Boy Players Past and Present

Interest was taken on August 10 at Thurston's, Leicester Square, in a match of 500 up level between two promising boy cueists, Master Cecil Waight (aged 12 years 10 months), of Brighton, and Master Thomas Ansell (aged 14½), of Erith. They were matched for £5 a side, and the stakes, together with the whole of the proceeds, were devoted to the London Hospital, on behalf of the Chairman of which, Mr. Langton, in introducing the youngsters, expressed very sincere thanks to Mr. A. Ansell for promoting the contest, which attracted a large number of spectators, including a party who had motored specially to town from Brighton. The game, the importance of which evidently weighed somewhat on the boys, who were furthermore puzzled with the fast match table, ended in Ansell's favour, with the scores at 500 to 459.

Here is the picture of a boy (Angelo Lima), nine years of age, who, although he has only been playing nine months, is stated to have beaten, by 100 to 55, Miss Florence Flower, the woman billiard champion of New York State (also shown in the picture), who seems to be rather proud of his achievement than otherwise.

From the picture in the centre of this page it will be seen that America has also its boy player, of whom even the very juvenile Master Waight is senior by some years.

Eight or ten years ago there were, we remember, two other boy players—Harry Taylor, of Leeds (who made a break of 400 against George Nelson, of 479—including 390 off the red—in the Leeds Handicap, and, receiving 1,000, beat J. Harris in Manchester by 8,000 to 5,400), and J. James, of Chesterfield, who was considered good enough to be included in the Junior Preliminary Tournament which eventually gave Arthur Peall his entree into the Burroughes and Watts Professional Tournament of 1913-14.

Great things were naturally expected of Taylor, who, in addition to his fine performances as above, once (at Pembroke Dock) actually beat Inman on points in an 800 up and, playing against Smith in an unfinished match, scored 354 and 223 in a single session. He was a pupil of George Nelson, of Leeds, who, in response to an inquiry addressed to him by the editor of The Billiard Player, writes (we are sorry to say): "Harry Taylor lost his life in France during the war. He was only 19 years of age, and was, in my opinion, the most promising of the younger school. He was a pupil of mine, and made two breaks of over 500 in public play at the age of 16.

Of James we have not lately heard.