WITH our present issue concludes the first year of the BILLIARD NEWS, and though we shall continue our course in a somewhat different form, it may not be unadvisable to take a retrospect of the past year-a year which, so far as professional billiard-players were concerned, dawned brighter than any heretofore, but which, we fear, has drawn to its close amidst somewhat darkening clouds.
The present date is the anniversary of the great Manchester Handicap, played on the American system, and which, following close on the one played earlier in the year at Bennett's billiard-rooms, in Oxford-street, formed two of the most interesting series of matches ever played. Strange to say, the season will end with another billiard tournament on the American system, as next week will witness another handicap, none the less interesting from the absence of the winner of the two former ones, the handicap being thereby rendered a far more open affair than it would
otherwise be. The next match of importance to the one played during the first week in April at Manchester, was the one between Taylor and Cook, for £200. This took place in London, on May 14, when Cook just won the game by making a splendid break of 173 to finish with when Taylor was in his last hundred. This match was followed ten days after by the memorable match for the championship, when Roberts, jun., wrested the title from Cook, who had maintained it ever since May 25, 1871, or a period of four years. The play in this match was, so far as large breaks were concerned, but poor, Cook's best break being only 52, and Roberts's 49, which play, contrasted with the brilliant form both had displayed before in the two American billiard tournaments, shows what a vast difference playing on a championship table makes.
The next event in the billiard world was the visit of the Dion Brothers, and it was much to be regretted that they should have chosen so unfavourable a month as July for their visit. The game of French billiards, though interesting to watch for a short time, especially if the players be skilled in the masse stroke, is far inferior to the English, and soon becomes wearisome to, watch. The fact, too, of having absolutely no player in this country who stood the slightest chance with even half the game conceded, robbed the play of any pretension of an international contest, and the Dions, we regret to say, left the country after a few performances that must be considered utter failures.
The next match was the one on a championship table, between S. W. Stanley and F. Bennett, for £200, and which was interrupted by a third party -viz., Father Time. Stanley was a long way ahead. After a few weeks' discussion F. Bennett allowed the wise course to be pursued of allowing Stanley to receive the stakes. This match is chiefly to be remembered for the warning it set to young players, should they again attempt a match on a championship table, to begin early, and to allow a good margin for time. It is also remarkable how completely players fail to take warning, but of this anon.
But few matches, and those for but a trifling amount, occurred until the second match for the championship, which took place at St. James's Hall on December 20 last. All will remember Cook's terribly bad luck. He succeeded by good play in reaching 718 to Roberts's 682, and looked like winning, when Roberts made a fluke which commenced the break of the evening-viz., 85. This was enough to put off the strongest-nerved man, and Roberts won the game by 135 points.
In the first week in January Cook's Annual Billiard Handicap, commenced, at the Guildhall Tavern, Gresham-street, but was played on the ordinary and not the American system. In this handicap, unfortunately for the interest taken in it by the public, Cook was beaten in his first heat, and that plucky player Kilkenny was left in the final heat with G. Hunt. Kilkenny has so often run second that many thought his same fortune, or misfortune, would again attend him, especially when Hunt won the first game out of the last three, the final heat being the best of two games out of three. However, thanks to Kilkenny's fine play and excellent judgment, he won the next game, and changed his luck, at last winning, we believe, his first handicap, so far as London is concerned.
This handicap gave rise to a match for money between Alfred Bennett and Kilkenny, and although the stakes were only £50, yet the room was fairly full, and the match justified the attendance, as after an exciting game Kilkenny just managed to win by 58 points. Next earner the match between Alfred Bennett and Tom Taylor on a championship table, and it is much to be regretted that they failed to take the warning set by the match between Stanley and F. Bennett. Starting at five minutes to seven instead of six o'clock, they played on till 12.30, when the gas was turned down, Bennett standing at 976, and Taylor, whose last stroke was a miss for safety, at 953. Under these circumstances they amicably arranged to play the match again, A. Bennett receiving a fair compensation for the number of points he was ahead. Now, an arrangement of this kind, though satisfactory to the players, is very far from satisfactory to those who have bets on the game, and it is to be trusted, after these two warnings, we shall not again have to witness the ridiculous spectacle of the gas being turned down, and the players and audience dismissed like naughty children sent to bed before their time.
The next match of importance was the one between Roberts and Timbrell, for no less a stake than £600, which took place on the 21st February, at St. James's Hall. The only feature in the match, however, was the largeness of the stakes. But little interest appeared to be taken in the match, as the room was only half full. Timbrell was quite out of form, and Roberts won with the greatest ease.
On the 9th of March the first match for the new championship of Scotland, to which the handsome challenge cup of Messrs. Burroughes and Watts is attached, was played at Glasgow, and resulted in Green winning an easy victory by 300 points.
Previous to this, however, the disputed match between Taylor and A. Bennett took place at the Cambridge Hall, Newman-street, when Taylor had it all his own way, Bennett being very much out of form, Taylor winning the game by 315 points.
Several matches besides the ones we have named have been on the tapis. The much-talked-of one between Kilkenny and Stanley, on a championship table, has ended in the latter forfeiting, which is much to be regretted, as the match would have been most interesting. The forfeit arose, apparently, from some misunderstanding on the part of Stanley with regard to the date of the match. The result of the match between Stanley and Shorter is not so easily explained. On the first occasion of meeting, Shorter was too ill to play, and on the second occasion Stanley did not put in an appearance until it was too late to play at all. The match accordingly came to nothing. A few more matches of this description would do as much harm to billiards as the recent fights did for the ring, in which there were never any blows struck.
We trust that the forthcoming American tournament will be successful, and make a bright finish to what may be said to have been a somewhat chequered season.