The sub-title originally adopted by the late Billiard Association, with the object of affording some indication of its sphere of influence, may probably have appeared a fairly ambitious one at the time of its adoption. The original title was "The Billiard Association of Great Britain and Ireland, India and the Colonies."
People who troubled to consider the practically world-wide claim to recognition conveyed in this title may have been under the impression that it represented an unrealized ambition, but so far was this from being the case that it was actually considered necessary, about ten years ago, to add to this somewhat comprehensive title. The number of associations for the government of the game in Australia and New Zealand, which, upon their formation about that time, immediately became affiliated to the parent body, rendered this course imperative, and our Association was subsequently known as "The Billiard Association of Great Britain and Ireland, Australasia, India and the Colonies."
One of the earliest of these Australasian associations to become affiliated was the Auckland Amateur Sports Club, the governing body of the game in New Zealand. Its responsibilities are now shared with the Wellington Federal Club, which also became affiliated upon its formation, and has since accomplished excellent work for the good of the game within the Dominion, but the actual headquarters of the government is still in Auckland.
The Amateur Championship of New Zealand was first promoted by the Auckland Amateur Sports Club in 1910, and the Billiard Association's gold medal has been presented annually to the winner, up to the date of the amalgamation, when its place was taken by the gold medal of the Billiards Association and Control Council. A list of the winners of this championship from the date of its inception is appended for reference.
| 1910 | F. Lovelock, Auckland |
| 1911 | F. Lovelock, Auckland |
| 1912 | W. F. Valentine, Wellington |
| 1913 | W. F. Valentine, Wellington |
| 1914 | M. J. Lynch, Auckland |
| 1915 | E. W. Warren, Auckland |
| 1916 | H. G. Seideberg, Dunedin |
| 1917 | E. W. Warren, Auckland |
| 1918 | H. G. Seideberg, Dunedin |
| 1919 | H. G. Seideberg, Dunedin |
| 1920 | E. W. Warren, Auckland |
It is interesting to note that Mr. E. W Warren, the popular honorary secretary of the Auckland Amateur Sports Club, shares with Mr. H. G. Seideberg the honour of having won the championship upon three occasions. He is responsible for the record break made in the New Zealand Championship (209), and holds the highest sessional average of 19.9, with the highest complete average of 16. Mr. H. G.
Seideberg has already announced his intention of coming over to take part in our Amateur Championship, and I hope that we may, at a later date, have an opportunity of welcoming Mr. E. W. Warren.
The principal governing bodies in Australia are the Amateur Billiard Association of New South Wales, the Amateur B.A. of Victoria, and the Amateur Billiard Associations of Queensland and Western Australia. Each of these is responsible for the promotion of its own State Championship, and in this connexion it may be mentioned that Mr. J. R. Hooper first entered for the Amateur Championship of New South Wales in 1914, won it at his first attempt, and has retained the title each year since then, with averages ranging from 18.6 to 22.7.
In addition to the individual State Championships, it was decided by the Australian associations to promote a competition for the Amateur Championship of Australasia, in which the winners of the various State Championships would compete for the supreme title, the competition also being open to the Amateur Champion of New Zealand if he were able to compete. This Australasian Championship was only instituted in 1914, when Mr.
J. R. Hooper, as amateur champion of N.S.W., entered and won it. Owing to the outbreak of war, no further competition for the Australasian Championship was promoted until 1920, when it was again won by Mr.
J. R. Hooper just prior to his departure for England. At the complimentary luncheon given at the Club in Cranbourn Street to welcome Mr. Hooper on his arrival in England, the chairman of our Council had the pleasure of handing him a special gold medal in commemoration of his second victory, bearing an appropriate design of the Southern Cross, the individual stars of that familiar constellation being represented by small inset diamonds.
The subject is too big to be dealt with adequately here, but I may mention that our authority is upheld in Canada by the Manitoba Amateur Billiard Association of Winnipeg, and in Malta by La Valette Club.