Litchfield enquirer., 1859-04-28
THE GREAT BILLIARD MATCH AT
 DETROIT.

I DETROIT.
 As the game of billiards has become fash
 ionable and highly respectable amusement,
 numbering ill this city alone many thousand votaries, who are more or less proficient ill it,
 and as it is perhaps the most graceful and
 healthful of all popular spor.s combining
 gentle and varied exercise of the muscles with
 scientific and mental interest, we think it worth
 while to report at length the particulars of the
 great match played last night at Detroit. l The rival players wese Michael Pheian Of
 this city, and John Seereiter of Detroit Phe-
 Ian has long been the most skilful player ill the
 country, and in all the matches that he has
 played has come off eonqueror. He is now en-
 gagged in the manufacture of billiard tables in company with O'Conner < Collender, under
 patents for improvements of his invention, and
 has almost retired from the field as profess
 sional player. His great excellence in the game does not consist so much in the brilliancy of his shots, although he has made some of the
 most astonishing on record, as in the perfect cooness with which he plays, and in his ability
 to leave the balls, as it is termed, l. G., to leave
 them after one count in such a position as to
 secure another count for himself, or, when he i cannot count, to leave them in all awkward
 state for his adversary. This finesse, is of
 course, half the game but the imperturable confidence with which he continues his play,
 under all circumstances, adverse or propitious, ! ! is what gives him his superiority. Most play CTS are thrown off their balance when contnu-
 ally unsuccessful, but Phelan plays always with equal precision and frmness.
 John Seereter 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 and counts are often emarkable-higher, we believe, than any Phelan has ever made. But it is doubtful whether he has the stea di-
 ness of nerve which characterizes the other. The present match was made some weeks
 since, and is played, we regret to say, for
 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 OConner & Col n ler's ] make. with "Phelan's combination cashions,"
 was placed. The space allotted to the table
 and players was twenty six feet by thirty-two,
 which gave the players space of ten feet in
 the clear. at each end and side. From the
 edge of this space-surrounded by railway
 a platform was raised to the height of about four and half feet and extending to the walls. l On the inclined plane were about seven hund-
 red arm-chars for the spectators, which were held in their places by parallel pieces of wood fastened to it, separated from each other about
 twenty-two inches The chairs were so arrang- l ed that each of their occupants was able to
 note the progress of the game without difficulty. I On Saturday evening last MT. Phelan and
 his friends gave an exhibition of their skill to the ladies of Detroit, who attended in large
 numbers, Phelan and Temann were the prin-
 cipal players Before opening the game it Was ' stated by Mayor Terry. on behalf of Mir. Phee- Ian. that the players did not intend to try what long runs they could make, or anything of that kind. but that the exhibition was given more to satisfy the women of Detroit that in the game itself there was nothing to affect tue most fastidious, but on the contrary, that it was 8 5 game fully as scientific as chess, requiring an ? accurate knowledge of the angles of the table, , delicacy of touch, good judgment as regards the place to strike the balls. aud the particular
 degree of force by which they should be pro GU.
 | for the mental, but also for the physical pow
 CTS. The audience were much pleased with the performance.
 The great game commenced last night at seven o'clock. Much doubt was expressed as t to the result, although Phelaa's friends ftlt such an entire trust in his endurance and skill, ,, that they laid heavy wagers at considerable odds At the outset of the game, if we may et Al. k.1o pears to have had the advantage. He was 7 iifty-nine points in the lead at the end of the first hcur, and be held this place till they had 7 reached the fourth hundred, when Phelan dash $ ed ahead by one of his marvellous runs, mak- ! ing, it is said, 157. At eleven o'clock the
 count stood Phelan, 964 Seereiter, 67S. Pheelan's friends must have, of course, regard z z ed this odds as determining the game; but shortly afterwards Seereiter made 8 run of l5O, which lessened the distance between them materially. and, on reaching the first thousand. , Phelan was only l25 ahead. The course of : the game, up to this time, and, subsequently,, to the close, is thus given in the despatches !: At8PA the parties were just turning the first string; Secreiter no. Phelan 59. a. On the fourth hundred Seereiters score was quo, : -Phelan's 269. Il 10:4O P. n..-Phelan 5O4, seereiter 400. Phe- [ lan's friends jubilant. ssas ! II P. M-Phelan 964, Seereiter 67S,
 l1:80 <. M.-Great excitement now prevails. see reiter has just made run of 150. Tie game stands q -Phelan ,147. Seereiter ,022. - ,., I:30 A. M.-Great excitement. Phelan l,zS2 z Seereiter ], 1,225. ssass ; 2:SO A. M-Phelan 1 ,sS7 Seereiter l 1885. F S.05 A. M-Phelan | l,6l3'; Seereiter l,511
 - 4A.M.-Phelan 1888; Seereiter II 1Sz
 n 4:40 \. lL-Phelan ], ,899 Seereifer l. s4I. 5:30 r.-The match is finished, and Phelan the
 yictor--he beating Seereiter by s6 points
 During the playing, there were three large
 runs made. as follows Phelan 157, and I29 B F Seereiter l5O.-N. Y Post, AprI 1Stb. Trials increase with age but the path of the just
 shineth more and more unto the perfect day-