IT is our sad duty to chronicle the death of Christopher O'Connor, and probably no-one in the billiard profession was so well known on both hemispheres as he, and whose loss has been so deeply felt since the death of Michael Phelan. Chris was not only beloved in the profession by which he gained his livelihood, but by notaries of all other branches of sport that are of prominence in the United States. He was known far and wide as a man of generous impulses, liberal to a fault, full of wit and humour, while his love for American billiards— or, as he was wont to term it, our national game — has long since passed into a proverb. He was strongly opposed to the French game as played in this country, as his practical eye discerned in the future the result, and the blow it would naturally be to the encouragement of native experts. Chris O'Connor was born December 8, 1835, and his connection with the billiard world is undoubtedly due to the fact that his father, Mr. Tobias O'Connor, was a manufacturer of tables. Chris at an early age entered the employ of Michael Phelan, and when about twenty years of age became a partner of H. W. Collender, in the manufacture of tables, and so continued for about five years. At the time of the Heenan and Sayers excitement, Chris and Dan Bryant, who were strong friends and backers of the former, went over to attend the celebrated battle of Farnborough.
Bryant, Heenan, and Nelse Seymour have since passed away, the subject of this article being one of the chief mourners at the funeral of each, and the short time elapsing between the deaths of his former boon companions had a very depressing effect on him. Upon his return to this country in 1860, he purchased the place in East Fourteenth-street, known as the Union-square Rooms, which rooms he possessed up to the time of his decease. They were originally opened in August, 1860, by Michael Phelan, who desired to establish in business James Lynch, a skilled professional. Mr. Phelan at this time kept the famous room, corner of Tent-street and Broadway, containing twenty-nine tables. It was at the rooms in Fourteenth-street that the first American tournament was held, beginning October 26, 1860, and terminating on the 31st. Chris was not much of a player himself, though, when his speed was called into question, he would do battle. Probably his most exciting match was with William McKeever, who was subsequently murdered while holding the reins over the horse General Butler in a trot on the Chicago Driving Park. The game was three-ball, 150 points up, for 500 dollars., and took place at the Union-square Rooms, December 21, 1865. Chris won it by 22. There were few regular matches played there, though impromptu games were played by the thousand. Kavanagh, Goldthwaite, Deery, Foster, Parker, McDevitt, McKay, Sturtevant and others continually keeping the balls rolling.—Turf, Field, and Farm.