Stock Exchange Championship
Treasurer
Commodious as is the Burroughes Hall, Soho Square, it was not nearly large enough to hold all who desired to witness the final heat in the Stock Exchange Billiard Handicap, on Thursday, March 31.
As it was, nearly two hundred spectators were crammed into the saloon, and the conditions for the competitors were hardly ideal.
The Winner
But both Mr. W. H. L. Goolden and Mr. E. C. Garland were seemingly unperturbed, and a capital game resulted in Garland gaining the honours by a margin of 57 points.
The Runner-up
The heat was extended to 550 up, with Goolden starting off the scratch mark, and Garland in receipt of 250 start.
Opinion generally favoured the chances of the scratch player, but he was not in his best form, while Garland, overcoming a trace of nervousness at the outset, afterwards gave a determined display, and fully deserved his victory.
It was a highly critical audience, and no good stroke was allowed to pass unnoticed. Goolden drew much applause in his leading breaks of 48, 40, 35, and 35, and Garland also created interest in this direction by contributing 28, 22, 18, 16, and 14. The final scores were Mr. E. C. Garland 555, Mr. W. H. L. Goolden 493.
The handsome cup was subsequently presented to the winner, who received a cordial ovation.
As a relaxation from the more serious event, Mr. S. H. Fry, the amateur champion, and Mr. W. Burlinson, played an exhibition match, and it is pleasing to know that altogether a sum of £80 was collected for St. Dunstan's After-Care Fund —a fitting climax to a highly-successful competition. The arrangements were in the hands of Mr. W. Dryden Waite, the hon. secretary, who most admirably carried out his duties
Chairman
We give on this page portraits of some of the players who have taken part in the Stock Exchange handicap or who are members of the Committee of the Stock Exchange Billiards Association. The portraits of Mr. W. Dryden Waite (the hon. secretary), Mr. P. Harwitz, and Mr. R. J. Bullett, all very well known, appear on the page illustrating the St. Dunstan's Billiard Tournament at Thurston's, to which excellent object they, in company with other able amateur cue exponents, kindly gave their services.
We understand that, early in May, a golfing tournament will take place amongst members of the Stock Exchange Billiards Association, and we hope to make some reference to this in the next issue of The Billiard Player.
Mr. O. C. Bristowe gained his blue for Oxford at golf and cricket, and has played cricket for the County of Essex. Mr. R. J. Bullett, whose portrait appears on the St. Dunstan's page, was the winner in 1898 of the first Stock Exchange Billiard Handicap.