Clark McConachy—New Zealand Champion
On the right side of thirty, of fine athletic build, bubbling over with enthusiasm for the game, with designs on its highest honours, and the will to rise superior to all set-backs. Such is Clark McConachy, the professional billiard champion of New Zealand, now making his first acquaintance with this country.
Unlike George Gray, the famous young Australian, who initiated a new era in English billiards some ten years ago, McConachy's rise to fame has not been meteoric. But, like his fellow-colonial, he has carved his way to renown over what was familiarly known as the "all red route." Few people on this side of the world had heard of McConachy ten years ago when New Zealand enthusiasts proclaimed that their country possessed a player that was destined to make history for New Zealand as George Gray was then doing for Australia. In practice the young New Zealander was then making his four, five, and six hundreds off the red; and with no one in New Zealand capable of giving him a game, his friends sent him across to Sydney and Melbourne to try conclusions with the Lindrums and other good players in Australia.
Clark McConachy
Here it was discovered that the young New Zealander had his limitations. He made some good breaks, but could not cope with Fred Lindrum, and even Walter Lindrum, a younger exponent than himself, proved that McConachy had a good deal to learn before the anticipations of his New Zealand admirers could be realized. The experience gained on that Australian trip no doubt proved invaluable, and, although little was heard of McConachy during the next few years, he was, apparently, quietly and steadily equipping himself for a position as one of the world's leading players. The tangible result of patient practice and the assimilation of experience was the compiling of a break of 1,080 last year, which stands out as the record break for New Zealand.
Some months ago McConachy embarked on an extensive tour designed to include India and South Africa, and so well did he shape that he eventually decided to include England in his itinerary with its championship as his final goal. In India McConachy created a new record for that country with a break of 870, and, proceeding to South Africa, the New Zealander quickly demonstrated that he was fit company for the world's best.
In Johannesburg he made something approaching a sensation by defeating Cecil Harverson, champion of South Africa, by 1,008 in a 16,000 up level match, and followed this up with a still more brilliant victory over Claude Falkiner.
In the latter game McConachy received 2,000 start in 16,000 up, but won by 3,161 after one of the finest displays ever witnessed on the Rand. Against Falkiner, McConachy made 46 treble-figure breaks, including 461, 393, 377, 362, 353, 341, 315, and 309, and his victory was enhanced by the fact that in one day Falkiner scored no fewer than 2,360 points—a record for South Africa. All this suggests that McConachy is a gifted player, and may easily prove a formidable candidate for our championship honours. The only doubt remaining is whether he can reproduce his form when using ivory as the playing medium. As with all Colonial players, his billiards has hitherto necessitated the use of bonzoline and Crystalate, but one gathers he is a singularly adaptable exponent, and therefore our English conditions may not prove a big handicap to his challenge.
Although the red ball is the sheet anchor of our visitor's play, and he plays this phase of the game extremely well, he imparts to it greater variety and vim than Gray familiarized us with. Like Fred Lindrum, the Australian champion, McConachy favours the top pockets as much as the middle ones, and it would be a mistake to look upon him as purely a red ball player. He is more than passably good at the all-round game, and a real "star" in screw shots. Over and above all this, he has the right temperament for the game, and in this direction has been compared with Willie Smith and Melbourne Inman. Already engagements have been made for him with our leading players, and his advent is sure to give a fillip to our season.