The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
4 GRAND OLD BILLIARD kA1oH.
Jobs seereiter's Denth Recalls MS Contest
with Michael pheiaB-His Other Deeds.

with Michael pheian-Hls Other Deeds.
ZION me Spirit Of the nusa
The passing OF the veteran John Seereiter
OF Detroit, Mich. occurred at the home Of his
daughter Caroline, at Milwaukee, Wiz, March
10, whittier he had journeycd to make three
daughters, who nre residing there, u visit.
lie was II years old. Nine children survive
him. S~eereiter was born in Alsace. Lorraine
In 1925. and came to America with his parents
in 1880. and settled at Buffalo. N. Y. Az the
age of 10 he began PLAYING billiards., and was
IN employee of Room Keeper George Rollo Mt
Buffalo. lie went to Detroit in 1919. and after
being employed In various rooms, finally be-
came n proprietor of n room on jefferson ave.
nue, near Randolph street. lie retired from
active life in 1870. and lived in his own house
at 100 Monroe street. having nm income from
renting several houses sufficient to maintain
himself through life.
lie was of The early school of billiard players
in America and was probably the most skilful
OF his time. lie became famous In the West
for his skill In the f%tties. and very little was
known of his great playing strength in the
East until 1857. Michael Pholan in taat year
issued "A challenge to play anybody in the coun-
try. but the challenge remained unanswered.
Meantime Sccreiter journeyed to New York,
probably, IN an inspecting tour TO see how well
q. match while here with the late Bernard
uamiliarly known as barney Chrystal, one
G four the bal fiT Sarrd nIa Siliia Tf 'h piay t5PS On a II o Was by e
six poc table, pushing and crotching al
lowed, best three In five games Of 100 points
billiard room, which was located directly over
the entrance on Broadway to the late Laura
street. midway between Blcecker and Houston
streets. seereiter defeated Chrys,al three out
neyed to Detroit and was again defeated by
Seercitcr.. April "a, 1888. found Seereiter, In
80 York 9hd wo plH Ii646 a po ahira mn match carro wlth
Mt four. ball game. 2ss.inch balls, pushing and
crotching allowed, and was played on a 8 by
ON Feb. ii. 1850, at Henry J. Colton's, in Bar.
clay street, the famous phelan,Secreiter billiard
six toIkct table, in a public hall at Detroit, April
II. ls5n. Just sixty days away, and Mr.. Cotton
was agreed upon rs the stakeholder. The
table for the match was 10 be taken from
Whipple's room at Detroit, in which room See
to be put upon the table for the match. Whip
plc's tables were mounted with the then IA
nous phclan combination cushion, which
was composed of vulcanized rubber. with the
new feature and Improvement added of a
of ngc at the time. while Seereiter was "a. The
match was played in Fireman's Hall. whi,h
were 81 each. The hall was crowded. but the
expenses were 500 larger than the box Office
receipts the explanation for which was. a
liberal distribution OF complimentaries by the
managers In chief.
The game was to be called at 7 o'clock, and
hall was crowded with people, and remained
ST. crowded during the progress of the contest
and until 8 o'clock the next morning. when
the spectators came tumbling out of the hall
Immediately at the conclusion of the game.
An intermission was insisted on ut IL O'Clock.
hut an objection was made. on The ground
that the agreement was after 900 points had
the table to commence the great contest. Judge
Strong. of one of the high courts OF Michigan.
Silprra and lprOrum during the rlmn. that |
no betting would be permitted after the con.
test began, and that II any of these present
patron of the game. had been selected as ref.
of Detroit. and Ralph BENJAMIN Of New. York
prtsl for Phe!an Peter D.; BREASTED of New
color sergeant Of the seventh Regiment. and
Thomas Gallagher. Jr.. Of Detroit o~thciatcd
experts were cha!kinr their cues. Mr.: William
Duncan. a wealthy brewer and since Mayor OF
Detroit. stated that he would like to nwager
the game I'm take that" said Phelnn.
and both gentlemen stepped over to stake
front Of him. and phelan. from the fob pocket
denomination. while Duncan drew n bundle
ssFa ; y ;;mer cs G and both n, lid $50? s5 on the mo table .s
sait duncan; "cmsrtainly," said rhs'sn I an
H'ner and si' the % s@i% I R14' IN: bets Of Of SEQ go" e pHS,
thus virtually increasing the stake directly to
$1,000 IA side. a total stake of. $4,000. This
All wa, excitement, and the betting became
furious. The Westerncrs seemed TO think they
Neil Bryant al bet until their pockets were
empty. The '. esterners still came at Them.
Neil borrowed 500. bet it. and made O'Connor
stakeholder; the latter would bet it back again
and make Bryant stakeholder. and the 500
lasted the two men until the betting ceased
and the PLAYERS strung for the lead. 1t has
been said that $500 could not have been scraped
together from among the audience, outside the
Stockholders, after the betting had stopped:
Ian opened weak. Secreiter gained the lead
early in the contest. At the fourteenth inning
he was 81 IN the Van; at the tw ran "a i IN hiSs
half of the twenty first. which gave him a lead
OF l24 points. Then Phelan ran 20. and at the
3l4 TO nee in favor Of Phclan, who went right
on Increasing his lead on Scereiter. until at tho
eiGhty.tifth Inning phelan was 333 IN the van.
scored u run of l57, the largest of the match.
This %playing, gave great surprise to the New
in Seereiter's game since his last trip to New
York. Th" run gave secreitcr confidence, Phe,
suit. At the 1o4th inning the score read LAP
to POO in favor of Phclan. At the l20th ina
ing, where, Seereiter was I points behind, he
to $50. and the crowd on the street on learn:
ing of this set up n cheering that could be heard
by PLAYING all the balls within the string. Phe-
lnn being in hand took the mace and banked
his hall to the foot cushion. counted, and ran
l20 points. and tho score read $50 to 1910
In favor OF Secrei,er. Phelan's best runs were
10. lol. 90. and 81; Scereiter's, l57, $50.
read: Phclan, 1.GOS; Seereiter. 1870. and
Phelan did not again lose the lead. and finally
won ny? aa, sGGte Of ie @;eGu 70 i;So4; H Mss sy IL age e
ld3. Phelan won through, superior general.
ship. seereiter displayed the hest execution.
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