The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-18
ROYAL BILLIARD PLAYERS.
IVES, THE EXPERT, CHATS OF HIS
EXPERIENCE IN EUROPE.

sonaI Traits.
F. C. Ives in the Washington Star
You ask me to narrate my experience
with celebrities the world over whom l
have played billiards with or have seen
science? Well, I will do my best to give
YOU an entertaining story.
have, as my readers are probably
aware travelled through the greater part
Of Europe and fair portion of the orient.
have met emperors, kings, potentates,
statesmen and men of rank and afluence
IN almost every land, but the greatest en-
tbusiast upon the subject of billiards 1
ever ran across is his mighty highness,
the Rajah of Kapurthala, in India. He
has many other titles, but 1 forget them
all. He is a magnificent fellow a very
prince of good fellows, in fact, and does
not stand on his rank with his friends
weeks, a few years ago. and l ought to
know what I am talking about.
His highness is princely in his generos-
ity. as a man who has an income of ST.
1SOOO year can afford to be. Il used to
90 out hunting or fishing or engage in
other sports with him in his palace at
night He doesn't care for French
caroms or American billiards, but is per-
fectly fascinated with the old English
game, which, as most people on this side
of the water now know, is a combination
Of pool and billiards, being played on a
table twelve by six feet, with six pockets
in it.
Kapurthala, who is a big man, but little
under six feet in hight, weighing 240
pounds, and but "a years of age, can play
this game fairly well, as his reach en-
ables him to get well over the table and
command almost any kind of play, while
his youth and strength prevent fatigue.
In his games with me he would play rs
earnestly to win as he would to gain
diplomatic triumph over The monarch of
neighboring state. He has an equable
temperament, however, and would never
manifest any marked Impotence when the
tide of fortune went against him. Ka-
purthala gave me munificent monetary
tokens Of the regard in which he held me-
as well as some costly jewels. l am 60
ing to visit him again this winter but OF
that l will speak later on in this article.
The greatest billiard player I met out
that way, however, is Patella, also a ra,
jah, even richer than Kapurthala and bug
little inferior in rank, being, for instance
same as the governor of New York state
Is TO the President of the United States.
He is a decided contrast to Kapurthala
only about five feet five inches in hight
and weighing about 100 pounds; a little
fellow like Jake Schaefer, Billy Sexton o.
George Slosson, but he is a dead game
sport. He owns the best stable of race
horses in India, as well as the finest LOT
OF polo ponies He is going to take his
polo ponies over to England this coming
spring and see what they can do in the
shlnny-on-horseback game with British
horsetlesh. Patiela, too, is princely in his
hospitality, and l had plenty of fun at
hunting and like sport with him and his
sulJe during the day, and playing billiards
with MN at night He is a cool, steady
player, and never gets ratified or excited
at play as people of the extreme easy
are wont 10 do. He married a pretty Eng
Ash slrl named Jennie Brown a few years
ago and the marriage proved extremely
popular
In England I met pretty near all the
80 men OF the land, including the
fIinee OF Wales; his chum and ever
faithful friend, Capt. Remington Wilson: :
Aorl Ohef Justice Charles Russell. now
II TINS country; Lord Salisbury, clever
yossph chamberlain, colonial secretary:
LORD Charles Beresford, chief of the ad
mfailyi the late Sir John Astley. Sir
CndIes Dixie, and many Others of al
0dNN@ AC4AOW4l. 4NOUb OIL these great
men, with the exception of Cant. Rem
msIoh Wilson and Lord Russell.
pay much of a game Of
DNAards, although they all love
'-Ie sport Capt. Wilson is the best
amateur player in England and he would
L naAe me hustle bit at times to beat
H.. Inc Prince Of Wales loves the game,
Oul ne Is only an average PLAYER. He is
one Of the most charming gentlemen I
ever met, no airs, affectation. or nonsense
VI any sort. He is thoroughly demo-
tl@uc and dignihed in his manner. and
nv must popular man in England If
ape country were turned into a republic
a,I mere were an election over there to-
an5 w. ne would be its first president,
ana ne could hold the Office for life.
haa arranged to play a match game
r "i,n 1ohh Cook of England before the
p-'NCe at Marlborough house, but Cook
n ~ anu ued on me, and the match fell
ihiousH' Jonn Roberts, the English
sHallpion, was what diplomats call per
oono non gfata with the prince, and /
tSet, not pay with him at the palace just
men nope the Incident will be clos
eu' as the diplomats call all that sort
w. " ,u.npIeasantness, when 1 go back that
10y ana that l may play Roberts before
'ne prince of good fellows.
Nord chief Justice Russell came to see
,ar Piay at carlsbad every match / en-
eIed IN, and was deeply interested in
ne ne same. He loves it through and
nIcugh, and, for man who has as little
nine Tns as he for play, he is a pretty good
~, III Germany I met, among other ceiebri-
GO, lhe emperor William, Caprivi. DR.,
ooc.IIUIehlsger (Bismarck's famous physi-
n san aID ana Prof Bagus, the celebrated
voI,Ipr and warm personal friend of the
rerls emperor. Prof Bagus, 1t will be
n az Iiloered, designed the heroic statue
SstL perIln OF the present emperors grand
0 mel william I, for which he received
H na aliDoA marks. Prof. Bagus and played
4 go+Ly games of American billiards to-
/. o. 'uer' lie Is left-handed player, ana.
n an ne IS six feet two inches high. has a
4 rrr,. ieach and puts up pretty stiff game,
EI.ub nifty or sixty at a crack
b++ "iperor william is pretty fair player.
bo,,iu as ms time Is taken up almost every
Mill. oI the day with foreign, civil ana
cba5,ryaary measures, he gets very Iit5le
rsrtlS Lof practice. The emperor had ar
naI1sSeu mat l play a match game at his
ioratIae. When was in Germany, but some
|r'sn complication came up Just at that
N8n1 winch called for all his attention,
i uuI ne game was of necessity deferred
Vi,,iii pay 1t when I go over there again
Nevar I'm ~ y a line, manly fellow, and looks
. 10y men of the warrior he &c IIa te