Realizing that the greatest of after-the-war charities was that organized by Sir Arthur Pearson to assist blinded men still to be useful citizens; that more people played billiards than any other game; that players of games are sportsmen and are, as such, imbued with a kindly feeling for those who, through misfortune, are unable to "join in," I devised a scheme whereby billiards could raise money for St. Dunstan's without the usual methods of professional "begging."
On October 11, 1919, I wrote an article in The Evening News, suggesting that by arranging small matches and tournaments in public rooms and clubs we could raise £1,000 to help St. Dunstan's. I got up in the middle of the night and wrote the article, and then went back to bed. I read it through again in the morning and the effect was so reassuring that I amended it by saying that we might even get £1,000 a year.
The article caused such a flutter in the billiard world that I had hundreds of letters of support, and in another week I had visions of £10,000, and wrote to The Evening News to that effect. The first actual contribution that I received was one shilling from Mr. Arthur Harding, a member of the staff of Simpson's in the Strand. The Putney Club organized the first flying handicap for the fund, and sent £20, and a few days afterwards I got six shillings from the patients of a ward in Cane Hill Lunatic Asylum. The Federation of London Deaf Men arranged a tournament, which was played at Messrs. Orme's, Soho Square, and at Ilford a committee was formed to run a series of entertainments which resulted in a cheque for £1,000 being sent in.
The country has gone through some hard times since then, but at the date of writing this the total exceeds £46,000, and there is so much more to come in that I am hopeful of reaching the £50,000 mark before long.
I am not so foolish as to flatter myself that all the writing in the world could have done this without the splendid assistance that I got from others. The members of the Press declined to regard it as a"stunt" run by one particular newspaper, and helped me loyally, and my grateful thanks are due in particular to Mr. George Reid, of The Sporting Life; Mr. George Mussabini, of The Sportsman; Mr. W. T. Mycroft, of The Morning Advertiser, and Mr. W. Warren, of The Daily Express. To mention the names of the players who at once offered assistance I am afraid lest I should leave one out, so I will say "everyone known to the public, and many who are not."
The trade, too, played a splendid part in the movement, and I was at once offered the use of Messrs. Thurston's, Messrs. Burroughes & Watts's, and Messrs. Orme's London halls, whilst Messrs. Riley helped by running tournaments and giving prizes at the many public halls under their control in the North of England.
Messrs. Thurston's also gave to the fund the billiard table that the big matches were played on that season, and on which many big breaks were made, and Messrs. Burroughes & Watts sent 100 guineas and put a number of cues up for auction. The Billiard Association, Ltd., just then being wound up in view of the amalgamation with the Billiards Control Club, voted us £25 of their surplus funds, and from each of such places as Chertsey, Woking, Clapham, Swindon, and Southend I got £400 to £600.
The money we received is not the only benefit that deserving causes derived from our methods. Lord Haig's Fund was helped by a similar scheme — I believe to the extent of £1,000 — whilst in many places entertainments on the same lines have been promoted on behalf of the local unemployed and the hospitals.
In addition to the games at billiards, many amusing devices have been introduced as a means of getting money, and at the well-known Victoria Club, the headquarters of racing men, no less than £2,000 was raised by promises to give various amounts in the event of certain horses winning or losing, according to whether the generous donors were backers or bookmakers. This last much maligned class of men have been amongst the fund's most generous supporters, and it is from them, from publicans and their patrons, and from members of working men's clubs, that the bulk of the money has come. I have had money from Germany, from Brazil, and even from the far-off Cape Verde Islands, where the cablemen and coolies raised £120.
One advantage that this fund has, is that there is no expense incurred in collecting the money. You get what you can, if you promote an entertainment, and send it direct to St. Dunstan's, whence you get your receipt, and there is an end of it. Whenever possible I attend the shows and say a few words or assist in conducting an auction, and the host of the particular hotel or club, or whoever may be acting as treasurer, sends the money direct to St. Dunstan's.
Expenses of collection are a great drawback to charitable efforts, but supporters of the St. Dunstan's Billiard Fund can rest assured that if they put a shilling down, a shilling intact goes where they intend it to go.
To me it is a labour of love, but at the same time it provides me with"copy"that sells well, and thus recoups me for any trifling out-of-pocket expenses that I may incur. The time that I spend on it, too, is well spent, for a nice little 500 up between a couple of amateurs gives me more pleasure to watch than a session by tip-top players.
A superfluous "not" was introduced last month into Mr. A. Stanley Thorn's reply to "Hazard's" criticism of the snooker rules (9th line from bottom of first column), making him write "a player who is not snookered for all reds," instead of "a player who is," etc.