LAST Friday night Tom Taylor, of London, and Alfred Bennett, champion of the Midlands, contested a match of 1,000 points up on a championship table, at the Guildhall Tavern, Gresham Street, for a stake of £100 a-side. The popularity of the players attracted a large number of visitors, and the game was watched throughout with much interest by those present. Both players have so frequently appeared before the public that it is quite unnecessary to give a record of their previous performances, hut it may not be out of place to state that Alfred Bennett won the second prize in the great American Tournament, and Taylor finished very close to him in the order of merit.
Play commenced at three minutes to seven o'clock (certainly an hour too late). Taylor having won the string, led off by giving a miss under the right-hand cushion, Bennett following suit on the opposite side. In making his first attempt at scoring Taylor failed, when Bennett got in with 13, in which were two flukes. The Londoner did nothing worthy of record before his opponent ran up breaks of 24, 15, and 14, supplemented (after Taylor had got to 33) by 36, bringing his total to 113 against 33, Taylor's luck up to this time having been very bad, the balls invariably breaking awkwardly for him. Small contributions on either side followed for some time, until the game was called-Bennett 165, Taylor 103. The champion of the Midlands then got the balls well placed, and scored half a dozen, when the halls touched; Taylor then gave a miss, but Bennett got in, and before his opponent did anything to appreciably enhance his chance, added 18 and 22.
From 204 Bennett went on to 226, and then made a double baulk, off which Taylor failed to score, and his opponent got farther ahead with an exceedingly well-played break of 51, nearly all of which were made by losing hazards. Taylor then ran up 15, but the balls breaking badly, Bennett again got in, and only this time made 4. Taylor's next effort resulted in a break of 10, and his opponent having nothing left, the Londoner added 9, composed of three very pretty cannons and a loser off the red, breaking down at a difficult cannon, which he only missed by a hair's-breadth. Twenty-four from Bennett made his total 305 against 151 for Taylor, when he gave a miss, and the last-named player increased his score by 7. After adding 6, Bennett gave another miss, and his opponent failing to score, the Birmingham man compiled 18. Taylor's next attempt was unproductive, but Bennett made 29. To this Taylor replied with 10, and then broke down at a rather easy cannon. Bennett next added a dozen, and gave a miss, when Taylor did nothing, and his opponent put on 7. Five was the result of Taylor's next effort, and two that of Bennett's. The former then made 11, and left a double baulk, from which Bennett gave a miss, and the Londoner ran up 19; Bennett replied with 14, and brought the balls in baulk after losing the white in the right-hand top pocket from a cannon. Taylor, having the balls badly left, gave a miss. Nothing worthy of note occurred until the game was called-Bennett 408, Taylor 240, when the former had a fluke, which proved the nucleus of a break of 29, including a six shot from the spot. Taylor now made 11, breaking down at a not very difficult hazard off the red in the left-hand top pocket. Bennett; in his following break of 32, made another six stroke. Small scores brought the totals to 476 Bennett and 262 Taylor, when the first-named, after making 7, fouled his opponent's ball in playing for a cannon. Neither man scored in his next two strokes, Taylor being first to do anything, his break amounting to 16. From 393 Taylor ran on to 413, the break including another six stroke. As Bennett did not trouble the marker in his next attempt, his opponent put on 17, this being answered with 20, when the interval was announced at 9.5, the score being called-Bennett 507, Taylor 333, the latter having put in the red ball and having to go on with his break. On resuming play at 9.35, Taylor added 7 and shortly afterwards 33. Bennett then gave a miss, but the London player made 14 and 12 before Bennett again troubled the marker, and in playing for a double baulk the following stroke, fluked both balls. After this Bennett compiled a couple of useful breaks of sixteen, to which Tom replied with 20, when the game was announced-Bennett 634, Taylor 502. The first-named player now seemed to lack the good form he had exhibited in the earlier part of the game, whilst Taylor considerably improved, and with contributions of 49, 18, 12, and 29 got within 63 of the Midland champion. From this point the play flagged considerably, the only double-figure break for some time emanating from Taylor-viz., 23. When Bennett reached 799 to 733 he added 20, but Taylor's next two efforts resulted in 16 and 45, supplemented by 55 (the largest break in the match), when he gave a miss, and the game was called-Taylor 856, Bennett 812, amidst the applause of the London man's supporters, which was again renewed when he added 33 shortly afterwards. Bennett answered this with a break of exactly the same number, once more assuming the lead, the game being called- Bennett 904, Taylor 900. The last-named then put on 13, to which Bennett responded with 25, 14, and 13, Taylor in the meantime making 10 and 12. Soon after this the marking-board indicated-Bennett 976, and Taylor 953. It was now close upon half-past twelve, and the manager of the establishment gave orders to lower the gas, and the players were therefore unable to finish the game.
A meeting took place at the office of the stakeholder on Monday last, when Bennett received £20 as a consideration to play the match over again on a day not yet named, and the £200 remains down pending the decision of the next game.
The table played upon was manufactured by Messrs. Burroughes and Watts, who offered, in the event of the men agreeing to play the match out, to take it down and erect it in another place the first thing on the following morning free of cost, as the room at the Guildhall Tavern was required for other purposes. Oxford Jonathan marked the game throughout audibly and correctly.
The actual time of play was five hours.
THESE distinguished players gave an exhibition match of 1,000 up at the Maypole Hotel, Pendleton, Manchester, on Friday evening last, and the room, a large one, was well filled. After the usual misses Roberts ran to 12, and Cook then went from 1 to 140, with a splendid break of 139, which consisted chiefly of admirable all-round play. Roberts replied with a contribution of 130, in which the spot-stroke did not figure in a single instance, and was one of the finest exhibitions of skill that even the Champion has ever afforded his admirers. Cook followed with a telling break of 242, in which he put down the red forty-three times in succession, and received the hearty applause of the spectators. For some time afterwards the play was unimportant, until Cook compiled another excellent break of 82, Roberts in the meantime adding 26 and 17. Cook then remained idle for sometime, whilst the Champion, who how warmed to his work, began to rattle away in first-class style, and with 97, 43, and 93, he got to the front, and game being called-Roberts 490, Cook 391. It was now the latter's turn to play, but he only put on 10, and Roberts had another fine innings, in the course of which he holed the red fifteen consecutive times, breaking down with a mis-cue when he had scored 82. Cook then went to 430 with a break of 29, and Roberts only adding 6, in his next attempt the ex-Champion put on 40 more. On again trying, Roberts unfortunately holed his opponent's ball, and then played a double baulk, from which Cook made a clever losing hazard, and eventually added 19 to his score. Roberts was again unfortunate, and after contributing 4 left the red over the pocket, which Cook put down, and then made eight hazards off the spot. The white ball now got in his way, so he holed it, and resumed his attack on the spot, but broke down at the second attempt, the break producing 97. An interval now took place, the game standing-Cook 592, Roberts 587. On resuming Roberts put on 23, and Cook not scoring, added 31 (six spots). The ex-Champion now got an innings which realised 74 by all-round play, and a few small contributions followed on either side, when Roberts at length got well set at the spot, and holing the ball forty-two times made the handsome addition to his score of 139. Cook followed with 27 and 32, which elicited another splendid reply from Roberts, amounting to 79 (twenty-four spots), and the game was called- Roberts 906, Cook 760. The result now looked like a foregone conclusion for Roberts, but Cook in his next essay put on 88, which included twenty spots, and brought his total to 848. Roberts contributed 26 and 40, Cook doing nothing in the meantime, and the game then stood-Roberts 973, Cook 848. The latter now had another fine run of 78, including twenty-three spot hazards, which brought him to 929. Roberts failing to score, Cook again got in, but broke down with a miscue after contributing 11. Roberts then went to 994, when Cook had another chance, but he only put together 19, and Roberts finished the game, which was called at the conclusion-Roberts 1,000, Cook 953. W. Cavanah, of Manchester, marked the game with his usual accuracy, and, including the interval of half an hour, it occupied exactly three hours.
A MATCH took place on Monday evening last at Purssell's Rooms, Cornhill, between Alfred Bennett, of Birmingham, and G. Collins, of London, for £50 a-side, the last-named player receiving 150 points start in 1,000.
In the early part of the game Bennett played well, and gained considerably on his opponent, reaching 203 to Collins's 266. Here, however, Collins astonished both his backers and the audience by making a fine break of 169, including 35 spot hazards, thus bringing up his score to 435. Bennett, however, replied with a break of 41 (11 spots). On reaching 465 to Bennett's 245, Collins made another good break of 125 (37 spots), making his score 590 to Bennett's 278. Bennett followed with 58, his previous break having been 33. Collins, after a series of eight innings without a score, by means of a 47 break reached 683 to Bennett's 430. On Collins getting to 703 to Bennett's 431, the most exciting part of the game took place. Bennett made a break of 109 (31 spots), and Collins followed with one of 49. Bennett then made another fine break of 118 (20 spots). Collins in return only scored 14. Bennett then scored in his next break 42, thus bringing up his score to 699 to Collins's 766. Collins then scored 43. Bennett, however, playing wonderfully well, reached 788 to Collins's 871, and by means of a fine break of 87 passed his opponent and reached 875; thus getting four points in advance. The game proceeded very evenly till 918 all was called by the marker, Collins having succeeded in catching his opponent by means of a break of 30. Bennett here made 10, when Collins ran up a fine break of 61, and soon after won the game, notwithstanding he had been caught, by 43 points.
ON Monday evening the billiard room at Mr. Adams's, Leighton Arms, Leighton-road, Brecknock-road, was well filled to witness the match of 1,000 up between the above-named players, in which Kilkenny conceded 300 points start. After the usual misses on either side Kilkenny was first to do anything worthy of note by making 37. To this Fowler replied with 32 and 19 in successive breaks, which the Yorkshireman answered with 38. The receiver of points next ran up 30, but before he again scored Kilkenny, with 46 (seven spots) and 53 (eight spots), rapidly decreased the start he was conceding, and Fowler failing to alter his total on several occasions, Kilkenny, with breaks of 91 (six spots), 27 (five spots), 42 (thirteen spots), 20, and 39 (ten spots), reached 632 to Fowler's 639. The last-named player improved his position a little in his next two breaks, which amounted to 23 and 22 respectively, but these were more than neutralised by contributions of 22, 24, and 50 (ten spots) from Kilkenny. After some minor additions Fowler put on 24, and the game was called- Fowler 745, Kilkenny 744. An enthusiastic supporter of the Yorkshireman now offered £100 to £1 on him, and that he was fairly justified in doing this Kilkenny gave striking evidence in his next innings, as he manipulated 103 in grand style, the spot only figuring five times towards the number. From this point Fowler never had a look in, as the balls broke badly for him, and Kilkenny, with a run of 40 and an unfinished break of 19, won the game by 214 points, Fowler only reaching 786.
THERE was a good attendance at the Wine Rooms Billiard Saloon, Devereux-court, Temple, on Wednesday evening, to witness an exhibition match of 1,000 up between the above players, Kilkenny conceding 100 points start. Hunt was first to get away with breaks of 42 and 21, and Kilkenny only contributing small scores, the former player got further in front with breaks of 20, 25, 36, 11, and 13, and reached 275 to 42. The Yorkshireman now put 33 to his credit, but Hunt replied with 31. Kilkenny then made 44 (11 spots), 33, 32, 34, 22, and 32, which raised his total to 343 against Hunt's 392. For a considerable time Hunt failed to do anything worth note, and Kilkenny, with breaks of 31, 41, and 72, obtained a commanding lead, the game at the interval being called-Kilkenny 644, Hunt 444. On resuming play, Hunt got position for the spot-stroke, and disposed of the red on forty-two consecutive occasions, the break amounting to 129. After this the play again flagged for a considerable time, when Kilkenny obtained 42 and 36, and got to 779 against 705. Hunt then ran up 61, in the compilation of which 18 spots were conspicuous; this he soon afterwards supplemented with 30, and his opponent made 27, when the game was-Kilkenny 893, Hunt 873. Forty-six from the Yorkshireman next made his chance appear on the right side, but failing on several occasions to increase his score, Hunt kept creeping up with small additions, and eventually won by 8 points, the game having occupied 3 hours 25 min. Oxford Jonathan marked with his usual accuracy.
Two exhibition matches took place yesterday afternoon between the above players, at Cook's Rooms, Regent-street, the one in the afternoon being 500 up at billiards, and the best of 11 games of pyramids.
The billiards turned out to be a very one-sided affair, as by means of small breaks Roberts reached 92 to Cook's 138, the latter player's best breaks being 32 and 24. Here Roberts scored a break of 49, and followed on with one of 357, containing 50 spot hazards-viz., 3, 2, 30, 6, and 9. This break was an extremely well-played one, and likely to inspire great confidence in his backers for the forthcoming match with Timbrell for £600. Roberts, who only wanted 2, won in his next shot by 366 points.
In the match at pyramids, the best of 11 games, that followed, Cook was victorious, winning the first by 8 to love, the second also 8 love; Roberts won the third, 8 to 2; Cook the fourth and fifth, 8 to 2 and 8 to 5, and the sixth by taking the eight balls right off; Roberts won the seventh, 8 to 6, and Cook the eighth, and with it the rubber by 9 to love.
The evening's play was still more wonderful, Cook and Roberts playing 1,000 up. Cook, by means of a 74 break, followed by a 30, and another of 362 (113 spots), reached 468 to Roberts's 18, when the latter made 80. Cook then, by means of 76, reached 591 to Roberts's 124, when Roberts made 324, including 23 and 75 spot hazards. Cook, on reaching 603, again made a fine break of 208 (19 and 32 spots), and followed with 94, thus reaching 905 to Roberts's 552. The latter had in the meantime scored a break of 92. Here, however, Roberts made the break of the evening, and won the game off the balls with a splendid break of 448, including 9, 19, 2, 68, 31, spot hazards. This game is perhaps the finest on record, and we regret that the late hour prevents us giving it the long notice it so justly deserves.