During the past month three fresh applications for affiliation have been granted by the Billiards Association and Control Council. One of these came from the Chesterfield and District Amateur Billiard Association, a body which has been in existence for eight or nine years, and has already accomplished much excellent work for the goad of the game in its own locality. It is interesting to recall the fact that, prior to joining; the professional ranks, J. Davis, whose future appears so full of promise, won the Amateur Championship of Chesterfield and District, promoted by this Association, when a lad of only thirteen years of age.
The application received from the Sunderland and District Billiards Association was referred to in last month's issue, and has since been formally granted.
The last, and most important, addition to the steadily increasing list of our affiliated bodies is the Billiards Control Club of Manitoba. A very ambitious programme has been drawn up by this organization, the secretary of which informs me that their membership is expected to include "at least 10,000 players by the end of this year." One of its principal objects is the promotion of professional and amateur tournaments and championships throughout the Province of Manitoba, and as similar organizations are now being formed in the other provinces of Canada, it is hoped that these will ultimately combine to form an All-Canadian Council. The Manitoba Amateur Billiard Association, which is already affiliated to the Council, has hitherto devoted itself solely to the interests of amateur players, as the late Billiard Association did during the last decade of its separate existence, prior to the recent amalgamation, but a letter just received from Mr. George Sparrow, the hon. secretary of the Manitoba Amateur B.A., suggests that it is quite prepared to affiliate, or co-operate, with the more comprehensive body which has now been formed. The B.C.C. of Manitoba is evidently convinced of the value of judicious propaganda, one of its proposals being "To have the game recognized as a necessity in every town and city of the Province, by a campaign of education, proving billiards to be a gentleman's game—a source of clean, wholesome, beneficial recreation." It also proposes "To stimulate billiard playing among amateurs, by conducting amateur tournaments in English billiards, snooker, and pocket billiards, thus developing city, district, and provincial championships in the three forms." Mr. Sparrow's letter states that English billiards is rapidly increasing in popularity throughout the Province, but the new body evidently proposes to cater for votaries of the pocket game as well.
The Liverpool and District Amateur Billiard Association has suffered a severe loss recently in the enforced resignation of its hon. secretary, Mr. E. Owen, on account of ill-health. Mr. Owen, with whom I have had much correspondence since his appointment about eleven years ago, has conducted the affairs of his Association with conspicuous and well-merited success, and his retirement is keenly regretted by his Committee, and all who have had the opportunity of appreciating the good work which he has accomplished for the game in Liverpool.
The Leeds Sportsmen's Effort for the Blind is again promoting a competition for the Amateur Championship of Leeds and district, in aid of St. Dunstan's, as it did last year with such gratifying success, and the silver medal of the Billiards Association and Control Council has been granted for presentation to the winner of this championship.
The conditions governing the Championship of English Billiards have now been forwarded to the professionals concerned, with an invitation to submit any alteration which they may think desirable, for the consideration of the Council.
These conditions, which, in accordance with the wishes of the players, will be published during this month (November), embody the suggestions submitted by the professionals to the Council at the meeting which took place in May last, and it is to be hoped that their unanimous approval will be accorded to them.
The Second Division Professional Championship will be held in London, and not, as anticipated, in the provinces, the majority of the competitors being strongly in favour of playing it at the Burroughes Hall, St. James's Street.
As, however, this hall will not be available for the whole competition, it is probable that the preliminary heats will be played at the Burroughes Hall, Soho Square, after the preliminary heats of the Amateur Championship of English Billiards, which will be concluded there on February 18, 1922, and the final only at the St. James's Street hall.
Entries for the Amateur Championship closed on October 31, too late for any comment to be made upon them here.