  [Unless otherwise stated, all play was with 2? balls, and, with but few exceptions, on a Phelan & Collender, a Collender or a Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. 5×10 carom table, crotching not barred until 1870.] Abbreviations.—This succession—Player, 250—10.—54; Player, 212—69—stands for winner’s total, average, and high run, and loser’s total and high run. First Public Match. Louis Fox, of Rochester vs. John Deery, of N. Y. City, $250 a side, 250 points up, 6×12 four-pocket table, was the first match made at this game with any idea of playing it in public. It was set for Buffalo, N. Y., but the Deery side forfeited on November 7th. First Technically Public Contest. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, afternoon of April 8th.—$250 a side, 6×12 four-pocket table, in aid of the Workingwomen’s Protective Union. Peter D. Braisted, Jr., 100; Wm. H. Freeman, 79. Players were not of the first class, and hence runs and averages were not tallied for publication. There had, of course, been many earlier match-contests, both amateur and professional; but those and scores of others before them were of the nature of billiard-room contests, with the exception that Michael Phelan and Ralph Benjamin’s in Philadelphia, in 1857, was a formal match, although not public, each principal being limited to a certain number of friends as spectators. First Formal Public Contest. Gallaher’s Hall, N. Y. City, October 5th.—First of the three-game match (see, Four-ball for others), $1,000 a side, 5½×11 carom, 25 The table was a compromise in height between the French and the American. First Match on a 5×10 Carom. For this reason, a billiard-room match merits mention. This size is not known to have been used again in any expert match in this country until 1870. Melvin Foster vs. John Deery. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, September 30th.—$250 a side, 5½×11 carom. Foster, 300—2.80—40; D., 184—24. Foster vs. Joseph Dion. Academy of Music, N. Y. City, December 28th.—Second game of match of three (see Four-ball for others), $1,000 a side, 5½×11 carom. F., 300—1.73—21; D., 296—11. Catching the draughts and blasts from the untenanted stage, the balls were ice, the cues icicles, and the players paralytics in sheer numbness. Foster vs. Benjamin. Braisted’s Room, N. Y. City, January 6th.—F. giving 150 in 300 and laying $100 to $80, 5½×11 carom. F., 300—1.94—16; B., 131 (without odds)—14. Not a record except as a match in which, for many successive innings, both men played alternately for “safety” without leaving their seats. Foster, who began it, had to quit, as he was behind, and the misses, if continued, would have put his opponent out. This contest suggested the rule of 1879, illegalizing more than two consecutive misses. Foster vs. Deery. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, April 23d.—$250 a side, 5½×11 four-pocket. F., 300—2.80—18; D., 183—14. McDevitt vs. C. Dion. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, May 10, $500, 5¼×11 four-pocket. D., 300—2.03—19; MCD., 299—29. Ralph Benjamin vs. M. H. Hewins. Town Hall, Meriden, Conn., November 23d.—$100 a side, 5½×11 four-pocket. B., 150; H., 132. On the same terms, Hewins had won in Meriden, Conn., August 21st, by 150 to 130, and Benjamin had won return game in Portchester, N. Y., October 22d, by protesting against referee’s decision as to a shot claimed as foul (actual score, 150 to 149 in favor of Hewins). Best runs in the three games: B., 7, 8, and 11; H., 7, 10, 8. Winning averages, barring protested game, 1.50 each. Geo. T. Stone vs. Hewins. Music Hall, New Haven, Conn., January 4th.—$300 a side, Stone giving odds of 60, probably a 5½×11 carom. S., 300—1.63—11; H., 267—11. Carme vs. Henry Miller. National Theatre, New Orleans, March 24–25th.—Two games, each $250 a side, Carme giving odds of 150. First game: M., 500—3.98 (in 350)—56; C., 374—29. Second game: C., 500—6.49—85; M., 388—31. Table was surely no larger than 5×10. J. W. Coon vs. Frank Parker. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, April 25th.—$250 a side, 5½×11 carom. C., 500—2.90—24; P., 499—17. First Three-ball State Championship. Assembly Rooms, Philadelphia, April 25–30th.—First tournament for championship of Pennsylvania, 5½×11 carom. E. J. Plunkett, 6—0; E. H. Nelms, 5—1; Wm. Rockhill, 4—2; James Palmer, 3—3; Robt. Hunter, 2—4; McAlier, 1—5; Doyle, 0—6. Prizes—1st., cue and billiard-table; 2d, $150; third, $70. Plunkett vs. Nelms.—Same hall, January 18, 1872.—First match for champion cue. N., 200—av., 2—run, 22; P., 168—18. Michael Honohan vs. Abraham Bassford. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago.—$100 a side, 5×10 carom. H., 300—2.63—17; B., 191—17. First Known Case of Crotching Barred. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, October 19th.—$250 a side, 5½×11 carom, c. b. Frank Parker and Henry Rhines, 400—3.07 and 2.54—19 and 17; Peter Snyder and John W. Coon, 264—2.26 and 1.51—13 and 12. As far back as 1860–1, a run of 40 had been crotched (or jawed, in fact), in a non-public match at the three-ball game; and that crotching was not specifically barred before 1870 was because, until small tables came into vogue, it was theoretically twice as hard to get the crotch at three-ball caroms as at four-ball, and practically much harder. [In this and all later years, table a 5×10 carom, with crotch barred, unless mentioned differently.] First Match on a 5×10 Between First-Class Players. Platt’s Hall, San Francisco, January 12th.—$500 a side. J. Dion, 500—3.60—46; Deery, 474—37. February 9th, same place and stake, Dion now giving 50. Deery, 600—5.98 (in 550)—83; Dion, 491—25. These were the first public three-ball contests at odds between first-class players, and the odds was always marked up at the start of the game, instead of, as usual now, one man’s going to 500 against the other’s 600. Practically, or temperamentally, there is often a difference between ways that theoretically seem the same. Rudolphe vs. Garnier. Apollo Hall, N. Y. City, January 21st.—$500 a side, 5½×11 carom, crotch not barred, but no crotching, Garnier receiving odds of 15 per cent. Rudolphe, 600—5.46—72; G., 510—28. C. Dion vs. Daniels. Bumstead Hall, Boston, January 24th.—$250 a side, 5½×11 carom, no bar. Dion won by 300 to 131, with 38 against 12 for best run. First Professional Tournament at Three-ball Game, and Also First Championship of the Northwest. Chicago, February 2–28th.—Games 300 points, balls 25
The 25 RHINES VS. COON.—Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, May 27th.—$250 a side, same balls. R., 400—4.82—54; C., 295—18. Coon vs. Garnier. Same hall as above, March 8th.—$200, 5½×11 carom. C., 600 (odds of 100)—4.76 in 500—58; G., 522—35. Coon vs. Parker. Same hall and table, March 11th.—$500. C., 400—3.48—22; P., 320—29. Parker vs. Rhines. Same hall and table, March 22d.—$500. P., 400—2.44—26; R., 369—29. J. Dion vs. Rudolphe. Congress Hall, San Francisco, April 17th.—Third and last of three games (see Four-ball Game for both that style and English billiards for $1,000 apiece). D., 500—4.72—(run not recorded); R., 472—69. Daly vs. Rhines. Brooklyn Hall, Brooklyn, N. Y., November 6th.—$500 a side. Daly, 500—4.27—44; R., 397—58. First Triple-figure Runs. National Theatre, New Orleans, November 20th, 22d, 25th.—Separate games, $500 apiece, crotch probably not barred. Joseph Dion won by 500 to 479, 365, and 268, including odds of 150 received invariably by Henry Miller. Winner’s averages: 4.95, 6.85, and 8.94. Best runs per game: D., 48, 105, 107; M., 29, 23, 11. [In this city, January 16, 1872, C. Dion ran 109, mainly in the crotch of a 5×10; but as a billiard-room match it was not a record.] First Double-figure Average. Corinthian Hall, Titusville, Pa., December 7th.—$250 a side. Garnier, 500—10.42—80; Daly, 233—27. Garnier and Rhines vs. Deery and Parker. Orpheus Hall, Chicago, May 25th.—$250 a side. G. and R., 336 and 164 (500)—7 and 3.49—82 and 27; D. and P., 181 and 191 (372)—3.85 and 4.07—32 and 46. Parker vs. Rhines. Orpheus Hall, Chicago, July 1st.—$500 a side, 5×10 carom. P., 500—4.94—44; R., 359—27. Daly vs. Deery. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, September 3d and 13th.—Match of 500 and 600 points, each for $1,000 a side, c. b. Resulted from match for $250 a side, played July 25th in the private room at Chris. O’Connor’s, Daly then winning by 500 to 455, averaging 4, and running 56 against 31. September 3d: Daly, 500—6.94—59; Deery, 292—41. September 13th: Daly, 600—6.25—54; Deery, 406—63. 1873.Francois Ubassy vs. Henry Miller and John Bessunger. In Harmony Hall, New Orleans, and in Nixon’s Amphitheatre and the Globe Theatre, Chicago, Ubassy gave odds varying from “discount” to 200 in 600 and 300 in 800, in April, May, and June. The half dozen contests were of importance chiefly by reason of Ubassy’s runs and averages. The highest of the former were 117 and 116; of the latter, 15.79 in 300 in New Orleans and 17.78 in 800 in Chicago. Amateur Championship of Louisiana. New Orleans, May 12th to 28th.—Tournament of 200–point games on a 4½×9 carom table. This series was so called not so much because quite all the contestants were clearly non-professionals as for the reason that any professional championship at that precise time would have fallen to either Henry Miller or his brother John, then first and second best players in the State. All matches of the new series were 300 up, on a 4½×9 table, for a stake of $100 a side, and played in New Orleans. Record of tournament, four games apiece:
2. A losing average. From June 10th of this year until July 14, 1874, there were a dozen or two matches, Maggioli, Abrams and Choate taking turns as champions. Ultimately, the emblem became Maggioli’s permanently. The highest run of the series was 60, and the highest average 12, both by Maggioli. First Championship of the World. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, June 23–30th.—First first-class professional tournament anywhere at three-ball caroms. Games, five apiece, 300 points. This tournament made the 5×10 carom table, bar crotch (4½ in. in all directions from the cushion-junction), the standard. Garnier and C. Dion first and second after playing off.
Average of tournament, 7.89. All matches were for the Challenge Cup and $1,000 a side, and all but the last were played in Tammany Hall, N. Y. City. GARNIER VS. C. DION. December 2d.—G., 600—10—68; D., 480—61. GARNIER VS. DALY. April 3, 1874.—G., 600—12.77—75; D., 380—62. GARNIER VS. RUDOLPHE. December 10, 1874.—R., 600—14.63—161; G., 387—101. RUDOLPHE VS. MAURICE VIGNAUX. February 22, 1875.—V., 600—10.17—60; R., 556—58. VIGNAUX VS. SEXTON. Grand Hotel, Paris, France, March 3, 1876.—V., 600—19.35; S., 459—run, 129. Jacob Schaefer’s Public Debut. Washington Hall, Indianapolis, July 25th.—Purse game. Schaefer, 300—4.84—38; Parker A. Byers, 183—20. He had also pursed two weeks before, Jacob Garratt beating him by 1000 to 932; but it was at the four-ball game, and in Garratt’s Indianapolis billiard-room. First Championship of Pacific Coast. Mercantile Library Hall, San Francisco, August 25–30, 1873.—Tournament for championship, a silver cup and $650. Games, 200 points, six apiece. Mott won play-off.
3. Losing averages. Slosson and Schaefer’s First Meeting. October 5, 1873, Indianapolis, $100 a side, was the first meeting between a pair that have met oftener in public than any other two. Slosson, 500—5.32—35; Schaefer, 321—45. Slosson vs. Daly. Kingsbury Hall, Chicago, November 8th.—$500 a side, Daly giving odds of 100. S., 600—5.68 (in 500); D., 593—44. Chicago’s First First-Class Tournament. Kingsbury Hall, November 10–21st.—Aggregate, $3,100 in cash prizes, seven 400–point games apiece. Garnier and Daly won in playing off. Average of tournament, 6.46.
4. The 7.18 and 7.28 were not winning averages. First Three-ball Championship of Massachusetts. Boston, closing December 5, 1873. Three prizes for place, and one for high run. Five games apiece.
5. The 2.06 was a losing average. Match-stake was $200, but there was only one contest—Bumstead Hall, Boston, January 7, 1874. Hickey, 400—3.40—22; Dennison, 323—26. On March 3 following, when there was no challenge outstanding, H. resigned emblem to Massachusetts Billiard Congress. Tournament at Two Different Games. (See Four-ball Game, 1874, for one.) New Orleans, April 6–30th.—200 points up, for three prizes. Called an amateur tournament. Hoa won play-off.
6. Quaid’s 3.98 was a losing average—beaten by one point. MILLER VS. HOA. New Orleans, July 1st.—M., 300—3.33—20; H., 285—29. In this match, as in the other, the stake was the championship and $25 a side. MILLER VS. MAGGIOLI. Same city, September 1st.—Maggioli, 300—3.85—33; Miller, 277—21. First Game of Multiple Nights in America. Fall River, Mass., January 19–27th.—Wm. Briggs vs. Jerry Sullivan, for championship of Fall River and a silver cup, played in nightly blocks. Nothing reported but totals and best runs. B., 1500—26; S., 1449—19. Multiple nights’ play, since carried to an extreme in England, originated in France in 1867. First First-Class Tournament in Boston. Bumstead Hall, March 9–13th.—There was a prize for every player, and there was also poor Daly vs. C. Dion. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, March 3d.—$1,000 a side. Daly, 600—8.95—212; Dion, 547—81. Daly here beat the record run, which was his own 153. C. Dion vs. Daly. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, May 15th.—$2,000. Dion, 600—8.22—83; Daly, 578—94. Ubassy vs. Garnier. Same hall, May 24th.—Purse game. U., 600—8.33—68; G., 446—61. Wm. M. Dodds vs. E. H. Nelms. Assembly Buildings, Philadelphia, May 27th.—$250 a side, probably a 5½×11. D., 400—3.25—27; N., 334—28. Same hall, same terms, June 30th.—N., 400—3.20—48; D., 391—31. Rudolphe vs. C. Dion. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, September 18th.—$500 a side. R., 600—12—79; D., 338—55. This led to a $200 “freeze-out,” $50 a game, played September 21–22 in Tim Flynn’s room, and lasting from 8.45 P.M. until 9.30 A.M. Games (100 up) and total points: R., 13—1349; D., 9—1266. Rudolphe vs. Wm. Cook, Champion of England. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, October 9th.—$1,000 a side, with 21 Amateur Championship of Long Island. Assembly Rooms, Brooklyn, N. Y., beginning October 26th.—Tournament for gold-mounted cue and $50 for first, and $75 apportioned as other prizes. Games, 200 points, with eleven entries. Samuel F. Knight and Joseph Pihet tied. After Knight had won the play-off, the loser protested on the ground that Knight, the year before, had received pay for marking in a professional tournament, and the cue and the $50 were awarded to Pihet. Later, there were half a dozen or more matches for the emblem, with varying results. The tournament itself was an emphatic success, but the strange rules confused the public and irritated the players; and for the first time in a professional tournament a game was not completed, and for the first time, also, a referee was impelled, in self-respect, to vacate his office in rebuke of a player who refused to defer to the official ruling. It is necessary to mention the unfinished game (Garnier ahead of Ubassy by 274 to 246) for the reason that, as his general average indicates in the table below, Garnier has a total of but 2238, whereas, beaten only by Vignaux (11) and Daly (125), he should have 2264. The average of the tournament, eight games apiece, was 8.93.
All matches for $500 a side, and in Tammany Hall. VIGNAUX VS. J. DION. December 30, 1874.—V., 600—12.50—192; D., 538—64. VIGNAUX VS. RUDOLPHE. February 23, 1875.—V., 600—15.38—69; R., 326—41. VIGNAUX VS. C. DION. March 25, 1875.—V., 600—12—80; Dion, 543—119. April 26, 1875, his backers having failed to cover challenger’s final money on time, Vignaux forfeited emblem and $250 to Garnier. Money was returned, but emblem was retained until, on June 12th, Garnier resigned it to Daly, who had challenged May 26th. Challenged by Garnier November 30th, Dion resigned the emblem December 14th. GARNIER VS. J. DION. November 16, 1876.—D., 600—8.22—180; G., 495—77. J. DION VS. SEXTON. May 31, 1877.—S., 600—12.23—247; D., 442—84. This was the first match-run to beat Daly’s 212 of 1874. Sexton seemed hopelessly behind when he made it. SEXTON VS. C. DION. November 13, 1877.—S., 600—11.32—97; D., 428—105. SEXTON VS. SLOSSON. June 27, 1878.—Sexton, 600—28.57—158; S., 338—100. SEXTON VS. SLOSSON. December 27, 1878.—Tenth match and ninth and final contest. Sexton, 600—20.69—158; Slosson, 468—140. Vignaux vs. C. Dion. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, December 8, 1874.—$500 a side. V., 800—11.94—100; D., 772—127. Ubassy vs. C. Dion. Chris. O’Connor’s private room, N. Y. City, December 15–16th.—$500 a side, played in two nights. U., 1000—8.16—137; D., 930—91. This was the first contest of more than one night between leading experts in America. Championship of Ohio. Cleveland, O., closing January 25th.—Tournament for championship of Ohio and $1000 in money. Eugene Carter first, T. J. Gallagher second, and Anthony Honing, John Bluim, John A. Thatcher, Harry Choate, Joseph Casper, W. A. Burchard, Martin Mullen and H. Coleman following. Stake in match series was $200 a side, and table a 5×10. Carter beat Gallagher by 400 to 346, March 25th, and Honing by 400 to 353, both in White’s Hall, Toledo. In the Globe Theatre, Cleveland, October 17, 1876, occurred the fastest game of the series, which was for $250 a side. Gallagher, 400—17.39—76; Carter, 221—31. Four-handed Public Game. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, February 17th.—In aid of the Homooepathic Hospital Fund. J. and C. Dion, 500—15.15—36 and 56; Daly and Garnier, 354—28 and 34. But one match-contest is chronicled, and in that, played in Turners’ Hall, Indianapolis, June 24th, Byers beat Jacob Garratt who had been third in tournament. B., 400—10.26—63; G., 201—38. First Undeniably Professional Match on 4½×9. Washington Hall, Indianapolis, March 9th.—$200 a side. Lewis Shaw, 400—13.79—51; Wm. Burleigh, 188—25. Slosson vs. Rhines. Warerooms of J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co., Chicago, March 24th.—Rhines receiving odds of 100. S., 600—5.13—45; R., 579—41. Brooklyn’s Only Professional Carom Tournament. Assembly (Billiard) Rooms, April 1–15th.—300–point games, for $600 (Garnier), $400 (Vignaux), $250 (J. Dion), $150 (Ubassy), and $100 (C. Dion). Neither runs nor averages were striking. Games won and lost: G., 5—1; V., 4—2; J. D., U., and C. D., 3—3; Daly, 2—4; Rudolphe, 1—5. J. Dion and Ubassy won in playing off triple tie. Wm. Sexton’s First Public Three-ball Match. Bleecker Hall, Albany, N. Y., April 5th.—$100 a side, c. b. S., 500 to 462; winning average, 4.32. Championship of Northwestern and Southwestern States. Warerooms of J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co., Chicago, April 12–24th.—200–point games. Prizes show outcomes of play-offs, every one of the twelve but Miller, Maggioli and Honing having tied. Average of tournament, 5.36. General averages of Gallagher and Burleigh parallel Ubassy and Slosson’s in 1874 for closeness.
7. Hoa’s 5.94 was a loser, and so were Burleigh’s 11.04 and Parker’s 8.18. MILLER VS. MAGGIOLI. Same hall, September 9th.—Maggioli, 500—5.68—73; Miller, 354—36. MAGGIOLI VS. BURLEIGH. Oddfellows’ Hall, New Orleans, December 9th.—B., 500—9.43—69; M., 365—33. BURLEIGH VS. SHAW. Chicago, February 19, 1876. S., 500—8.62—67; B., 485—87. As a changeful championship, this has always stood unmatched. No one man won two successive contests. Garnier vs. Vignaux. Tammany Hall, April 28, 1875.—$500 a side, c. b. G., 600—13.04—90; V., 258—33. Garratt vs. Choate. Academy of Music, Cincinnati, July 29th.—$250 a side, c. b. G., 400—6.90—75; C., 304—27. Anthony Kraker vs. Deery. Palace Amphitheatre, San Francisco, August 14th.—$1.000, c. b. K., 600—5.77—38; D., 598—48. “The Garnier Tournament.” Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, November 15–22d.—For a purse of $3,000, presented by the late George L. Lorillard through Albert Garnier; 300–point games. Ties for third, fourth, and fifth prizes were not played off, the aggregate $1,000 being divided equally. The tournament stands alone not only because its winner’s general average is surpassed by those of four out of his six competitors, but also because his best single average is lower than that of any other player who won one or more games. Average of tournament (six games apiece), 9.81.
Schaefer vs. A. Kraker. About this year, Schaefer played and won a $500 match in Virginia City, N. T. (we think, having no record but memory), averaging 12 or 12.50 in 500 or 600, which was high for that region, high for himself, and high for his surroundings, unsecreted pistols stimulating him to unusual efforts. 1876.Shaw vs. Carter. Adelphi Theatre, Toledo, January 7th.—$500, 4½×9, c. b. S., 500—15.13—108; C., 311—89. Rudolphe vs. Daniels. Bumstead Hall, Boston, January 20th.—$500, 5×10, R. giving odds of 150. R., 600—13.04—68; D., 426—44. This match came of a billiard-room encounter between the pair in N. Y. City, Daniels receiving odds then, also, and losing. Sexton vs. Slosson. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, January 27th.—$1,000. Sexton, 600—15.38—73; Slosson, 482—110. It was this match, with its high winning average, that determined the choice of Sexton over Slosson to go to Paris as challenger of Vignaux to the last game for the first world’s championship, which see under 1873. Schaefer’s First Public Match in the East. Ford’s Opera-house, Washington, D. C., April 26th.—Announced as for $2,500 a side. Lewis Shaw, 600—10.72—69; Jacob Schaefer, 547—76. It was because of Shaw’s victory that he, instead of Schaefer, was admitted to the Centennial Tournament of May following. Centennial Tournament. Horticultural Hall, Philadelphia, May 15–27th.—300–point games. This tournament took its rise in a purse of $1,000 proffered by Frank Queen, editor of the New York Clipper, to whichever billiard manufacturer should add most. H. W. Collender added $4,000. J. Dion, Daly, and Rudolphe played off their ties in Irving Hall, this city, June 5, 6, 7, with the results shown here in apportioning the prizes. Nine games apiece. Average of tournament, 10.07.
8. Beating record—Daly’s 212, Garnier and C. Dion’s 30 and Daly’s 12.32. The runs of 251 and 287 by Sexton were the first public exhibitions of straightforward railing (term shortened to “straight rail”). Before that, players hugged the rail, or cushion, by close nursing, not going far forward, and especially aiming to keep near a corner.
9. Either losing average or error. Daly vs. C. Dion. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, June 12–15th.—Five nights for $200 a side, c. b. Dion, 2000—12.99—121; Daly, 1141—128. The Only First-class Tournament in California. Platt’s Hall, San Francisco, July 31st to August 4th.—600–point games for announced $3,000 in prize-money. Average of tournament, 17.44. Ties not played off.
Slosson’s general average of 18.80 surpasses Garnier’s New York record of 17.84. The two tournaments themselves were record-beaters for coincidences. They were the first with long games at three-ball caroms, 600 points in each, and neither came anywhere near paying expenses. The single averages of the winners-in-chief in the two cities were precisely the same (21.43) in exactly the same number of games. Finally, the player who had made the highest single average in New York made the highest in San Francisco also. Daly vs. Slosson. August 12, same hall and c. b. game as foregoing.—$500 a side. D., 600—13.95—153; S., 364—47. Louisiana Championship. No record of tournament, if there was one. A change seemingly made to 5×10 table. August 4th, Abrams, 300—5.88—55; John Miller’s total, 249. October 4th, Henry Miller, 300—6—63; Abrams, 244—23. December 4th, Maggioli, 300—10.71—58; H. Miller, 253—61. This was the sixth match, and seems to have been the last. Schaefer’s First Tournament. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, November 20–28th.—Four money-prizes, aggregating $1,500, 300–point games on the usual 5×10, but with 25
10. Losing averages. First Public Handicap Tourney at Game. Begun in Academy of Music, Cleveland, O., December 27th.—A Honing (275), $250; T. J. Gallagher (350), $200; J. Randolph Heiser (275), $150; Eugene Carter (300), $100. J. A. Thatcher (275) was the other competitor. Sexton vs. Slosson. Globe Theatre, New Orleans, January 5th, 6th, 7th.—5×10, c. b., $200 a side. Sexton, 1800—24.32—417; Slosson, 976—172. Winner’s run and average surpassed previous records. Schaefer’s Second Tournament. Mechanics’ Hall, Utica, N. Y., beginning March 20th.—300–point games, c. b. John Bessunger, $400, in addition to a gold-mounted cue for best general average; T. J. Gallagher (beaten by Bessunger in play-off), $250; Wm. Burleigh, $150; Jacob Schaefer, $125; and Eugene Carter (beat Chas. Knight in play-off), $75. 1878.Four First-place Ties Out of Seven Players. Championship of Chicago, January 7th to February 4th.—300–point games. Henry Rhines ($150), Frank Parker ($100), Albert Hoa ($50), and M. Honahan ($25) had to play off, result being as given above. Peter Snyder, Ben Saylor, and Chas. P. Miller were the remaining contestants. RHINES VS. PARKER. Same city, April 11th.—Championship and $200. Parker, 500—4.95—65; R., 449—36. First First-class Tourney in New Orleans. January 10–19th, c. b., for $1,000 in prizes. Ties resulted in the precedence here given. Sexton topped Slosson’s San Francisco general average.
Average of tournament, 17.25. Sexton vs. C. Dion. St. Charles Theatre, New Orleans, February 5th.—$2,000 a side, c. b., Sexton giving odds of 200. S., 1000—27.78—228; Dion, 765 (with odds)—94. Indiana Championship. Washington Hall, March 18–23d.—Probably a 4½×9 table, c. b. P. A. Byers, gold badge and a Brunswick-Balke billiard-table; J. Randolph Heiser, $100; Henry Bussey, $60; and Jacob Garratt, $40. The best run (116) was made by Bussey, and the best single average (30) by Heiser. The other competitors were Geo. Morris, J. R. Seaman, A. Hawkins, and C. E. Carney. Challenged by Bussey and receiving forfeit on May 23d, Byers resigned the championship emblem to the State Association. St. Louis Handicap. Chas. E. Mussey’s Room, March 21–28th.—600 points up, c. b., for money-prizes aggregating $400. G. F. Slosson, C. Dion and J. Schaefer were at “scratch,” T. J. Gallagher received 10 per cent., and Wayman C. McCreery 20 per cent. Schaefer beat Dion, Slosson beat Schaefer, McCreery beat Slosson, and Gallagher beat McCreery. In beating Dion in the play-off, Schaefer ran 429, eclipsing Sexton’s match-run of 417. (This led to the match
Schaefer Forfeits to Sexton. Match of three games, 1000 points each in New York, Chicago and St. Louis, for $2,000 a side, highest aggregate score to decide. Schaefer side incurred forfeit through failure to make the final deposit, July 3d. First 1000 Points in a Night. Three-ball. Turner’s Hall, Chicago, November 20th.—$500 a side. Slosson, 1000—25.64—293; Schaefer, 739—217. Second Championship of the World. Cooper Institute, N. Y. City, January 23d to February 10th.—Tournament for the J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co.’s emblem and $2,100 in cash, 600–point games. Slosson had the highest run by 19 per cent., and the best general average by 25 per cent.; but it was against him that Daly made the best run of his life, and his defeat of Slosson placed the latter in a position from which he could extricate himself only by vanquishing Schaefer twice. Instead, Schaefer beat him at once (600 to 571 in seven innings), after it had seemed almost certain that Slosson would win in five or six innings, and by about 600 to 200. There was only one play-off, Sexton beating Daly. The seven games apiece averaged 16.10, which, while lower than the figures of earlier tournaments, was yet higher than the general averages of all the contestants in this one but Slosson, Schaefer, and Daly. Only half the single averages in the appended table, viz., those of Schaefer, Daly, Gallagher, and Rudolphe, are winning ones. This proved to be the last tournament at the regular three-ball game to command the presence of first-class experts in America.
There was but one match for this championship, together with a money-stake of $1,000 a side. It occurred in McCormack’s Hall, Chicago, May 15th. Schaefer, 1000—333.33—690; Slosson, 44—21.
Last First-class Professional Match in America. Madison Square Garden, N. Y. City, October 23–25th.—1000 points nightly, $2,000 a side. Schaefer, 3000—41.62—427; Slosson, 2604—365. Last First-class Match Anywhere. Salle Cremorne, Paris, April 10–14th.—$500 a side. Vignaux, 4000—80—1531; Slosson, 3118—1103. Championship of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, beginning December 4th.—Games, 300 up. Ed. McLaughlin, E. H. Nelms, V. Estephe and Wm. M. Dodds prize-winners. B.-B.-C. Co.’s First Tournament on Pacific Coast. San Francisco, Cal., about 1880–81.—To write from memory, it was won by W. J. Lowry, one of whose strongest competitors was an Eastern amateur, who was persuaded into participating while on a visit to that city. Spotting at Fifty. C. E. Mussey’s Room, St. Louis, March 20–27th, five days’ play, Wayman C. McCreery giving the odds, This method of repressing straight-rail nursing had been tested in a six-handed handicap tournament at Mussey’s in the prior February, the winner being Louis Reed, who spotted at 50, Catton (35) taking second prize, and Leon Magnus (50) the third. St. Louis Handicap. Mussey’s, February 3d to March 10th.—Seven entries, of whom Gallagher (650) and Catton (500) tied on 5—1 each, without playing off. Highest run and best winning average were Gallagher’s 332 and 46.44. Championship of Pacific Coast and $500. Mechanics’ Pavilion, San Francisco, September 25–30th.—Ben Saylor, 2500—10.91—191; J. F. B. McCreery, 1783—112. Ed. McLaughlin vs. Randolph Heiser. Assembly Buildings, Philadelphia, December 12th.—First of match of three games (see Balkline and Champion’s Game for the others) for $250 a side each. McL., 1000—71.43—805 (finish); H., 134—run, 119. Maggioli vs. Edward Dawson. Theatre, Mobile, Ala., July 8th.—$500 a side, 4½×9. M., 1000—13.51—170; D., 789—148. Maggioli vs. Harry Cole. Casino Hall, San Antonio, Tex., October 24–26th.—$500 a side, 4½×9. M., 3000—71.43—833; C., 2383—854. They played in Galveston on January 4th, 1885, and Cole won the $500 by 1000 to 254, averaging 66.67, and running 507. First of 1500 Points a Night. Central Music Hall, Chicago, December 19–20th.—$1,000 a side. W. H. Catton, 3000—31.58—933; Edward McLaughlin, 2307—942. These are the largest runs in this country in a stake game on a 5×10 table. Ben Saylor vs. Lon Morris. San Francisco, April 22d.—$125 a side, Morris discounting. S., 1000—27.77—101; Morris had 470 left—best runs, 554 and 289. Championship of Dakota and $200. Mitchell, December 27th. L. E. Stern defeated Max Shauer. W. D. Emery vs. Lansing W. Perkins. Hershey’s Music Hall, Chicago, February 18th.—$500 a side. E., 800—7.16—87; P., 775—75. Amateur Handicap Annuals. Maurice Daly’s Assembly Rooms, Brooklyn, N. Y., March 20th.—Commencement of annual tournaments for jeweled prizes. Eight contestants. Orville Oddie, Jr., won the one-carat diamond stud, having incidentally made highest run (75) and single winning average (12). In tournament of November 8th to 24th, he was awarded another diamond stud, winning 6—1, and again making highest run (130) and single average (18.18). Amateur Match for $3,000. N. Y. Racquet Club, April 15–20th.—300 points a night. Dr. G. L. Knapp, 1500—4.15—76; Alexander Morten, 1383—52. 500 or No Count. Grand Rapids, Mich., May 21st.—Game of 1000 points, $50 a side. McKenna, 1000; Wm. Burleigh, 143. Numerically, this is the largest odds ever known to have been given to one of Burleigh’s speed. First Amateur Championship of America. May 23–28th.—N.Y. Racquet Club tournament for a silver tankard valued at $500. Five games apiece, 300 points up. Messrs. SoulÉ and Flannagan represented Philadelphia.
One general average having been withheld, it is not possible to figure out the average of tournament. Second Amateur Championship of America. N. Y. Racquet Club, May 14–19th.—First competition for the Townsend Cup, valued at $1,000, and to be won, consecutively or otherwise, in three annual tournaments. Three games apiece, 300 points. Average of tournament, 4.90.
Brooklyn, N. Y., Amateur Annual. Daly’s Assembly Rooms, February 4–14th.—Handicap tournament for diamonds, 5×10. Arthur R. Townsend (scratch, 375), winning 3—1, won first prize and also made highest single average (15), highest general average (7.40), and highest run (116). Townsend was tied by Wm. Barnard (375), but defeated him, in playing off for first and second, by 375 to 185. Third Tourney for Amateur Championship of America. Second and last for Townsend Cup. N. Y. Racquet Club, May 13–18th. Average of tournament (four games apiece), 6.01.
May 12, 1900, a third annual competition having been found impracticable, the club committee awarded the Townsend Cup to Oddie. Joseph Capron vs. John Donahue. Montreal, Can., September 18th.—$250 a side. Capron won by 500 to about 340, but loser made best run (66). Schaefer vs. McKenna. November.—Match for $2,500 a side, even up. Death of Schaefer’s wife caused his side to pay $500 for postponement to January, and death of McKenna meanwhile ended match. 1890.Brooklyn, N. Y., Annual Amateur Handicap. Daly’s Assembly Rooms, March 10–22d.—Average of tournament (five games apiece), 5.10.
J. Schaefer vs. J. F. B. McCleery. San Francisco, May 29th, 30th, 31st.—$200 a side, 3000 points, Schaefer giving odds of discount, 4½×9, c. b. S., 3000 (winning score)—average, 751 in actual score (3004)—run, 3000; McC., 15—run, 13. F. C. Ives vs. McCleery. Same city, same table, a day or two later, Ives conceding 1000 for a stake of $250 a side. Ives, 3000—176.46—982; McC., 1748—717. Nothing could more fitly close the chronicle of regular three-ball caroms than those McCleery matches. For other than amateurs or rising professionals, the game had lacked approval ever since the spring of 1879. Several of the contests after that were designed chiefly to surpass the “run” and “average” records of one or two professionals earlier in the wonder-working field; and so lamentably did the unrestricted game decline that first-class players, avoiding one another to the neglect of championships, welcomed matches with fourth or fifth-rate ones on 4½×9 tables. Kerkau vs. McLaughlin. Daly’s Room, N. Y. City, purse games. August 16–21st.—McLaughlin, 6000—run, 1290; K., 4749, total. Sept. 6–11th.—Kerkau, 6000—run, 1355; McL., 4520—run, 1349. Averages in both were light for the high runs. J. Ferd. Poggenburg vs. Wm. H. Duhy. Rooms of the Cherokee Club, N. Y. City, February 26th.—Contest for the Victor Dowling Championship Cup at “straight-rail,” 4½×9 table. P., 150—9.44—run not stated; D., 146—run, 60 (highest of game). At the Lexington Avenue Opera House, N. Y. City, April 30th, for same emblem: Ed. McLaughlin, 300—21.43—158; Wm. Duhy, 153—50. Table, 4½×9. BEST PERFORMANCES, |
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