It is our pleasing duty to preface our notes this month with our best thanks for the very kind reception given to the first number of "The Billiard Times" by both the Press and public. A steady influx of subscriptions from all over the country commenced as soon as the paper was in the hands of followers of the game, and continues without any sign of diminution up to the time of going to press. Repeat orders from the wholesale newsagents came to hand soon after the first deliveries were completed, with the result that number one was out of print within a week of publication, and we fear that many readers were unable to obtain copies. To prevent a repetition of this disappointment, may we ask our supporters to kindly order copies of their newsagents as early as possible, or to complete a subscription form and thus ensure prompt delivery of the paper for the next twelve months?
As it would be of little interest to our general readers we do not quote the many flattering notices "The Billiard Times" received in the Press, or to give the extracts from the numerous letters which have reached our office from appreciative readers. We take this opportunity of acknowledging our indebtedness to those who have greeted our debut in such a gratifying manner, and to express our determination to leave nothing undone which will make each succeeding issue of "The Billiard Times" better than the last. This is no light task, but we venture to assume there are realms of billiard journalism as yet unexplored into which we hope to lead our readers in due course.
The supplement of our first number, the title of which appears at the head of this paragraph, attracted a great deal of attention, and there can be no doubt that the handicap has come to stay. Among other important notices of this feature we note with pleasure the remarks in "The Manchester Daily Guardian" After dealing with the subject at length in a style which displays a thorough knowledge of the points mentioned, the writer concludes by saying "Our games are really becoming a very severe responsibility, but perhaps some of us who respect all these serious developments may still be permitted to get a little fun out of our inefficiencies." We agree, and it would be a bad day for billiards when those who play the game indifferently desert our great national indoor pastime. But we must advance the plea that the man who gets fun out of his billiards "inefficiencies," and there are many such, will not find his pleasure diminished one iota by having his handicap taken. In fact, if he possesses a nice sense of humour, this trait in his character should make a full response when the exact measure of his inefficiency stands revealed by the handicap. If of a statistical turn of mind he might derive further amusement by computing how many players of his calibre would have to be called forth to do battle against a capable professional, and then when he has quite finished with his arithmetic he can console himself with the reflection that at billiards indifferent performers get any amount of enjoyment out of the pastime. Billiards is a game by itself in this respect. A poor cricketer, be he ever so keen, gets more knocks than sport, and the footballer who mis-kicked as often as the irrepressible unskilled billiardist mis-cues with impunity, would soon find himself unable to get a game in football worth playing.
On another page will be found a special article by Major W. Broadfoot, the gentleman responsible for Editorship of the Badminton volume on "Billiards." At the present time, when the doings of George Gray loom so large in the billiard world, it is of special interest to note what a leading authority has to say on the red losing hazard game played to such perfection by the young Australian.
We are in complete agreement with the view that it is not fair to legislate against a man who by superior talent or hard work has surpassed competitors, and venture to assume that if ever the case is presented to the Council of the Billiards Control Club it will not be until George Gray has demonstrated his ability to reduce ivory balls to the same mechanical subjection which his talent and perseverance have enforced on the composition ball. His future, and, maybe, no small share of the future of championship billiards, depends on how far he can adapt his prolific scoring methods to the inherent characteristics of ivory balls. Expert opinion, as far as we can gauge it, is sharply divided on this important point. Some very fine judges of the game assert that George Gray will experience no insuperable difficulty in scoring four-figure breaks off the ivory red, while other equally capable critics aver that the young marvel will find the ivories too elusive to provide him with a safe passage on the "all red route" to victory. One thing is certain, however, and that is that George Gray must show the full measure of his powers with the ivory balls before he is much older. He has applied to enter for the Championship, and as all games in the Championship are decided with the ivories, it follows that at about this time next year we shall know better where we stand as regards the future of the red ball game. If Gray enters the championship lists with the red ball gleaming all through his billiards and demonstrates his unquestionable superiority, then it is difficult indeed to say what will happen. But if his genius leads him on to a proper appreciation of billiards as a game played with three balls, and ivory balls at that, and he then stands supreme as an exponent of the all-round game, the "all red" business is sure to die a natural death, as we feel sure there is no public for another player who attempts to exploit it.
Another Championship has been decided, and once again it is necessary to hail H. W. Stevenson as the proved champion of English Billiards. We hasten to congratulate him on his victory by 1086 points, a margin quite wide enough to demonstrate his undoubted right to the title and trophy. Very possibly, but for the unfortunate nasal trouble which seriously handicapped Inman at the most critical stage of the match, he would have considerably reduced the difference in points between him and Stevenson at the finish. But when all is said and done, there remains the fact that those breaks of over 500, to say nothing of many other brilliant and effective contributions, were.accomplished by Stevenson just when they were badly needed. And when the Champion is in the mood to reel off hundred after hundred in such facile fashion, there is no player alive who can hope to stand against him in a match for the Blue Riband of English Billiards. Possibly, the supporters of Gray will not admit the truth of our remark, but they must not forget that the youthful prodigy from "down under" is still quite an unknown quantity as regards his ability to manipulate the ivory balls which are used in our Championship games. Those who think that Inman will ultimately defeat Stevenson at his best may find their opinion justified by the trend of events during the next few years. But the time is not yet when Inman can hope to stand up against the magnificent billiards shown by Stevenson at the top of his form. Altogether, the Championship must be voted a decided success.
The state of the game fluctuated in remarkable and exciting fashion, and more than once Inman s supporters had every right to be exceedingly sanguine regarding the chance of their man. Then came Stevenson's supreme effort just when it was needed, and it only remains to be said that the best man won on his merits. A word of praise is certainly due to those responsible for arranging the match, to Mr, J. P. Mannock, the genial and capable manager, and to Mr. G. H. Nelson and Mr. Sidney Isaacs, who filled the highly responsible position of referee to the complete satisfaction of all concerned. Sir George Chetwynd presented the trophy, which Stevenson acknowledged in a few suitable words. Inman was presented with a pair of cuff links by an anonymous supporter.