New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-05
THE BILLIARD PLAYERS.
READY TO MEET FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
EARLY INTEREST IN THE coNTEsT-sTRoNQ
POINTS OF THE CONTESTANTS.

When the champions Of the cue string for the
first shot in the opening game Of the professional
billiard tournament at Chickering Hall on February
90 1t is safe TO say that popular interest in the same
which has been growing steadily for a number u
years. will have reached the highest point attained
for decade. The tournament is being talked about
among the amateurs with much earnestness ever
before has been shown in professional contests This
is little surprising because Scaefer. the wizard
Will not be contestant but ii serves to show that
the game is popular for its sake, and not because
of the skill possessed By any one players.
schaefers absence from the tournament is indeed. tho
only thing that could detract from almost National
interest in the struggle, and it is wholesome auglry
for the game that the interest s1wn is apparently
the less earnest because Of his participaons
The handicappng has been admirably arranged.
slosson will play concede the ODDS
Of six inches on the bakline 10 DAILY and SEXTON and
win while it is by no certain that he can win
from both Ives and Heiser at those odds. still, hs
has the advantage Of having devoted greater number
Of years than the others to the bal line game and AZ
lie knows its fine points much better than the Others,
he may be able to win most Of his games. The
chances. at any rate, in his favor 1t would havo
made the tournament much better championship
test If Schaefer could have been induced 10 come IN
10 play with slosson the fourtcen-inch line,
those two to score the same number of points at the
fourteen inch bak the Others make the eight
inch line.
The greatest interest then would have been
ccntated the games between sosson and schaefcr.
DAILY and sexton and IIeiscr and Ives The frss
prize under such arrangement would perhaps have
gone TO either Schae.er sosson, the second TO Daily
Sexton and the third 10 Heser or Ives. AS II -
now, slosson has little better than even chance
for first money. although it would not be the least bio
surprising II Daily should show strength enough to
gain first place. DAILY is always trustworthy PLAYER,
strong and steady az all times always in condition and
Of hrif
hard and is playing in splendid FORM His following
is large and he is exceedingly popular with amateurs.
Sexton is undoubtedly however the most popular
Of all the professionals and in contest which
he has engaged he has had the sympathy OF tho
spectators OF late years he has not devoted much time
10 practice, but; he says himself he has not
lost his stroke and feels able to play well as ever.
He is rapidly developing great strength at ths
eight inch line play and he does not win from Sos-
he will al least give him hard struggle, and DAILY
will have 10 show all his skill 10 defeat him. sexton
is exceedingly graceful player, despite his slight
physique. and when he has the balls working 10 suit
him able 10 do with them he likes. lie 10
dangerous TO all the Others in form ont Of IT, but he
wOud be even more formidable il the game were any,
, thing else than balk-line. sections best games arc
what IS known the champions game" and cushion
carrOms At the latter he would be the favOrite as
even points, for it is style of play just suited 10 his
phenomenal accuracy in open shots II is sections
brilliant open play that always arouses much en-
thusasm during his contests. He has the judgments
force developed to higher degree than any Of tho
other experts, and in this lies one Of his strongest
characteristics II makes his position play beautifully
correct and ii he turn this to as good account az
the elghtnch baklne he has in years past at tho
champions game and cushion carroms, he will not he
far from the leadership at the end of the tournament
But sexton is not ambitious he used TO be, and
ambition has deal to do with players work with
the cue. y slight display Of Indifference would Ger
tanly opponent courage, and it might handicap
the player showing IL greater extent than the dif-
ference between the fourteen and eight inch balkes,
by cutting down his own average and it is tile average
that wins sexton has held championship honors for
many wears and he may for more, but he saws
that he will start in to win, and win II he can III
past tournaments he has always tried hard for victory,
and when he has lost 1t has been because he con'H
not win.
Helser and Ives have the most to gain by winning
and slosson the most to lose by losing Heiser. al
though lie has been before the public player for
several years, is still classed among the younger
profess onals Victory for him would place him In
the front rank of players lie is the hardest WORKER
of them all devOtng several hours of each day I'd
earnest conscientious practice II he could be de-
pended upon to display the skill in contest That
ne does in practice he would be well mp among the
favorites for place loiser. however is Of ner-
vous temperament and in front Of "A great crowd OF
spectators lie liable to lose his nerve lie is what
snorting men call bad money player; that IS when
ANYTHING Of considerable value Is al stake he becomes
unable through nervousness to do his best work HIS
record IN the tournament Therefore will depend upon
his control OF his nerves. lie is fully strong PLAYER
10 day at the eight inch balue any Of the others,
excepting Slosson, and only needs confidence IN NM
self to enable him win a good place near the top
Ives has done most oi Ia, playing In the West ana
he is the youngest Of the competitors. lie has re-
maraby accurate and yet delicate stroke. his style OF
plavinc being somewhat similar 10 that of schaeier'
lie ranks ON about even terms with DAY. sexton ana
Heser and his contests with them ought To DC closs
and exciting. lie is fond OF the balklhe game anu
as he is full Of ambition and energy and means to win
first money if he can, sloson will not dare to become
careless with him, for The handicap Is hSo one 'oI
even 80 fine a player a, >los,on 10 uhderttke.
II anv one thing DISTINGUISHES >loss0n play, III pup
lie or In practice. it is his painstahing lie never
n,i,~e. through CarClc-~nc>S lie Is uIeItss payer,
Who rle, a, hard IN practice as he does wle Paymg
fnr fame and money lie has been practicislng As
.iIuouSly of late and j. now IN championship loihi;
lie knows his own game thoroughly; as lie does tiae
nj his opponents and although he realizes that In play
ing fourteen inch balk line game To- the elsht lnchue
Ioln,es he can and will win. To lose would be to
sacrifice honors that he holds, and S1s'on Is not
lie man 10 value honor lightly. lie VIII win II he
eau and he ought to. I'm practice lately he has been
making la up into the hundreds, aiu frequently
II is peculiar fart that the championship a billiards
is now and has been for years unsettled Nl2sson mas
E t"n at stil another aud Day Ia, also had t. since
the rail play or .aight billiard , rei' nIsyer c3gld
make almost a. mauy points as they pleased various
stVles OF games have been introduced that would be
los uonotonous for spectators 10 look az ol tlese
The ball line Is supposed II be The mo' dmcalt AMI
therefore the most interesting - the looheron. IL
dnc not do away altogether with close nursing, for
The payerS sometimes work the balls along the line
fnr extremely large runs. but MS IS the most dell
cato hind Of play interpreted with hard STROKES by
which he Object han is sent 10 the cushion TO be kissed
hack into place spectators mud enough to Interest
tbem i'm every position thar the ivory spheres assume
IN make numerous consecutive shots when the balls are
staddng" the line without forcing the out,ne oaii
into The baIk which would destroy the position re
nmircs dclicacy of touch on the part OF me PLAYER
hat could he compared with nothing moro tangible
man breath of air Then when the balls are m
side the line and the player has only one shot IN When
In send one Of them ont that another position must
lac secured the open play Is delightful. requiring the
highest degree of skill to bring the spheres back again
M close order The greater part NJ the game In
~ ~ fnrcinn Tho hills into good pnsltl0MS