Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-09-28
THE NEW BILLIARD PLAYER.
Appearance OF n. Adrfen LIAR, ths
French Finger PIayer--A Marvel
Ous Exhibition OF Skill,


Ous Exhibition OF Skill.
New York Times, 2lst.l
The billiard saloon Of Mr.. Albert Gar.
nier, No. 1892 Broadway, was crowded
with billiard amateurs last night, M.
Adrien liar, the famous French finger
player, making his first public appear
ance in this country. The finger. play
game is little known here, there being
only two players Of prominence in this
city-M. A. P. RudoIphe and Mr.. T.
Dolan, an amateur. The game consists
in the propulsion by the player of the
ball by means Of twisting it between the
thumb and second finger. The player
has the privilege, before making a
stroke, Of placing his ball in any posi-,
ton he may desire. M. liar has for
some years been recognized, in France
and England, as the champion of this
peculiar game. He is man OF fine ap-
pearance, is about fifty years old, and
was born in the City OF Cette, Province
of Languedoc, France. At an early
age be went to reside in Paris, where he
learned the game he has since become
such master of. During the past FIVE
years be has resided 10 England, where
some Of his best playing has been done.
Among his big scores in England he
made, at Bury. $40 in seven minutes; at
Whitehaven, 6l0 in nine minutes at
Yeovil, 638 unfinished in eight minutes;
at Barrow-in-Furniss, 662 in nine min
utes; at Gloucester, 744 in nine and a
half minutes; at Bristol, S59 in eleven
and half minutes; at Torquay, l045
in fourteen aud half minutes; at Wey
mouth, 1880 in nineteen minutes; and at
London, 2024 caroms in a single break.
NJ liar was introduced to his first
American audience, last night, by Mr..
GARNER, who announced that NJ. liar
would play Mr. Joseph Dion a game of
100 points (three balls). Dion, who, with
his brother Cyrille, has just returned
from Europe, met with cordial recep-
ton. The lead was won by Dion, who
made 9. NJ. liar then took his ball in
hand, and with neat three-cushion
gathering shot left the balls in an easy
scoring position, from which he forced
them into a corner, and ran 81, slipping
up on a misjudgment of cushion-force.
Dion put in a run of 7, and Mr.. liar be-
ginning with very fine three-quarter
follow shot, rapidly accumulated LOG,
failing on fancy round-the table carom
In this run be exhibited the strength of
his game, perfect judgment of distance
and force, and complete command over
that imperatively necessary possession
of finger-player-reverse side. He
plays with exceeding rapidity, and
almost unerring accuracy. In an exhi-
bition game. and considering the court
esy due from him to the cue.player, it is
presumable that he did not show his full
strength. After this run of NJ. liar,
Dion jokingly took up his ball and placed
it in an easy position amid the laughter
of the audience. He made 4, and Mr..
liar following, made 3; Dion then missed
and Mr.. LIAR also missed.
Dion followed with another miss, and
Mr.. liar ran one hundred points, keep
ing the balls in the corner all the time.
Another miss on the part of Mr.. Dion
and Mr.. liar ran the game out, the audi.
ence applauding vehemently. NJ. GARNER
then gave an exhibition Of fancy and
masse shots with the cue, some of which
we're very fine. NJ liar closed the exhi.
bition with a display of fancy finger
shots He began with few round-the-
table shots of wonderful deicacy and
accuracy. These we're followed by draws
and masses, and the throwing of the
play ball up the entire length of the
table, round a hat, making carom on
two balls in the corner. Then came the
twisting of the ball through sixteen
glasses and decanters, arranged in q |
double curve and half way up the table,
and the making Of carom against two
balls placed near the far side cushion.
The most clever shot of the evening was
the spinning of ball along the wood
work Of the table its entire length,
caroming on two. balls well in position at
the further end. To summarize Mr..
liar s playing, il may be said that he is a
wonderfully strong finger player, but it
is question whether either NJ. Rudolphe
or Mr.. Dolan cannot equal, if not excel
him, and in all probability ths question
will be decided by public contest in
few days.