Here and There Notes

• In no game is luck more evenly distributed in the long run than in billiards. Therefore, why worry?
• Harris and Tothill are to play 14,000 up for £250 a side at the Burroughes Hall, Piccadilly, commencing May 23.
• T. Reece has now been four times runner-up for the professional championship, as Mr. G. A. Heginbottom has been for the amateur.
• Nottingham would not appear to be a very keen billiard centre—at any rate so far as the support of professional matches is concerned.
• The amateur championship of Wales was again won (March 19) by Mr. J. Cable, who scored 2,000 in the final, against 1,855 by Mr. J. Scadding, of Pentre.
• "I really think I have learned more since I commenced my series of test matches against Smith than in all my previous career."—Inman in The News of the World.
• In The Sporting Chronicle of March 17 the heading "Inman's Big Lead" occurred. And it was indeed a big lead according to the figures, which, as printed, were: Inman, 110,559; Smith, 9,252.
• At Aldershot Falkiner scored his 800 in 64 minutes. His local opponent remarked that it was a very good one-man show, but that he would doubtless have scored more if he had been allowed more time at the table.
• Playing Smith at Manchester, Inman several times potted the white, and someone shouted "Good shot" after a particularly easy pot of this kind. "I suppose you would have played the cannon," said Inman ironically.
• At Hove (March 18) the local amateur championship was won by Mr. H. Johnson, who takes the silver challenge cup and gold medal presented by Mr. C. H. Robinson. The scores were: Johnson, 1,000; J. Rutherford, 804.
• In a 600 up at Woodbridge, in aid of the National Institute for the Blind, Mr. Cook, of Ipswich, when only needing six for game, refused to pot the white, and his opponent won. Is this delicacy about the white sporting or Quixotic?
• John Regan, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, who refereed and called the game in the Smith-Inman match at Manchester, made, says The Athletic News, "as much impression as a personality on the critical judges of the North as the better-known players did."
• An Institute billiard match in the Midlands was played with the blue, black, and the yellow from a snooker set. Perhaps there had been some difficulty in previous matches in distinguishing between the spot white and the plain. And why a cream should not be substituted for the spot white is a question that has been asked through the ages.
• The Southern Daily Echo says that A. C. Williams, lately returned from Australia, has decided to stay in Southampton to represent the West and Southern Counties local billiard players.
• In the Smith v. Inman match in Manchester (March 18) the scores at the end of the evening session were called 13,076 all. Scores are frequently called even in the course of a session, but rarely at its close.
• Stevenson left Southampton for South Africa on Friday by the "Walmer Castle." His first address after Cape Town will be Johannesburg. He proposes to make a tour of the British Empire.—Claude Falkiner leaves for South Africa by "The Briton" on April 29.
• Inman still requires the return of his £100 deposit in connexion with the recent championship in which he declined to take part, and he has caused a writ to be served for it on the Billiards Association and Control Club, Ltd., which is now awaiting his statement of claim.
• Referring to the Professional Tournament,"Regent," in The Daily News, says: What I consider to be a real handicap of 16,000 up would be:—Newman, scratch; Smith, scratch; Falkiner, rec. 1,500; Inman, rec. 1,500; Reece, rec. 2,500; Stevenson, rec. 3,000; Aiken, rec. 4,000.
• While on tour in Lancashire Falkiner created another record with 165 close cannons under present rules. It would be interesting to know of what degree of fastness the cloth was in this particular case. Falkiner's previous close cannon record was 156, so that he just turned the last two figures round.
• The Eccentric Club entertained Mr. S. H. Fry, seven times amateur champion and winner for the Club of a fine table presented at the recent Club's Tournament by Messrs. Burroughes & Watts, Ltd. Mr. S. H. Fry is playing a friendly game at Ashton-under-Lyne against Mr. G. A. Heginbottom as a little sequel to this dinner, the president thereat, Sir Walter de Freece, M.P., having persuaded him to do so.
• The return billiards match between six amateurs of Liverpool and six Manchester amateurs was played on April 2, and resulted in a win for Liverpool by 50 points. Scores:—Liverpool: T. Owen, 143; R. Francis, 174; O. Stead, 200; J. Duncan, 166; I. Roberts, 179; P. C. R. Siddall, 200. Total, 1,062. Manchester: G. A. Heginbottom, 200; J. Higginson, 200; J. Wolstenholme, 115; J. Southwell, 200; T. Booth, 200; T. Siddall, 98. Total, 1,013.
• J. G. Taylor (Walsall) and J. H. Smith (Olton) met in the final for the Midlands Amateur Championship on March 22, the final scores being: Taylor, 1,200; Smith, 908.—The outstanding feature of the play so far in the Midlands Professional Championship was a break of 406 by Lawrence (the holder) against Dennis, of Nottingham, who was defeated by 7,000 to 5,803. In the second week's play, ending on April 9, Davis, of Chesterfield, beat Raynor by 7,000 to 5,638.