now agrees to the change from composition to ivory balls, and says that his son would play the match or matches suggested during the course of the present season. He would, of course require a little time to prepare for the match.
The Billiard Monthly has always discounted the extreme views that have been expressed as to the length of time that a player requires to change from one class of ball to another, and this attitude has been fortified this season by Stevenson's magnificent performances with ivories immediately after two years' use of bonzolines.
In a billiard room in the De Kaap Valley there is a notice that is pathetic in its evident sincerity. It runs as follows: "Don't put the balls in your pocket; they are of no use to you, and we can't get any more here."
The new Lord Chief Justice (Sir Rufus Isaacs) is said to play billiards and bridge equally well.
Before leaving Canada Inman set up a new Canadian record (replacing that made by himself last year at Vancouver of 419, which in turn replaced that by John Roberts, the veteran, also made at Vancouver, of 338) by running up a break of 501 in his final game in Winnipeg against Arnold Ibbotson, ex-champion of Yorkshire, now resident in Winnipeg.