Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-16
THE GREAT BILLIARD MATCH AT
DETROIT

From the New York Post. April 13
As the game of billiards has become fashion
able and highly respectable amusement, num-
bering in this city alone many thousand votar-
les, who are more or less proficient i'm it, and as
1t is perhaps the most graceful and heathful of
popular sports, combining gentle and varied
exercise of the muscles with scientific and men
tai intrest, We think it worth while to report at
length the particulars of the great IN atch played
last night at Detroit.
The rival players wore Michael Phelan, of
this city, and John Seereiter, of Detroit Phe-
Ian has long been the most skilful player in the
country. anu In all the matches that he has
played has come of cOnquerOr. lie is now en-
gagged in the manufacture OF billiard tables in
company with O'Conner Il Collender under
patents for improvements of his invention and
has almost retired from the field as a profess
siOnsl player. His great excellence in the game
does not consist so much in the briliancy of
his shots, although he has made some of the
most astonishing on record, as in the perfect
cOOlness with which he plays, and in his ability
to leave the balls, a it is termed a. e. to leave
them after one count in such a position as to
secure another count for himself, or when he
cannot count, TO leave them in an awkward
state for his adversary. This finesse is Of course
half the game; but the imperturbabe conf
dence with which he continues his play, under
all circumstances, adverse or propitious is what
gives him his superiority. Most players are
successful, but Phelan plays always with equal
precision and frmness.
John Seereiter is German, and though a
young man, is already the most famous player
of the West He played match lately with a
| celebrated player, in Detroit, and won. His
runs or counts are often remarkable-higher
we believe, than any Pholan has ever made
But it is doubtful whether he has the steadiness
of nerve which characterizes the other.
The present match was made some weeks
since, and Is played, We regret to say, for q
purse of ten thousand dollars. At the same time,
outside bets, among the classes of people who
allow themselves to engage in gambling, We
have little doubt, to five times that amount,
have been wagered. A special hall was pre-
pared in Detroit for the exhibition, and several
hundred tickets issued, at five dollars each for
| the admission of spectators. In the centre Of
| the room the table of O'Conner d Collender ;
| make, with ''Phelan's combination cushions -
| was placed. The space allotted to the table
| and players was twenty-slxIfeet by thirty two,
| which gave the players a space of ten feet in
| the clear, at each end and side. From the edge
Of this space-surrounded by railway plat
form was raised to the height of about four and
half feet, and extending TO the walls On the
inclined plane wero about seven hundred arm
chairs for tho spectators, which were held in
their places 10y parallel pieces of wood fastened
to il, separated from each other about twenty
each of their occupants was able to note the
progress of the game without difficulty.
On Saturday evening last Mr. Phelan and his
| friends gave an exhibition of their skill to the
ladies of Detroit, who attended in large num-
| hers. Ph:lsn and Tiemann were the principal
| players. Before opening the game it was sta
| ted by Mayor Terry, on behalf of Mr.. Phelan.
that the players did not intend to try what long
| runs they could make, or any thing Of that kind
| but that the exhibition was given, more to sat
| isfy the women Of Detroit that in the game it.
| self there was nothing to affect the most fasti-
| di0us, but on the contrary, that il was a game
fully as scientific as chess, requiring an accu-
rate knowledge of the angles Of the table, deli
| cacy of touch, good judgment as regards the
| place to strike the balls, and the particular
| degree of force by which thcyshould be pro-
PEELED. The exercise was not only excellent
| for the mental, but also for the physical pow
ers. The audience were much pleased with the
| performance.
On Monday night n little preliminary match
was played by Dudley kavanagh of New York
and Michael Foley of Detroit, for $3.50 aside,
| one thousand points. The hall was well filled
| by professional and amateur players. who
| watched the game with intense interest. Both
players were in good condition, and handled
| their cues in a manner at once graceful and
scientific. After the game had been in progress
about half an hour, Foley made a run Ofeighty
seven points, while, up to that time, kayanagh's
| greatest run was twenty four.
| Kayanagh made run cf one hun ired and
saVenty-seyen. which is the greatest single run
ever made In America in public match. The
greatest run previously, at any fcur-ball ca
rom game, was that made by Seereiter in his
match with Barney Chrystal. which was one
hundred and twenty. The cl . RS that greeted
| the New Yorker at the completion of this un-
precedented run were loud and long Never.
thsless, he only won by eleven points
The great game, however, commenced lasl
| night Mt seven o'clock. Much doubt was ex.
pressed as TO the result, although Phelan',
friends felt such an entire trust in his endurance,
and skill, that they laid heavy wages at con
siderable odds At the outset of the game i
we may Judge by the telegraphie reports, Seere
liter appears to have had the advantage. II,
was fifty y-nine points in the lead at the end o
the first hour, and he held his place till the,
had reached the fourth hundred, when PhelaI
} dpshed ahead by one of his marvellous runs
making it 10 said, l57. At eleven o'clock th