What a wonderful game is billiards! Gray, in practice, made two breaks of over 800 with ivory balls and others of over 600; against Newman in match play he made a 634, 520, and 517: and against Falkiner over 500 twice—all with the balls with which he was familiar. In the championship, for which entirely new and neutral ivory balls are used, he struck a set that had either more or less spring than those he had used previously. It had a marked effect, for, combined with the importance of the occasion, his game deteriorated fully 50 per cent.
The prophets are all making excuses, and assert that if he had not gone to Scotland, or had been well, the result would have been different. I view the situation from an entirely different standpoint, and shall always think that Gray was taken to play a serious game with ivory balls before he was fitted to do so. Early he found that he could not produce his practice form in a strenuous game, and, as has occurred to scores of other players, his nerves failed him.
Now, when your nerves go your cue accompanies them. The ball is not struck confidently or truly and thus games are lost. It is doubtless a big blow to the Australian party, but Gray is still a young man.
Stevenson's failure after being over 1,000 ahead has amazed most people, and possibly only a first-class billiard player can understand how such a thing can happen. At the moment when the run of the balls meant so much, he was dry-rotted by a spell of ill-fortune. Three times on Saturday night he lost the white after making good shots, and so it continued to the end. Now if one thing more than another affects a player it is the knowledge that the balls "will not have him" the term used in the profession. In an important game it has an almost stupefying effect, causing a man to waver, lose his judgment, and at times to miss what he should easily get. The effect upon the opponent is quite different. He notes what is happening, and his rival's distress, and, taking advantage of the situation, simply scores at will—at least, he should. I have experienced it. and know the disheartening effect of seeing a hard-earned lead disappear through ill-fortune.
The 744 break which I made to-night (Saturday, March 21) is, I believe, the highest that has been made in a championship.
It was rather a trying effort, for the play this week has been rather strenuous. I did not attempt to keep the balls at the top of the table, my previous efforts in that direction having been rather disappointing, but devoted myself to all round billiards. I felt that my touch and strength were there, and from first to last had to play three difficult shots—the last a thin red loser off the spot, caused by my ball travelling too far up the table, beating me. Looking at the clock afterwards, I found that I had been at the table for about 70 minutes. It did not seem so to me, but I realized it afterwards, and was tired. The public were very appreciative, and, if I may say so, it was a good break.
These big runs are always difficult to make, but in a strenuous game more so than ever.
Writing in The News of the World on March 1 Inman said:—
"I shall not be surprised if it takes the Australian at least two days to discover all that he wishes to know, by which time Reece will possibly have taken a good lead that will keep him in front to the end. Gray may afterwards make some high breaks, but it is questionable if they will enable him to overhaul his rival."
At the conclusion of the second day's play Reece was nearly 1,000 ahead of Gray; at the conclusion of the third and fourth days he was nearly 2,000 ahead; and although on the fifth day Gray put in break after break and reduced Reece's lead by one half he could never make up for the early losses.
Inman wrote further in the same article:—
"Modesty—ever a marked characteristic of mine— almost impels me to break off at once and invite readers to form their own conclusions as to the chances I possess of retaining my honours, but that would be unfair, and having consented to sit in the judgment scat my duty is plain. I think that when all is over I shall still be champion."
It is true that Inman expected to meet Stevenson in the final instead of Reece, and if Reece had scored a few less and Stevenson 115 more he would have done so.
But that does not, of course, mean that Inman would have beaten Stevenson, although he believed that he would.