Smith Back to the Linotype—For Two Minutes

On this page are given two portraits of W. Smith, one as the professional billiard player who is not now a linotypist, and the other, taken ten years ago, of the linotypist who was not then a professional billiard player. Writing on the subject of his billiards in 1911, Smith said:— "I will give you my career from the time when I started playing. My father was proprietor of an hotel, and when I was about ten years of age a billiard table was put in. Not being allowed the privilege of playing on it, I had to be content with watching.

"However, when I was about ten and a half I was allowed to play during the morning when no customers were in. I had by this time a good notion of what to do from my experience in watching, and just after I was eleven I made my first 100 break (102), after many times failing between 90 and 100. A challenge was put out for me to play any boy in England of my age, but no one accepted."

"Just before I was fourteen years old I started work at The North Star newspaper office, Darlington, where I," he wrote, "am to this day. I was made an honorary member of the N.E.R. Institute (being too young to join), and I have played there ever since."

"My ambition was to become amateur champion of England, but when I was between eighteen and nineteen years old there was such a demand for my services for exhibition games that I had to give up all thought of amateur honours. I was not able to pay my own travelling expenses, and as the rules did not even allow me train fares, i became classed as a professional."

"It is, in my opinion, very hard that working men are thus barred from the highest honours of the amateur world."

"Why should not billiards be like other sport? The billiard amateur championship is not the amateur championship proper, as working men have no chance under the present conditions. My case is a strong one as regards this point, and I hope the amateur authorities will give the matter consideration."

"I have been invited to play Gray again in Newcastle in November (1911.—Ed.), and if I can get off work I shall certainly do so."