The herald., 1898-12-01

past year betrayed but an insignificant
portion Of the actual expense for cler-
fcal work.
Again. many of the billiard amateurs
who had reached prominence were men
OF age. experience and social position,
and naturally at first, before they real
lied the object of the move felt ag-
grieved and annoyed by any attempt
that seemed to them an interference
with their personal liberty and freedom
of action. They did not at first appre-
ciate Gas think they do to-day that
the example set by men of position and
social prominence carries great weight
with the young amateur; and that if
control is to be exercised by a national
body over the young and rising players
the support of those whose regulations
cannot be questioned is a proper and
important matter in making the work
of national body effective.
The original plan of the A. A. u,
which is now being gradually carried
into effect, was to start competitive
contests in billiards in all the various
sections of the country and thus by
stimulating rivalry between the young
billiard amateurs to ascertain who the
ipSoi NiioiIipiOiio liitshb NC iiCi JNoi W
year and subsequently to bring these
local champions together into higher
grade tournaments for national cham
pionships, etc.
The issuing of registration cards to
those amateurs who desired to compete
in any of these contests (after an ap-
plication being signed and the charac-
ter of each applicant investgated)
nm 10 - l. hi
lizard amateur to preEent his card in
any city or town In America as guar
antee that he was a genuine amateur
and not professional or billiard
sharp.
That the reader shall understand the
honor that was conferred upon bill
lizards by having the consent of the A.
A. u. to act as a national governing
body for billiard amateurs 1t may be
we'll to state what bodies of athletes
are to-day controlled in athletics by the
Amateur Athletic Union of the United
States. This body to-day controls all
amateur athletics of every Young
Mems Christian Association in the
United States; of all properly organized
athletic clubs; of all military athletic
associations and Of the various turn
vereins German societies) OF this
country; also most of the college ath-
letic associations of America. It's OBJ
ject Is to preserve the purity of anna
teur athletics, not among the older men
alone (who probably have attained po-
sltions of prominence) but chiefly of
the young men Of this country who are
liable to be led Intentionally or un-
consciously into professionalism and to
bring discredit upon pure athletic sport.
Now let us see what results have
been attained in amateur billiards
within the short space of eleven months
lin spite of the most violent opposition
from a few leading billiard amateurs
and from exaggerated and unjust press
criticisms). Many very interesting
tournaments have been organized and
carried into effect in the west. The
four leading gentlemen billiardists of
America who are to play for the ma
tional championships, class A, have
been re-installed as amateurs after a
careful investigation of any technical
viola ton of amateur rules that they
had committed before the definition Of
an amateur in billiards was fully de-
termined. They have consented to
play against each other for the national
amateur billiard championship of
America on Feb. 13, 1899, in the theater
of the Knickerbocker Athletic club of
New York. One of these players comes
/ 900 miles to compete, two others over
a thousand miles.
For years it has been the hope of
every enthusiastic billiardist in Amer
lea that the question of supremacy be-
tween these gentlemen might be de-
cided in public tournament. Probably
nothing that has ever been done in
billiards (etther anna teur or profess
SionaD has created more general in
terest than this contest Is to-day Great
ing in all sections of the United States.
Again, on Dec. 4, 1898, the most inter-
esting billiard contest that has ever
yet occurred among amateurs in the
United States will be naugurated in
the theater of the Knickerbocker club
in New York. Ten billiard amateurs
from various sections of the country,
whose skill Is almost Qf not quite)
equal to that of the four gentlemen
who play in February, will compete for
tine national billiard championship of
America, class B.
In May, 1898, the national handicap
billiard tourney of the A. A. u. was
played in the theater of the Knicker-
booker Athletic club of New York be-
fore audiences of several hundred peo-
pie each night. Within the past year
a very successful amateur tournament
was held under the A. A. U. rules in
the billiard parlors of Frank c. Ives of
New York.
Finally. almost every prominent or
brilliant amateur player of America
(whose skill entities him to recognf-
tion as an exper) is to-day registered
with the A. A. U. and is engaged to
play in its approaching tournament.
A. L. RANNEY, M. D.
DOWNRIGHT, 1905 py THE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY