Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-07
GREAT POOL GAME.
YOUNG OSCE STATLER TACKLES THE CHAM
PI0N POOL PLAYER
And Keeps Well in the Game TIL Near the Close
When Clearwater Took Squirt and
Won the Contest

There are several good pool players
in Wheeling, and many others who en-
JOY witnessing a good scientific game.
Perhaps the best pool player in the city
and at the same time the youngest in
point Of excellence, is Osce Statler, son
Of E. NJ. Statler, proprietor Of the Nc
Lure House billiard parlors. Now
young Osce is known to all the boys
who chase the balls over the green
baise, and they knew full well when
they play with him, and he has
his playing pants on, there is blood on
the moon. There most always is. Now
il happens that player by the name
Of w. II. Clearwater, of Ravenua, Ohio,
has been in town for the past few days,
aud is said 10 have won the champion
ship of the United States in pool play
ing in 1883. These two gladiators came
together last night, aud anticipating
the ability of the visitor the friends OF
Osce little thought he would have a
ghost of show.
Seats were arranged about the south
east pool table, and some eighty ad-
mirerS Of scientific pool playing gathered
about the scene of conflict. Clearwater
was to hole $50 balls before OsCe got
125 balls. The game started at 9
o'clock. Clearwater took his jointed,
ivory-adorned cues from the leather
case, and proceeded to get ready. 1t
was the name-shot pyramid game, every
ball being named and numbered as IL
was holed, there being no possibility Of
scratching balls in, in fact such plays
were not recognized. Osce broke the
pyramid for the start, and Clearwater
missed his first shot on long range.
Then Osce holed a few, but Clearwater
got down 10 business before the Is balls
were off and holed ten OF them. But
on the next game Clearwater only cap
tured 4 balls, and the score stood:
Clearwater IA, Statler Is. In the second
game young Statler made some excel
lent shots, representing some very clev-
er cutting and angle work. In the next
two games Osce dropped off, making
only three balls Then he whitewashed
Clearwater in the fifth game, but count
ed only thirteen balls by reason OF two
scratches. In the seventh Inning OSce
again scored all the balls on the table,
making the score: Clearwater, 40; Stat
Ter, 50. About this time the excitement
grew. 1t began TO look as if the cham
pion was going to have hard row TO
hoe. But Clearwater began to gain a
little, and at the end OF the twelfth inning
the score stood: Clearwater, SO; Statler,
So. In the thirteenth game, however,
Osce holed all the balls on the table,
amid loud cheers. This was the third
whitewash Osce had captured, to only
two for Clearwater.
From this point on, however, Osce got
a little nervous and began to loose
ground, and at the end Of the eighteenth
inning the score stood Clearwater $40,
Statler 100. On one or two occasions
Osce had an almost open and shut on
the contest, but his confidence failed
him. Had he played the same as dur
ing the first half of the contest he would
have been an easy winner. OSce made
only four more shots before Clearwater
ran out and won the contest. The only
bank shot of the evening was made by
Statler. The following is the score by
games:
Clearwater-1O, 4, 70, IS, 0, s, 0, 6, Is,
5, 1, 10, 0, IA, :, II, :, IL, 10. Total,
$50.
5, Is, l, 8, 3, :, 3, 4. Total, l24.