The Washington critic., 1890-02-11

cline in Recent Years,
"How do you account for the seeming
decline of interest in the fascinating
game of billiardsY' said well.known
local admirer of the sport to Critic re-
porter the other day. "The time has
been when everybody in Washington
went crazy over the game, and ! can
remember when men would keep n
chair warm in some billiard-room for
several hours for the sake of getting at
a table. One of the many things that
has brought the game into disrepute in
Washington has been the fact that for
a number of years skin professionals
were permitted to hold sway here.
They would hang around the billiard
rooms perpetually, draw unsuspecting
amateurs into the game, soft snap
them for awhile and then get action
on their pocket. This worked for
number of years and the billiard falirs
reaped handsome harvest. The re-
result, however, has been thNt these
young amateurs gradually became dis
gusted, there was falling-off in the
number of patrons of the game, and for
three or four years past the number of
frequenters of the billiard halls has
fallen off very perceptibly."
This won't apply now," said II.
Clay Ford brother of Manager Ford
| of Baltimore, who had been close list
ener to the conversation, "for / don't
think there has been any time during
the past four years that the ivories have
been kept rolling so continually as they
have been in the National Hotel hall
this winter / don't know of any leg
islative measures that are to come be-
fore Congress affecting the game, but
there has been larger assemblage of
amateur pool and billiard players here
since the session of Congress opened
than ever known before. Congress
men, Senators, judges, attorneys and
lobbyists all seem to vie with each
other in becoming amateur experts.
And maybe you don't think they are
all clever manipulators of spheres.
Just come in here any day between 4
and o'clock p. m. and If you don't
see the best average lot of chalk talk
and ivory rolling patrons of the game
will stand quart between us.
Acting on Mr.. Ford's suggestion a
CRITIC man took seat among the
FOUNDERS and hangers.on, who will
watch a game for hours for the sake of
having something to occupy their atten-
tion and place to keep warm in. Among
these FOUNDERS there are fellows who can
handle a cue but when it comes to
checking up time, on the indicator blck
of the cashiers desk, they will be found
wanting.
Gnil Of oh n
CRITIC: "DO YOU see that smooth -face
man playing billiards. on No. 4 there?
Well that is Hunter Seldeu. He is recog-
nized as the best amateur billiard player
in Washington. He plays game GOOD
enough for professional, but has al
ways had too much principle TO depart
from the amateur ranks and take up
: with the uncertainties of professional $
life
His opponent is Sam Rice, the only
professional who now makes Washing
; ton his home. Rice is Washington
boy, has clean record and never stoops
to skin game.
Both Rice and Selden occasionally
, play at balk line, but this is feature
of the game that has not been brought
into use in Washington as yet by many
amateur players. There is no one in
Washington who has followed billiards
more closely or who is more liberal
player than Hunter Selden. He will
make an even game for any one, and
would never allow himself to take ad-
vantage of man whom he knows is
not equally as good player as him
self"
The Western contingent includes
Representatives from the new States of
,th
Dakota and Montana, who are here
9 watching legislation in regard to their
: respective constituencies. On the west
a side of the hall, playing at table
Il which was surrounded by number of
Z spectators, two fine looking, portly and
L well dressed men, both over so years of
age, were playing very close cushion
g carom game. They were Judges Ball
1 and Enger, the former of North and the
u latter of South Dakota. Since coming
!. here, early in the session, their game of
It billiards comes as regularly as their
e meals, if not more so.
Il They have peculiar fascination for
e all-around- the table shots. and don't
y take any pleasure in seeing the balls ac-
d cumulate in the corner as the average
d billiard player does. Judge Engle will
e occasionally indulge in some phenom-
enal draws that invariably demoralize
Is The other Judge from Dakota and lose
/ him the game On the other hand.
Judge Ball will get even with him by
7, proposing a game of "seven up" on the
pool table. This is game that is a
II favorite with the Northern Pacific at
torney, and very often he retircs into
II the rotunda of the hotel laughing and
e ridiculing his opponent, who remains
1t to liquidate the bill.
10 Another quartette of well known To-
II cal players includes Charles Babbitt,
IS Joe Connors, DR.. Mason and Major
Pierce. They like to cross cues at a
four handed three ball game, and can
be seen almost any afternoon or even
= ing. They are jolly lot of fellows
and derive more pleasure out of the
IN game than any four men who gather in
m the National Hotel To soap one an
A others cues is not considered objection
10 able if any fun can be had out of it,
a and the pecuniary consideration in
a volved in the game does not cut any
10 figure But Babbtt and Connors are
on very clever at finger billiards, and can
e' @' twist any ordinary ivory ball into the
b, shape of an egg, and accomplish nu
as merous other amusing and diflicul
of feats
ed The IIoosier State has crack ma
nc nipulator of the sphere here in the per
le son of Colonel Shivey of South Bend
~ Ind. Now, the Colonel won { take
ca bakers bailiwick when il comes to bill
liards or pool, He was fed ivory ball
he with golden spoon when an infant, ant
l.. F..t