Stock Exchange Billiards

(By a Frequent Onlooker.)

Good-natured, a real sportsman in every sense of the word, accepting defeat, which is seldom, in the same spirit as victory, Mr. Phil Harwitz is naturally very popular. He is possessed also of a great amount of dry humour. Excepting when he happens to have a headache he is always smiling.

Mr Phil Harwitz
(By Mr Maurice Smith)

It is one of those great big smiles that seem to run all over one's face and that court imitation. He is a beautiful exponent of the fascinating pastime on the bed of green cloth and can play the intricate top-of-the-table game as well as any amateur I know. He is, to say the least, brainy, and he concentrates his thoughts with such intensity of purpose that I wonder the aforementioned brain stands the pressure, because you must not forget that, besides playing the game of billiards, he does some work - at least, I am told so. I am just beginning to wonder what will happen when I next run across him. Will he ask me to join him in a small lemonade or will I have something flung at my head? That, however, is beside the point, and I would let you know that ever since he was 17 years of age he could play billiards. It was somewhere round about that period that the old spot-stroke champion, W. J. Peall, said of him that he ought to enter for the Amateur Championship, and it is certainly worthy of mention that soon afterwards he recorded his first three-figure break, going to game with 100 unfinished after his opponent had given a miss.

Since then he has made more century runs than one would care to reckon up.

His highest break in competition and under existing rules is 176, for which he was presented with a presentation cue and case from the now defunct "World of Billiards," His opponent on that occasion was Mr. T. A. Collins, who asked him to give him the cue as a memento of the occasion, and Mr. Collins is now Mayor of St. Pancras. This, by the way, is not by any means the only occasion on which the "World of Billiards" had to send Phil a cue and case. Last year he won the first championship inaugurated by the Stock Exchange Billiard Association, defeating his brother Syd in the semi-final and ousting Mr. Harrington in the final heat. He has yet to gain the premier award in the Handicap, but small wonder at that. A man owing 300 in am handicap must needs be at the top of his form in every heat to be successful.

Last year, however, Phil won the fifth prize, and it would not surprise the writer if he were to attain his ambition in the present competition, as he has already reached the semi-final stage. He has played most of the leading professionals, and last year was opposed to Inman for poor old Mickey Clark's benefit. He was also up against Walter Lovejoy, now out of the game through illness, when the latter played his last game as an amateur. Lovejoy, it will be remembered, invented the anchor cannon, which was barred when Cook made an official record break of over 42,000, although Reece was credited with an unrecognised break of nearly half a million. Phil is always charitably disposed and frequently plays matches for the benefit of others, such as hospitals and for the "Referee Children's Dinner Fund". He is a member of the South St. Pancras Club and constitutes one of the team, which also includes the amateur champion, Mr. A. W. T. Good, that enters for the Shield put up for competition amongst the Conservative Clubs of London. At present this team is in the semi-final round and looks like being there at the finish. Phil used to go in a great deal for cricket and cycling, and was good at most sports, but, of course, he has excelled at billiards, and his record is 100 in 4½ minutes—not so bad, eh? I would like here 10 tender my thanks to Mr. Maurice Smith for his excellent caricature of Phil, which accompanies this article. I am sure my readers will treasure it.

The handicap, which is without doubt the most successful yet held, is fast drawing to a close, and before my next article appears will probably have been concluded. I pin my faith to Mr. Phil Harwitz as the ultimate winner, although I know of two fancied candidates in the persons of Mr. W. Babbington (rec. 20) and Mr. R. Moy (rec. 20). These young players are possessed of ideal temperament and are not nonplussed by the importance of the occasion, and it will be a battle royal between them should they meet in the semi-final. Mr. Moy is already there, but Mr. Babbington has yet to dispose of Mr. C Rogers (rec. 20).

Mr. L. McCalla (rec. 70) had to put up with defeat by Mr. Coxall in the third round. Poor old Mac! He flattered only to deceive. But better luck next time. Mr. H. O. W. Holmes (scratch), who is admitted to be one of the finest exponents of Snooker's Pool on 'Change, was unexpectedly beaten by Mr. C. Rogers (20), but he played below form.

Mr. Phil Harwitz disposed of Mr. D. Ingram (scratch) by 43 points, and in this game he recorded 21 double figure breaks, including efforts of 62 and 54, and at one period he actually scored 328 while his opponent was totalling 33. In his heat against Mr. G. Alexander (rec. 80), which Mr. Harwitz won by 45, the latter was credited with 16 double figure runs, amongst the best being 57, 40, 44, and 45.

There was general regret at the defeat of the popular secretary, Mr. W. D. Waite, but Mr. Moy fully deserved his victory. When Mr. Bebbington put paid to the aspirations of Mr. B. W. Thornton the former was responsible for a fine break of 42, which should go near to winning him one of the two best proportionate break prizes. Mr. Harrington, another "owe 300" candidate, gave a very moderate display against Mr. E. A. Simpson (rec. 50), and suffered defeat by no less than 156 points. A splendid game was witnessed between Mr. Lacey and Mr. C. D. Chapman in the fourth rounds the former just getting home by 4 points.

In the previous round Mr. Garland showed excellent form in his heat with Mr. Blumenthal, the latter succumbing by 4 points. Mr. Garland made breaks of 31, 24, 25, and 26, but the latter made a very poor show against Mr.

Babbington in his next heat. Mr. Isaacs (owe 100) also was overwhelmed, Mr. Rogers winning by 147 points; the latter was aided by a break of 41.

The successor to the late Mr. Gerards has been appointed, Mr. Alfred Gemelly having been selected for the important post of Manager to the Palmerston out of over 150 applications.

I had a chat with Mr. Gemelly a few days ago and found him a most agreeable man. He is able to speak four languages, and has already made himself extremely popular not only among his numerous clients, but also to the big staff he has to control. Mr. Gemelly, who was born in the South of France, has been in the catering line ever since he can remember, and during his twenty years in England has been engaged at the Criterion and Monico. His last position was with Messrs. Spiers and Pond, this lasting nine years.

Stock Exchange Billiard Handicap