St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-26
CUTE WITH THE CUE,
Billiardist Mike Geary on the
First Great Ivory
PuShers.
Something About Champion
Berge'S First United
States Tour.
He Was Long on Vanity But
Short on Gener-
OSity.
Michael Successfully Double
Crosses" the Great French
Expert.

chicago Inter Ocean.
know anything about the old-time
billiard playerS?" calculated Michael
Geary, who at ffty-eight years of age
has still all of his former fire. II should
say did. OF the Frenchmen VINO have
visited America, but two Berger and
NignauX, were recognized at home as
champions of France. Do you know
how billiard player stood in France
thirty years ago? Why, he amounted
to nothing socially. The South of
France is filled with billiard players,
and they are lucky to get enough to eat,
even at the present day. OF course, one
hears great deal late years of Maurice
VignauX, but his place in Paris is no
great shakes even now. although the So
a day he grabs off through charging
bettOrS 20 per cent is good deal of
money for man of his class to make,
and lately NJ. E. Carter has been stir
ring up the American colony by his
hustling abilities. But you should have
seen Pierre Carme when he struck New
York.
"a tramp. l tell you. and as for Gar
nier, why, the first time | saw him he
came into Chris O'COnnOr'S without
clothes enough to wad a gun and began
to knock the balls about. 'Ah,' says l
to Cyrille Dion, get onto him! I'll bet
you he is one of those French profess
SIGNALS from Mercer street, You see at
that time when Summing one could see
many Frenchmen who could play bill
iardS mighty well. Why shouldn't they,
when in parts of France one can play
Billiards for Nothing
by buying 4 few sous worth of wine,
nd NJ
against any such 'lead-pipe cinch.' 1t
is not necessary TO speak OF VignauX,
you say. Well, then, to Berger.
This expert came to America in the
| fall of 1859, and staid in this country
five months. When he landed he had
! nary Napoleon. and when he left he car
ried off about $4,000. Berger was a
man of fOrtyeight, whale as to weight
-307 pounds, believe, although he was
| by no means tall. He was originally in
| tended for the priesthood, and born a
gentleman. Everything about him
spoke of education and culture, except
an inOrdinate appetite.
Leaving the church, he became n
musician. but If at religion he might he
called a seven spot, about the ten would
fit him as to music.
"AnyhOW. he was a billiard PLAYER
when he rot over here, and Il cracker
jack. lie brought over his table with
him, a 415X9 carrOm, and a bunch of
billiard cues sufficient in quantity to
furnish all the professionals in billiard
tournament. They were of the base
ball-bat' variety of the present day, big
points, and in weight twenty-four
ounces. The slate bed of his table was,
| believe, several inches thick. Yet so
hard did he smash when making a
masse-that l often wondered that his
cue didn't tear everything to pieces
The balls he used for all purposes were
not larger than two and a fourth
inches. and for long masses he had a
set somewhat smaller.
Berger first showed in New York, and
at once attracted the attention of
Michael Phelan, 1.-THE father of bill
iards." Phelan paid all OF Berger's ex-
penSes from that day until the date of
his sailing for home. L made an ar
rangement to
ActA Berger's Manager
mind YOU, | had gone from Chicago to
New York to see hun Dlay-and started
out. 1t was the first time that the the
atrical advertising scheme OF piacardng
dead walls got into billiards. We had
lots of paper. cuts of shots, etc. l even
furnished diagrams of fancy shots for
the newspapers. Always playing in
halls and charging 81 admission, we
went to many cities. Took in Cuba
also, and played billiards in bull ring.
l don't think any man ever had such
manager.
was advance agent, press agent, at
tending expert (ycu know | hit 'em
pretty we'll myself those days and gen
eral rOustabOut. | lectured on Berger's
billiards, and set up his billiard table
with equal facility. He was a mser of
the closest order, and that Frenchman
cost me many dollar. Buy a drink!
l should say not. Why, when we were
going to Cuba, Berger was very sick,
and a kind of stewardesS on the vessel
took the best of care of him. l thought
he'd stake her sure. Do you know what
he did? When he got we'll he gave her
one of his pictures and told her to rattle
it. This she did, and, believe. real
lied 81 for what cost in New York about
% cents. | have heard Billy Sexton
say that ViXnaux was great OH eggs; in
fact, Billy has got the idea that there
are no hens in France. Well. Berger
was the same way, and kept the bell
boy running for eggs by the hour.
Raw eggs, boiled eggs, Omelette, ONE
lette sOuff1e, | don't know what, but
never a cent for the bellbOy. MeaneSt
man ever knew in money matters.
"But he could play billiards. He never
sought to make big run, and when the
balls were close together he would
make all kinds of circlIng shots. Smart
guy, YOU know, and wanted to keep the
OnlOOkers myStihed.
''Oh, yes, he made as high as fifty at
run, and once when John Deery (then