The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-01
GREAT BILLIARD PLAYING.
Brilliant Termination of the Match Be-
tween Schaefer and VignauX.
The Frenchman Defeated by 1852 Points in a
Total of 3,0O0-A Display of Marvellous
Skill in Last Nights Playing.
from Our Second Edition Of isanday.l

tween Schaefer and N1gnaux, which has been IN
progress for the past five nights, was ended to-
night. Five thousand dollars was the stake for
which the men played, and either was obliged
to make 3, 900 points to win. The attendance at
each session has been such that the result, fnan-
cially, must be satisfactory to the management.
Cosmopolitan Hail is large place, and it has
been filled and the seats increased every success
sive evening. Tonight the ampitheater of seats
was yet further enlarged, and so were the
prices of admission. which from fifty cents and
81 were increased to ST. and So. When the doors
were opened. people began to enter. and at 1880
nearly all the seats were occupied. Vignaux had
evidently increased the interest by his lead OF
sixty three points over Schaefer. The score at
the commencement of the game stood Vignaux,
2,400; Schaefer, 1887.
Five minutes after g. Vignaux referee Nc
arena together. The balls carefully
weighed, and other preliminaries arranged, and
at $40 o'clock the balls were placed in position
as left on Friday evening, and Vignaux began
his play. The balls were in the upper right
hand corner, the spot ball tVignauxs) in the
center. The first shot was draw, and counted.
Other shots followed in rapid succession, and the
eighteenth was a fine masse. He counted
26 points before Schaefer had chance to
play. No sooner had Schaefer made one than
the galleries cheered and evidently endeavored
in every way to harass and annoy Vignaux
Schaefer made II and stopped, and when Wig
naux, in preparing for his shot, fouled the balk
with his sleeve. there were further manifesto
tions of delight from the gallery. Schaefer only
made 4, however, from his opponents misfor-
tune and Vignaux was cordially received when
he advanced to play in his third
inning in which he made 15 The balls were
left in good position for Schaefer, who made
and slipped up on easy carom. Both players
were evidently nervous, and played for safety.
Runs Of 3, 6 and g for Vignaux, and OF 4, and
0, for Schaefer. attested this fact Then Schae-
fer got his balls as he wanted them, and played
a series of masse shots until he had score Of
80 to his credit, the last being pretty kiss shot
from one side of the table to the other. Then
he made another run stopping at his fifty ninth,
for moment to file the leather tip of his cue;
then he went in and rolled the worries FROM side
to side until II buttons were placed to his credit
Vignaux then played and made Is, but missed an
easy shot from the cushion, apparently more
from nervousness than from any other reason.
Schafer payed prettily for 26 points, includ
get the balls out of balk on the
twenty seventh shot, which he made, but which
did not count Vignaux caromed prettily in his
ninth inning, ser,ding the balls completely across
the table. kissing and returning When he mad
made 80 points, the scores were even. This
thought seemed to nerve Vignaux, and he made
two beautifut masse shots In rapid succession,
and then bank-shot, which excited burst of
approval, which was renewed when 80 was
reached. At 3d. a lovely bank shot against the
lower right hand corner put the balls in good po
stion. Then followed series Of caroms from
the table center. until the balls became frozen.
on the seventy fifth shot, out of which dilemma
Vignaux cleverly extracated himself by a well.
executed stroke. At II points he equaled
Schaefer's largest run for the evening. and was
ninety seventh shot, an almost impossible
carom from the cushion, with the object
balls in the center of the table, was loudly
applauded. and there was more applause when
the 100 mark was reached and turned. This run
netted LOG for Vignaux. He was now 13 points
ahead in the play of the evening, and rs ahead
the grand total. Schaefer, in his twelfth in
ming, by fine nursing. made 81, and Vignaux, in
his fourteenth, made 30.
At this time Schaefer was palpably very nerv-
Gus. He wiped his hands frequently with a
handkerchief, and fingered his cue nervously.
When his turn to play came, however, the nerv-
BUSINESS disappeared and shot followed shot and
ball followed ball around the table until 81 points
were added to his score Then Vignaux had an
inning, and improved his time to the tune of Is
additional points. He left the balls well apart,
so far, in fact, that Schaefer was able to score
but 2, but Schaefer left the balls so far apart
that Vignaux did not score at ALL Then the
giants skirmished with each other, and made
runs of l and each, without counting at all.
In his twentieth inning Schaefer made pretty
bank shot, caroming on the balls in the center.
Afterwards, clean shots and caroms followed
each other until 80 points were reached when
were made. and when 100 were reached the
house was fairly wild. No one shot of especial
brilliancv had been made, but every one had
been well and carefully made On and on went
the wizard and point by point his score contin-
ued to roll up to l50 when plaudits again filled
the air. He finally stopped with the comforting
number of 1853 points, all made by careful play.
Things looked black for the Frenchman, and the
score stood for the evening: Schaefer, $50; Wig
naux, 268.
tactics of his opponent by nursing: At times the
balls would get separated, but brilliant finland
shots would bring them together At fifty
points the applause was loud and libera so it
on the sixty sixth shot, when the red ball
was forced around the table, and back into posi-
ton for a set-up. A magnificent massee On the
SEVENTEEN shot, with the balls against the upper
rail, elected shouts of admiration, and the per-
lection OF the english with the
balls direct in line cannot be de-
scribed; also, q draw-shot across the table,
Vignaux made ninetyfour on the run. He
followed this I'D with another run. When he
had made so points there was applause, but he
went on and made &c points Schaefer had
made lb0 In his run or the twentieth inning,
while Vignaux, with his runs of 81 and &c. came
within of that score. At IL o'clock the score
stood: Schaefer, 1897; Vignaux, 1882; but it
was close work, and Schaefer forced the pace
with runs of 81 and So, while Vignaux made
only 6 points. the Frenchman felt discour-
aged, and when Schaefer began what proved
to be his last inning, his opponent
watched with grim determination the rapidly
disappearing hope of victory. One by one
Schaefer caused the ivory spheres to click to-
gether, amid the scarce-repressed excitement of
the crowd At so points the enthusiasm broke
through and when, with his So points, Schaefer
completed one of the greatest and best games of
billiards played, the spectators ran, CLINT bed
and Jumped to where he stood. Schaefer had
made 663 points on the nights play, and Vignauz
49, Total score for the five nights Schaefer,
3000 vignaux 1888.
Following is the score of the nights play:
Schaefer-17, 4, A, l, o. IS. u, 26, So l. O
81. l. z, 81, g o. 2, %, 16S, 3, 0, D, 81, 80, %
SOB.