Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-03
CLEVER WITH THE CUE.
Harvey Mekennn. the Phenomenal
BiIIiardist. who Is Matched with
Sehafer.

Sehafer.
Harvey McKenna. of Detroit, the rs.
ing billiard player, who is matched with
Wizard" Schsfer for contest to occur
in New York in January for the cham
pionship of the world and 81. 500 side,
for 5000 points. and who is under the
management and backing of w. II. Cat
ton, of this city, has made the most
phenomer record ever accomplished
| by knight of the cue, and
it is very likely that after the
great match in New York. McKenna
will not only have won the championship
of the world, but the title OF Wizard
The gre at player who has been in the city
several days, the guest of his friend, Cat
ton-who, too. is celebrated play
er.-yesterdsy completed the de
tails for his approaching match.
deciding that it is to take place
on Brunswick & Bake collender
table. This morning McKenna left for
his home at Detroit, and about November
| he will return to Rock Island and with
Cation give several exhibitions in the
three cities. In the meantime Cation
will arrar ge an exhibition tour through
| the central, southern and eastern states
| to be mace by McKenna and himself on
their way to New York next winter. 1t
was the original intention of these two
| experts tn go to Paris the past summer
and give exhibitions with the famous
Frenchman. Vigneaux. at the Paris expo
silion, but they were delayed in New
York in completing the arrangements for
the great contest to take place this win
| ter.
McKenna's record is marvellous one;
his rise has been SO rapid and yet 80
merit in billiards do not perhaps fully
realize the extent of his accomplish
ments. de made the highest average
score at the three ball game in a match
with Eames at Boston, in Dec. 81 and %,
1887, he 20 play 5000 to Esmes 500, and
he scored his 5000 in twelve innings,
with an average of 4165. while Eames
was max nc 40.
McKeIna was induced by an ARGUS
represent alive this morning to give an &C
count OF his exploits with the ivory
sphere. and in answer to the question,
'how long have you been playing bill
liards?" replied:
1--WE been travelling and have obtained
a living at billiards. either bp teaching.
giving exhibitions, or by contests with
experts, eyer since ! WAS thirteen years
of age. first commenced to play in my
home, at Detroit, Mich, when about ten
years of age. became interested in the
game at hat time. and the manipulation
of the balls seemed to come natural to
me. All that | know about billiards
learned myself, never having had any
regular Instructions at the game. Since
taking it up / have practiced it incess>
antly, giving it at all times my entire at,
1 tention aud much hard study. Up to
] 1885 l Travelled through the western and
middle states. coming in contact with
about all the noted players in those
| states, meeting with victory almost ev-
! erywhere spent 1859 in California,
after which | returned east. In 1885
| played match with the late Lon Morris
! in San Francisco for 1000 points, at
which was defeated, though | was sick
AT the tine The first night | broke the
| record there, running 1,641 points. Since
| that time | haye never lost a game. and
| have PLAYED with all the noted Dilliardists
of the world"
Can you tell me of some of your best
| cOntestsi'
ION May 6, 1885, in Brooklyn, !
played one of the finest billiardists in
New YORK. In order to get myself be-
fore the public offered to play any one
500 or No count, for which l was looked
upon as l. crank, but a match was finally
arranged, and succeeded in winning the
game. The press and twenty five OF the
| finest loo al players were invited by Morris
DAILY, at whose room we played, To wit
ness the contest, the result of which gave
me the fl st general notOriety / ever had
in the east. / was to win three games of
500 or NJ count, which | did with ease.
The next match WAS in New York,
August 9th. when | played 1000 or no
count, heating another noted player,
summing 1000 points in one inning.
Next p aged Heiser at Saratoga. Here
| | spotted the balls at every 100 points
and defeated him. Next l played Billy
Burley. Of Grand Rapids, Mich, on May
%, 1887. Iplayed 1000 points, 500 OF
no count. and the first run / made was
$50. missed then and had to run 500
over again. The score at the conclusion
of the game stood |, 4O6 to 159 in my
favor. The next match was in Boston.
on December 3. 1887. l challenged any
one in New England and offered to give
odds. / played 5000 points to their 500
Fred EaIles, the champion of New Eng
land, accepted and we played on the 2lst
and 22d IF last December. Ii was under
stood that could make $500 a night
while my opponent was allowed the ops
portunity of making his 800 and winning
the match in one night if he could do so.
The first nights innings stood, Mckenna
first inning. nothing; second inning, B;
and the third inning 2,497, Eames only
making The next | made $500, run
ming 2.l21 in the seventeenth inning thus
winning the game and beating the
worlds record both nights. Eames' total
score was AS in this game. My
average vas 416s points, which is the
best ever made by any one at billiards. "
4 Outside of McKenna, the best records
are: Sch afer, 800; Slosson. LIB; Wig
neaux. ,53l; Cation. 933; Mclaughlin,
942.