Jottings of the Month

• In the Northampton Amateur Championship Mr. W. Gooing beat Mr. W. Reesby. The scores at the close were:- Gooing, 1,000; Reesby. 940.
• At the Cavendish Club, Bowes Park, on January 19, six members of the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club met at billiards six members of the Cavendish Club, and won by 41 points.
• In the annual competition for the Amateur Championship of Liverpool and District the first results have been L. Roberts, 500, v. E. Pierce 474: J. N. Duncan, 500, v. J. Halligan, 496; E. A. V. Coleman, 500, v. Smith, 448.
• Diggle has been doing some occasional brilliant work lately, and on January 21, in the course of his match with Inman, he made a break of 528. On the previous day Inman had made, in the same match, no fewer than eight breaks exceeding 100.
• The Billiards Control Club's autumn handicap resulted in a win for J. H. Kino. The results of the semi-finals were:—C. S. Murray 500, M. Roberts 495; J. H. Kino 500. J. W. Webb 487. In the final round J. H. Kino beat C. S. Murray by 190 points, and with a 45 unfinished.
• Playing Aiken in the Professional Tournament at Burroughes Hall on January 28. Stevenson made an unfinished break of 563, and returned the extraordinary average of 370.50 for the session. On the following day he carried the break to 724.
• In the third Gray-Reece encounter, on January 16, George Gray put one of the finishing touches to his long series of big bonzoline scores with an 823, which was by no means confined, moreover, to his favourite losing hazard strokes. He had previously scored in the same match 717 and 959, besides two others above 500 and two above 400.
• Inman thinks that if Gray wins the championship, 33 consecutive red losers should in future involve the placing of the red on the billiard spot, irrespective of the position or presence on the table of the white ball. Stevenson's suggestion is that after 20 red losers have been made the next stroke should be played from the centre spot in baulk.
• At Burroughes' Hall, Harverson is taking the place of Reece in one heat in the professional tournament, and Newman and Aiken are exchanging dates against Stevenson, in order that other important contests for which Reece and Newman are engaged may be carried out. This concession as regards the previously-fixed tournament has been much appreciated.
• In the Navy and Army Championship the following breaks were made:—Southern, 58 by Head Steward A. Davies. Scotland, 49 by Cpl. G. J. Grant. Ireland, 45 by Cpl. A. E. Straker. London, 43 by S. J.M.Sgt. G. Lidstone. Aldershot, 42 by Pte. S. Wright. Eastern, 39 by Sgt. W. McDermott. Western, 35 by Clr.-Sgt. G. M. Scofield.
• Gray completed his first break, exceeding 500, with ivory balls in his match with Newman at Holborn Hall on January 29.
• Stevenson and Reece are meeting during the ensuing fortnight at Leicester Square in a match of 18,000 up for £150 a side. Reece receiving 1,000 start.
• There may be a match of 18,000 up in Glasgow in the latter half of this month between Gray and Falkiner for £50 a-side, the latter receiving 5,000 points.
• Eddie Hoskin, who defeated Alec Brown two months ago for the Championship of North London, at the ago of 24 years has, we regret to state, since passed away after a short illness.
• John Roberts is willing to match Newman against Smith and concede 1,000 start in 16,000 for £100 or £250 a-side, or for home-and-home matches, to be played for £200 a-side in each case. Smith to have all the gate receipts in the town preferred by him, and vice versa.
• When George Gray went to Luton on January 19 to fulfil an engagement at the Conservative Club there were so many would-be spectators that Gray had to play twice before some 250 spectators on each occasion. He conceded half the game of 500 up in each case to his two local competitors and won both times.
• It must have been rather a singular experience for T. Reece to find himself so crowded out during one session of his tournament heat with a young player in the person of Newman, that he could only contribute 56, with an average of 7, whilst his opponent was putting on 583, with an average of 82.
• An interesting billiard match on behalf of Mr. Fred Bateman, an ex-champion of the Midlands, and who has unfortunately been an inmate at the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, for some weeks, was kindly given by Mr. A. W. T. Good and Mr W. Allingham, the latter receiving 300 in 800. Although Mr. Good made a 110 break, Mr. Allingham won by 800 to 567.
• Mr. A. Croneen, the new Scottish amateur champion, now holds a title which was first held by Mr. R. Blair, and during the three next succeeding years by Major Fleming. He will represent Scotland in the B.A. Amateur Championship at Nottingham, commencing February 14.
• George Nelson, writing in The Yorkshire Evening Post, says:—"It is really surprising what a difference it makes to one playing, say, first in a large hall, and then in a smaller one. In a large hall the natural half-ball angle taken by the balls seems many degrees narrower than it would appear in a small room. 'All other angles taken by the balls appear different also." We knew that the larger the ball the smaller the appearance of the table, but we did not know that the perspective of the ball angles was altered. What do other readers think about this?
• By adding a billiard room the Epworth Mechanics' Institute has secured a new lease of life, and the membership has risen from 117 to over 150.
• A Blackpool publican who had been misinformed by a newspaper as to his right to play billiards without obtaining a licence, was fined 10s. and costs.
• Two left-handed players, in Messrs. A. E. Graham and R. J. Petre, contested the ninth heat in the London Section B.A. Amateur Championship (qualifying competition).
• Although there are probably more people who play the game of billiards in Leeds than in any other place in the country in proportion to the population, it is stated that exhibition matches there are very poorly supported.
• According to Mr. C. V. Diehl, in the Daily Mail, Gray is still attempting the almost square position loser from hand into a top corner pocket with the cue ball on the centre baulk spot. It is, of course, much more difficult with ivories than composition.
• When playing Diggle in the middle of the month Inman, picking up his ball from near the bottom cushion, said, "I am in hand." The official said, "No. That was the position." Thereupon Diggle claimed and was, of course, awarded a foul.
• The draw and dates of the B.C.C. Club Championship are as follow:—Dr. C. S. Murray v. Col. G. Ommanney, Feb. 2; Sir A. Conan Doyle v. A. W. Sellar, Feb. 3; A. Dingli v. Alfred J. Peters, Feb. 4; W. J. Gask v. H. Crosland, Feb. 5; W. H. Fowler v. J. H. Kino, Feb. 6; Rev. R. du F. Bryans v. A. Hatchard, Feb. 7; W. Bessemer Wright and R. H. New byes. The B.C.C. Inter-Club Championship entries close on Feb. 2. The cup is at present held by the Junior Constitutional Club.
• Inman declines Newman's level challenge, but will allow the latter 2,000 In 18,000 for £100 or £200 a side, Inman to take two-thirds of the gate, or Newman to receive 3,000 in 18,000 and to receive two-fifths of the gate if he wins and one-third if he loses.
• Playing Inman at Edinburgh on the last day of the old year, Aiken had the satisfaction of making his record break of 590, his previous best having been 575. On the same day Inman scored a 676.