Melbourne Inman's Forthcoming Tour
The billiard season of 1907-8 will be deprived of two very great attractions by the absence of H. W. Stevenson and Melbourne Inman, who are starting for a tour around the world next spring, and expect to be absent from fifteen to eighteen months. They are touring quite independently of each other, though they may, of course, meet on their travels, and doubtless the world is wide enough for each to make a highly successful trip- At present, however, we are concerned with Inman, who, accompanied by Mrs.Inman, will leave England on March 22 in the "Ormuz," which is due at Colombo on April 15. A stay of a fortnight will be made there, and he will sail again on April 29, reaching Feemantle, West Australia, on May 9. Another stay of a fortnight will see him on his way to Melbourne on May 23, the voyage lasting just six days, so that he will arrive at the latter city on May 29. Whilst in Australia he is under engagement to Messrs. Alcock, the well-known firm of billiard table manufacturers, and, after a month in Melbourne, will travel on to Sydney, where another month will be spent. He hopes to reach New Zealand on August 5, where he will stay for another month, giving exhibitions in most of the principal towns, and will be back in either Melbourne or Sydney on September 9. He is very likely to find Stevenson there at this time, and, if so, it may be regarded as pretty certain that a game or two will be fixed up between them. From Australia he will proceed to India, where he has been engaged by Messrs. John Roberts and Co., and expects to get there about November 4. Thence he will journey back to Colomho, and, after a short stay there, will take a coasting vessel to Bombay, and make a lengthy tour which will include Burmah, Rangoon, the Punjab, Calcutta, Madras, etc. During the whole of this time he will play with Crystalate balls only, and, according to present arrangements, will be in England again about the middle of the summer of 1908.
From the earliest time of his appearing in public Inman has shown such remarkable energy and "push" - the latter word must not be taken in a billiard sense - that no doubt need be entertained of the success of anything he takes up, and it will be strange indeed if his projected tour does not prove both pleasurable and profitable. No stronger Contrast to Stevenson, as a player, could well be imagined, and lovers of billiards will not be satisfied without seeing them both perform.
Inman will specially appeal to amateurs, for probably no professional plays losing hazards off the red ball quite as he does, and these strokes are the backbone of the amateur's game. Amongst the many great breaks he has made, the one of which he is most justifiably proud is his 315, made in a game with Harverson on a Thurston table at the Grand Hall, on October 12 last. No fewer than 300 of these points were made off the red ball, which is a world's record. Inman has never been playing quite so well as he is at present, as witnessed by his grand break of 484 made in his heat against Stevenson in the Burroughes and Watts Tournament only last week. Then he is essentially a "trier" of the first water. He has never played in a game - however insignificant or unimportant - in which he did not work his hardest to win, and though, like all other players, he has this occasional off days, those who go to see him may always rely upon his doing his very best. We heartily and sincerely wish him a pleasant voyage, a successful trip, and a safe return.