The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-03

4
his opponents playing. openly CRITICS.
ing and even laughing at 1t. The hal
was well filled, the majority being See-
reiter's friends and hackers, who read
lily Joined in these jocose or satirical
remarks on Phelan's play, and ap-
plauded the feeble witticisms of their
champion, all of which produced the
opposite result from that intended
| While IL provoked Phelan 1T did not
disconcert or unnerve him. On the
contrary, IL strengthened his determi-
| nation to win the game at all hazards.
| To this end he began playing safety
shots, frequently putting his own ball
into a pocket to deprive Seereiter of
the use of it as an object ball. The
result was that Seereiter soon found
| himself losing his head. Then he lost
his temper and began abusing his OPP
/ ponent But when he got angry he
| could not play at all, and Phelan
quickly discovered that, and thence
forth lost no opportunity of irritating
| John by his own manner of plays,
though he carefully refrained from re-
torting in words. The result was a
| steady turn of the tide, Phelan win
ming when John had 96 points to
make.
There was humorous side to this
| match, which do not recall ever hav-
ing been seen in print. Phelan, of
course. posted his own money, but
Seereiter had no money to post He
was as poor as the proverbial church
mouse. But among his Detroit ad-
mirers was a colony of professional
gamblers, some Of them not at all
troubled with conscientious scruples or
honorable instincts. After posting
Johns share of the stakes. these gamb-
lers began hunting private bets. They
had every confidence in the ability of
their man to win the game, and there
fore offered their bets on him freely
When they had secured all the wagers
they could, they slipped down to the
Free Press office and caused a notice
to be inserted in the forthcoming is
sue of that paper that, win or lose,
Seereiter would play no more billiards
for money. They thought they had a
sure thing of winning their bets, and
did not care to be called upon to risk
1t over again right away. OF course.
they were chagrined when Seereiter
lost, though their confidence in him
was not destroyed. On the contrary,
they promptly assailed Phelan with all
manner of offers for another game,
then, or at any time. They were only
anxious to win back their money. But
Phelan simply pointed to the an
nouncement in the Free Press that
win or lose, Seereitzer would not play
John won, he would have anchored on
that and refused me a chance to re-
trieve myself. 1 can be no more gen.
erous than he. / decline to play him
again." And so the gambling frater-
nifty had to satisfy themselves for their
losses by abusing their champion.
Two thousand points were played.
The game was begun at Z o'clock in
the evening, and, with an hours inter-
mission, lasted until o'clock the next
morning-nine hours of play. The mod
ern professional match, with 600 points
up, is generally played inside of three
hours. Should the champions of to-
day play nine hours they would there
fore score but about 1,S0U points, or 200
less than these professionals of 50
years ago scored in that time. Phe-
lan's average was IL 32-164 Seereiter's
IL 11-16S. Those would be small aver
ages for Shaefer or Ives to make. In
the modern game every carrom counts
one point. With Phelan and Seeheiter
each ca1rom was counted two or three
points, and occasionally five. Thus
their counting was more rapid. The
experts of to-day, If allowed two
points or three points for each carrom
made, would play 1000 points in one
third of the time consumed by the De-
troit game. This fact shows the great
er skill of the players of this time.
Indeed, neither Phelan nor Seereiter
would be looked upon as more than
ordinary players to-day, unless, in
deed. they had acquired the newer
methods.
In those days the masse shot was
scarcely known. Seereiter occasionally
attempted one of simple character,
but he knew nothing of the easy,
graceful, circuitous movement of the
ball now effected by that downward
stroke. AS for the draw shot, See
reiter could accomplish ii readily
enough, but not with the gentleness
and accuracy of the professionals of
this time. Like the novices we now
see at the table he imagined that much
force was required in making the shot,
and though he might and did effect it,
he could not form and idea how ii
would leave the balls. He merely
counted on making that one shot,
trusting altogether to luck for the
next. SO also as to nursing. On those
large tables 1t was almost impossible
to bring the balls together with the
accuracy now so commonly displayed.
Hence the players were obliged to rely
more on round the table shots and
long carroms, though when the balls
accidentally stopped close together
they were quite able to keep them so
for a number of shots; but even then,
without the masse or a carefully exc
cuted draw, they were unable to pro-
long the run.