The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-29
PUBLISHED
HI1SD BILLIARD PLAYER.
Development of Touch and Hearing
Which Challenges Credulity.
New York World.l

~
Julius Stern is the name Of the most
remarkable billiard player this country
has ever seen. He is totally blind, yet
tour-cushion shot is common amuSe-
ment to him, and he can ''draw,' ''F.n-
clish" and coax balls around an ordina-
ry billiard table in way that simply
astounds people who see him for the
first time. \ World reporter watched
him for hours yesterday and has not
vet recovered from the weird sensation
that seized him when he first saw the
sichtless shooter perform his marvel
lous featS.
Twelve years ago Julius was one OF
the fastest long-distance walkers
around this city. He could also sprlut
very well. He won much fame and
many medals as an amateur on the
ciuder path. He caught cold that
settled in his left eye in 1872. Some
people say that over training, made
him blind, but Mr.. Stern is anxious
that this error should be corrected. He
had great deal Of trouble with the
eve, and would have had it removed
but for the advice of his physician.
After six years the doctor made up his
mind to remove the eye, because the
right eve was becoming affected. When
the operation was finished young Stern
was absolutely blind III both eyes. He
passed one term in the Institution for
the Blind in this city, but found that
no trade he could learn there would
support him. He went to work for a
cigar seller and few years ago began
business for himself. The World repor-
ter found him in his store at No. 1852
Third Avenue, near Seventy-Second
Street.
He is nearly six feet high, slender
but wiry and muscular. His hands
have grip like steel as several roister-
ers found out to their sorrow when
they tried to boss things in his billiard
room one day. 1t is hard to believe
that he is blind. He walks about his
store and long billiard room without a
stick or any assistance. So keen is his
sense Of touch" that he can "feer' any
obstruction four or five feet away. He
can tell when be is hear such small
object as hydrant or lamp post on a
quiet street by observing the difference
in the sound made by their obstruction.
A customer asked Mr.. Stern to break a
twenty dollar bill for him, and he at
once picked out two tens from q roll OF
ones simply by their touch. He tells
twenty-three kinds Of cigars, fourteen
kinds Of cigarettes and dozen other
varieties. He never makes mistake.
The only error he ever made was in
taking five dollar bill for a dollar, and
he could never find out who had played
that trick on bis sense of touch.
1t is hard to describe how Mr.. Stern
manages the game of billiards. He To-
Gates the balls by the 'spots" on the
table and by placing them at certain
distances from the little white diamonds
in the rail. He makes shallow bridge
Of his left hand, and his fingers dutter
nervously over the cue ball before he
shoots. He hits the ball as be chooses,
whether for a simple carrom, follow
draw or masse shot. If any one who
reads this article will shut his eyes and
try to strike billiard ball, with the
point of fine tipped cue be can guess
at the marvel blind Julius Stern &C
complishes in directing the cue ball
wherever he wishes it to so.
The first feat Mr.. Stern showed his
visitor was 4 long. round-the-table shot,
wherein the cue ball, with lots of EN-
glishn on the right side, hit the first
ball, went to the lower end of the rail,
ran against three cushions in rapid
succession, rolled up the table again,
10 duOtiIeI CuSulotl @tto 1Ae4 N14NfA~~
gently against the second ball. When
Mr.. Stern heard the soft tick of the
ivories he exclaimed, "Now, I'll show
you another,n and then went on with
a dozen difficult shots. The effect was
astonishing. The blind billiard player
tips all the cues for his five tables and
runs the cigar business with the help of
a young clerk, who acts as billiard
marker. He has also invented the
Pinnacle Polish il his moments Of
leisure. 1t is a marvellous cleaner for
silver, nickel and glass, does not cor
rode and is quick as a wink and per-
manent in its action.