The San Francisco call., 1898-02-06
The Wizard SnatcheS Vlc- tory From Seeming
 Defeat.
His Opponent Misses When in Need of but Four
 Points.
Remarkable Playing of the Billiardists at the Wide Balkline
 Game.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-With the vic tory of the American championship at 1S-inch balk line billiards almost with in his grasp George Slosson was de- feated tonight by Jake Schaefer of Chicago by a score of 500 points to 5S6 points in the game for the champion ship of America, in Madison Square Garden Concert Hall.
 Throughout the game the men were playing so evenly that it was a toss-up as to who would win. Schaefer was the favorite, but toward the end of the game 1t seemed that Slosson would win. He fell down on a drive to the cushion when he had a good lead and only four points to score to win. On the whole the billiards were very slow, but the play was inter spersed with some brilliant work, which kept the spectators on edge dur ing the course of the game.
 Nearly every billiard enthusiast of note in this city and vicinity was at Madison Square Garden Concert Hall tonight to witness the contest. The intricacies Of the 1S-inch balk line game were never made more apparent than in to-night's contest. Each man was on his mettle, but the slowness of the scoring. made it evident that the 1S-inch balk line game, with its condi- tion of one shot in space, is calculated to puzzle the most expert players
 "The Wizard opened with a miss and Slosson followed suit. Then Schaf- and Slosson followed suit Then Shaef- opponent responded with a similar combination. Slosson in his third in ming by clever all-round playing placed 2S to his credit, and Schaefer in his sixth and seventh innings responded with II and 23, most of which were made in the open by very dextrous playing. Schaefer in his eleventh inning put up a beautiful bunch of A, to which Slos- son replied with good runs of 19 and 20 Schaefer then got the balls under his control and played faultlessly for "A buttons and followed up with string of IA and 56.
 At the end of the fiftieth inning the score stood: Schaefer, $40; Slosson, 324. The score at the end of the sixty eighth stood: Slosson, 466; Schaefer, 452
 Slosson played second fiddle in the music made by the click of the worries until the finish of the fifty-fourth in- ming. when he passed the Chicago man with a spurt of 23 buttons. From this time on Slosson kept in the lead, and by some very. pretty work on the open table he put together a beautifully punched Is.
 At the conclusion of the seventy sixth jsinning. Schaefer was 65 points behind, but by brilliant all-around playing, which included delicate nursing and wonderfully straight billiards, the Western player soon tied the score, amidst deafening cheers and handclap- ping Some of the shots were marvel ously executed, and the most difficult problem offered him seemed easy untl he fell down on follow shot" to the cushion, when he had made break of 76, which put him Il points ahead of his adversary.
 With thirty eight to get in order to win, Slosson started on beautiful run in the eightieth inning. The New Yorker made 34 by clever work, but he fell down on a draw shot which was very difficult. Schaefer then started in and ran out the game, with the we'll put 24, which was played in faultless style. The score:
 Schaefer, 600; average 11-27.
 Slosson, 596: average, 9-20.