Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-19

WILLIAM SEXTON.
 lor was facetiously termed the Bismarck of Billiards" by the late Wright Sandford upon the occasion of his first professional appearance in New York, 24 years ago. The | Germans had just whipped the French at that time, and Cyrille hated the man who had encompassed the ruin of the French na | tion. Naturally the cognomen was exceed. ingly offensive to him, yet it stuck to him like porous plaster.
 | So, too, with that other equally famous brother, Toe Dion. He was a quiet, refined l fellow in dress and manner at a time when | most of the boys were a bit loud in their tastes and methods of expression, and he 1 obtained the sobriquet of "Gentleman Joe. " Despite Joes frequent and vigorously ex. pressed protests, the title remained vested | in him.
 A Great Foreigner.
 Maurice NigneauX, the greatest foreign | player who ever invaded our shores, was called "The Giant" by reason of his Titanic l proportions. He stood 6 feet inches in | height and weighed nearly 300 pounds. | What constituted an amusing feature ot the championship matches Jake Schaefer, | George Slosson and myselfindulged in with the big Frenchman some years ago was that | the Gaul almost eQualed the combined weight of all three of us. We averaged but | 107 pounds each, or 32l in all, and were each about feet inches in height.
 What made the contrast appear all the more comical was that NigneauX came of a race which was supposed to have greatly degenerated physically and we of one which is still accredited with breeding maryels ol physical greatness. Small we were, however, we became the three champions of the world at three different styles of playing-Slosson at the champions game Fake Schaefer at straight rail play and your humble servant at cushion caroms.
 Of the other old time players. that dash, ing Frenchman, Albert Garnier. and hand some Maurice Islly, our own gallant Amer ican lad, attracted to themselves host oi admiring friends as much by reason of their magnetic manners as by their spectac ular style of play. Garnier was called the Prince" in those days, both by reason O, his regal bearing and lavish prodigality
 Maurice Daly's Sobriquet. Maurice Daily was dubbed Our Mutual Friend" because then, as now, he was gen ial and hospitable with everybody. He made no enemies and was sort of self con stituted arbitrator of any little difference the boys would have. His decisions unlike those of many supreme court judges of the present day, were never appealed from. His judgment went, and everybody was satis fled.
 Now word about the present trinity ol champions at the "balk' line game-Frank c. Ives, Jake Schaefer and George Slosson. They are, as is known of all men, respective ly termed the Young Napoleon" !" the "Wiz ard" and the Student" of billiards. will pick them out in my own way and tell you how they received those peculiarly signif, cant and fitting titles. It is over 22 years Sipca Tak Schapfpr first aSfoupSn1 he sportsmen of the west by that marvellous delicacy of touch, that wonderful speed and magic control of the ivory spheres, which has evoked the admiration of the world. As boy almost he seemed invincible. The harder the game he was up against" the stronger his play became. Finally one night in Denver he tackled the state cham pion, in which all of the conditions seemed wholly against Schaefer. The sports of that thriving western town thought they had good thing" at last and bet Schae fer's friends to standstill. To the utter amaZement of everybody, Schaefer ran the game out when the other chap had all but turned the last button.
 That fellows wizard" said the re- nowned Bat Masterson, the greatest sports man of Colorado even in these days. Its burning up money to try to beat him."
 The appellation of Wizard" stuck to Jake ever since. And he deserves it. He is the greatest all around billiardist the world ever saw. He can play straight rail. champions game. cushion caroms, balk line and even pool or pin pool with equal facility.
 Young Frank Ives.
 The present champion at balk line, Frank c. Ives, Schaefers rival, is his pupil. From Jake he learned his magnificent delicacy of touch and splendid control of the spheres He greatly resembles his preceptor in his dash and celerity of execution. He obtain ed the name of the Young Napoleon" in this way: One night in q tournament in this city three years ago, in which Schaefer, Slosson, Carter, Heiser and others were en- gagged, Ives astonished his best friends by sudden spurt in the middle of the work and finishing next after Slosson and Schae- fer.
 "The luck was with the youngster," re- marked Carter, who came in fourth, to Dick Roche, Schaefer's friend and backer II couldn't run out for third place."
 ''Eo," returned Roche thoughtfully, "the luck was not with him. but the pluck and skill are. He is the Young Napoleon of billiards and will some day be champion of the world"
 Roche never thought his prediction would be verified in so short 8 time. Ives is a splendid general and knows how to take advantage of the mistakes of an adversary and make comparatively few himself.
 George Slosson, my old time rival. was first called the Student" of billiards by his stanch friend and admirer, Al Smith, at a tournament in which he, VigneaUx. Schaefer, Garnier and myself participated 16 years ago. The remark was prompted by the deliberate play and careful study of almost every shot on Georges part. No bet ter term coaid be applied to him, for Sins- son in practioing for great match studies out every possible shot or combinations of shots that can be made He studies bill lizards as an attorney would study law or doctor medicine. He does this every day of his life, even when not practicing for a match and when other champions are on toying the good things of life, and conse- qusntly tagging. r.at=
 ..a Personal Matter.
 Now a word in conclusion. Modesty would dictate that say nothing about my humble self, but I have been constantly asked by inquiring friends how got the sobriquet of ''Old Comanche," !" so have de teFmined to throw modesty to the winds and tell the story for the first time. When the two Dions, Garnier. Rudolphe and my. self played series of championship oi money games about 1a years ago, kept q billiard saloon on the Bowery. All of the lively lads of that lively thoroughfare used to come into my place and go up to Tam many hall when l was 2 participant in a match. Most of them paid their way. Some did uot, and gave them admission tickets, the sole stipulation exacted being that they would cheer like mad for ms at critical