Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-26

CTS of billiard tables and the billiard room keepers get together and bestir themselves to concerted action. The manufacturers should take the initiative They should hang up liberal purses and invite the lead ing players of France and America to en- ter journeys held under their auspices. This step once taken, I maintain that roomkeppers should assume their share of the responsibility and push the game along. In that event you would quickly see number of Gallic cancellations fol- lowing Frances most brilliant billiardistio meteor across the Atlantic Plot, Garnier, Beau, Gibclin and Mangin would be at Vignaux's heels, and with Fournil already here they would contrive to make it quite lively for our boys. We have q good lot of lads to meet them, and whichever side won the victors would know that they had been playing some pretty hot billiards.
 To bring about a successful tourney, however, the present game should be changed. Balk line-at least tho If inch balk line-is dead. Ives killed it by dem onstrating how easy the gamo is to the man who has thoroughly studied and practiced it. As there are but half a dozen or more players who havo given their entire ener- gies to the game, they have it as tightly to themselves as ever Vanderbilt, Gould and Sage held Wall street in the hollow of their hands.
 q Of course tho task of making any radi- cal changes in tho game requires consid erable thought and study. This task the manufacturers could assume themselves, or, better still, they could do the work in conjunction with the leading players and roumkeepers. Offhand I would suggest that to increase tho difficulties of the game and thereby add to its attractivcness tho H. inches and that but one shot, instead of two, as now obtains, be permitted in the balk; or think that n return to cushion caroms would put more champions on an equal footing and add kcener zest to the sport. The excitement of the game would be on up to the last moment when the last pair of players played the game tO the end
 In the present gamc-l4 inch balk limo Ives Nignaux, Schaefcr, SlosSon and Fournil have everything their own way. In cushion CarOms no one man would have any decided advantage Ovor another, and ho would never he suro of winning tho gamo until the last button was rung up. In cushion carnms Cation, Gallagher Car ter, Billy Sexton (if in good physical con dition) and would stand as good a show of winning first money as any of the champions named.
 would like indeed to see a revival of that good old game, not from any selfish motives but because think it admits of more nervy, brilliant, picturesque playing than any other Besides it affords the spectators better opportunities of witness ing tho execution of various shots and the sport never grows monotonous or weari- some. Public interest is held throughout. That it is more popular than any other game is attested by the hearty and enthu- siastic cheers which greet every bold and open play. In the balk line game plaudits arc only bestowed when a great run has been made.
 As regards the proposed international match between Ives and Vignaux, which will be at balk line, of course, I think it will be one of the greatest ever witnessed in this or any other country if the princi- pals measure cues. Ives certainly is a wonder. He proved that by defeating Schaefer, the great Wizard" of the west at an age when most players don't be- gin to approach championship form. Wig naux, too, however, is a marvel. For 20 years he has reigned as the king of bill lizards in France. He had many rivals, but mono could ever mount near his throne. He is now playing better billiards than ever before in his life, and he Is near | ly 50 at that, 70 years older than Ives. Vignaux is a master of every kind of billiards-rail play, balk line and cushion carom. He is in constant practice. In
 France they have an academical system
 under which champions play before a linn ited number of spectators for all sorts of purses every night. l have inaugurated a
 similar system in my salon in this city
 and in Brooklyn. It is bound in time to
 bring out good players. Vignaux avails 1 himself of the benefits of this system and is playing all the time. He is, however, 1 compelled to give tremendous odds to his i opponents The big Frenchman, am re- liably informed, is playing better billiards now than he was when he so deciSively de- | feated Schaefer abroad two years>ago. He conquered Jake just as easily then as | Ives did later on. His average was won- asrful-s4 in . game of 1900 points.