Jottings of the Month

• Playing against Harverson, for £100 aside, Stevenson made some magnificent breaks, including one of 919, which stands as the record with ivory balls. He also, a few days later, made a break of 789, against the same player.
• After emphatic statements from Gray's father as to the extreme unlikelihood of George Gray playing with ivory balls it is now understood that these objections have been waived and (hat the various challenges to level matches by leading players will be attended to.
• If Gray should frame well in his ivory-ball matches for which he is now going into practice, there is little doubt that he will also challenge for the championship.
• It is easier to make long breaks on a French or American cannon table than on a British pocket-table.
• A match has been arranged between Inman and Newman £100 aside, in which Newman receives 4,000 start in 18,000.
• The draw for the Stock Exchange handicap has been made with a large number of entries, and the heats are, as usual, 250 up.
• When Reece was losing some of his 1,000 start against Stevenson a break of 610 put him right, and later on he again balanced matters with a 553.
• A billiard writer says that a billiard player cannot improve after 40. Why, a man can start learning the game at and make a hundred break before he is 60.
• Inman and Hoppe have arranged a series of matches to played under both the British and American rules. The stakes are put at £200 a side on each occasion.
• The annual Jockeys' Handicap, promoted by Mr. J. P. Mannock, will be played at the Bedford Head Hotel as usual. Several leading jockeys have already entered.
• Some idea of what the Preliminary Professional Tournament at Burroughes Hall is doing for young players may be judged from the fact that 623 of T. Tothill's 1,000 points were' made in three innings.
• The Stevenson-Reece encounter during the latter half of October has been a great fight—a fight of billiard Titans— and good breaks, whether under or over 500, have been quickly responded to by each rival in like fashion.
• Although George Gray's father once stated that the change from composition balls to ivory could not be made under six months' hard practice, a match with Stevenson now being arranged with ivories for an early date, and should prove an historic occasion. Our own view is that change from composition to ivory is less difficult than change from ivory to composition.
• Stevenson is now playing with ivory balls again and must love to hear the familiar subdued click.
• Newman is willing to take 4,000 start in 18,000 with Stevenson for £100 aside, or to play George Gray level with ivory balls.
• The suggestion is being made that misses should be deducted from the striker's score instead of being added to his opponent's.
• A billiard paper has been started in Berlin under the title of "Billard-Welt" It is the official organ of German amateur billiardists.
• W. Smith, who concedes 2,000 in 8,000, will play three matches against E. C. Breed at Newcastle, Derby, and Partington, respectively.
• Inman's catch of a salmon and a cod with one cast is spoken of by professional billiard rivals as only another proof of his perennial luck.
• Entries for the Press Billiard Handicap close on November 3, and for the B.C.C. Members' Autumn Handicap on average, on November 10.
• The Morning Advertiser is organizing a handicap for such members of the trade that it represents who are now classed as non-amateurs by the Billiards Control Club.
• The Leeds £100 handicap has filled to overflowing, and most of the best-known players in Lancashire and Yorkshire have entered. The games are 1,500 up, and play commences at the Central Cafe on November 10.
• The Army and Navy billiard champion (Private J. Thomas) leaves the Service in April and will, it is understood, take up billiards professionally. He is not competing for this year's Army and Navy championship.
• In his match against Pindar, at Leeds, Gray ran out with 843 unfinished. In playing against Reece, Gray made breaks of 568 and 567. This was the first of three matches for £100 aside in each case, and was won by Gray (conceding 2,000) by 18,000 to 16,108.
• No doubt one or both of Reece's remaining matches with Gray will now be played with ivory balls, and Stevenson, Inman, and Newman may all like to take up Gray's newchallenge as set forth on Page 2. The slakes are put at £200 a-side on each occasion.
• In the Stock Exchange Billiards Handicap the backmarkers are Mr. S. Harwitz, Mr. P. Harwitz, and Mr. V. L. Harrington. Mr. Harrington has been drawn against an unknown quantity in Mr. W. A. Daw, whose handicap has not been allotted yet, while Mr. S. Harwitz has had to concede no fewer than 380 points in his first heat. Mr. Phil Harwitz has to meet a good scratch player in Mr. S. C. A, Forge. Why is not Mr. P. Wood playing?