Since the date of my last notes, a long and interesting letter has reached me from Mr. George Sparrow, hon. secretary of the Manitoba Amateur Billiard Association, giving a very satisfactory account of the amicable arrangement that has been arrived at between his Association and the newly-formed Billiards Control Club of Manitoba. It has been decided to retain the Amateur B.A. as a separate body, but its members have agreed to join the B.C.C. of Manitoba en bloc, at a small annual fee, whilst a Control Council for the Province is to be formed by the appointment of two members of the executive of each body, with Dr. Gallaher (the Amateur B.A.'s champion snooker player) as chairman.
Mr. Sparrow, who is one of the two representatives appointed by his Association, states that interest in the game will undoubtedly be stimulated by the co-operation of the two bodies, and the popularity of English billiards will be still further enhanced. How great a hold our game has already obtained, is evidenced by the fact that no fewer than fourteen English tables have been installed in the headquarters of the Amateur B.A. in Winnipeg, a coloured photograph of the interior of which has been sent to me by Mr. Sparrow. The Amateur Championship of Manitoba will be begun there, about February 15 next, and an entry of 32 competitors is expected.
Mr. J. Bracegirdle is the present holder of the title, which he first gained in 1920, and retained this year, the previous amateur champion of Manitoba (in 1919) being Mr. H. Hutchinson. Mr. Sparrow was runner-up in the 1920 championship, and reached the semifinal in this year's competition. The standard of play appears to fall considerably short of that reached by our home amateur championship aspirants, since Mr. Sparrow states that the usual average is only about eight or nine per innings, but this is certain to improve as time goes on, in view of the steadily increasing enthusiasm for the English game. It 5s not so many years ago that an average of nine would have carried a player a very long way in our amateur championship, but the standard of play has improved so rapidly within the last decade, that an average of nearly double that figure is now needed to give a competitor for championship honours a reasonable prospect of success.
The respective merits of the twenty-two competitors for the Amateur Championship of English Billiards will be discussed elsewhere, but it may be mentioned that this entry is only four short of that received last season, when twenty six entries were received, and not, as has been inaccurately stated in several newspapers, twenty-nine. It is solely due to the evil of procrastination that the present entry is a numerically smaller one than last season's, since four entries actually reached me two days after the advertised date for the closing of entries, and, unfortunately, had to be returned.
The competition will be begun at the Burroughes Hall, Soho Square, W., on Saturday, January 7. The unusual course of commencing the contest on a Saturday has been adopted, in order to obviate the necessity of playing 666 points per session during the semifinals, as was done last season. As it has proved impracticable to secure the Burroughes Hall, St. James's Street, for more than one week's play (from February 20 to 25), it has been decided to hold the first day's play, in the first of the semi-finals, at Soho- Square, on Saturday, February 18.
Regular patrons of this event will be pleased to learn that it has been decided to issue a transferable season ticket, admitting to the whole series of eighty-six sessions, at the extremely moderate price of three guineas. The addition of the entertainment tax will bring the actual cost of this ticket up to £2 10s. 0d., which works out at rather less than tenpence per session, and, as only a limited number will be issued, early application is advisable. They will also be glad to know that W. J. Ayres, whose efficient discharge of the duties of referee and marker has been a notable feature for so many seasons past, has again been appointed to officiate.
Entries for the Amateur Snooker Championship close on Saturday, January 28, 1922, but play in the competition, which will again be held at the Burroughes Hall, Soho Square, will probably not be begun until March next.