The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-14
WIZARD OF THE CUE.
Some Interesting Facts Aboutthc Late
Frank Ives.

Ililh iNfN.
Frank Ives who died az progresso,
Mexico. wednesday. was "a remarkable
athlete. but when be became proficient
in billiards he gave up all other forms
Of sport. except 20 occasionally pay "a
game OF base bah for fun. AS john l.
Sui ivan used TO do when bee became the
prize ring champion. In the line Of
athletics there seemed nothing Ives
could not succeed az d.te1tly Dc started
in 20 master any form 0f sport. lie
was "a first-class baseball catcher
having caught a Few games for the
CLi-ag0cs at one time. q good jockey.
q driver OF t~rottiug horses, "a bicycle
rider in the days of old ordinary.
and during the roller skating craze he
was one OF the eDeediest men ever seen
IN a rink. He made a living out of ali
these pastimcs and contributed 90 the sup
port of bis mother. who lives in Michigan
Ives was never a natural born gam
hier."as the saving goes. lut he loved
the excitement of a wager and he loved
race horses. too. so 30 was not unnatuaral
that. When there was 100 one TO- play
billiard matches wiki him. De would
follow the races He was a good
businees man and always had an eye Out
for the main chance. TIE eiore When ha
went racing 70 was for tae purpose OF
making a book and letting fhe public do
the guessing. Yet in spite of this win
ming system Doe was NOT altogether sue
ccssful as q tookmakar. ana before Ions
gave 10 up altogether. doc.ins Go stick
To- IFS legitimate procession th1t OF
billiards.
AS "a biIlaIdist Ives was Che Wonl-r or
two continents and vas probably thu
M...".m .H cha IM. cha
world ever produced He rose from
obs .ur'ty TO the top of the ladder whith-
il n period of three years. some .hiug
after the manner of james j.. Corbctt
in puell.sm. Just as tine young David
of the prize ring arose and Stayed
John j.. Sullivan. the hslic champion
OF a decade. so did Ives the YOUNG
NAPOLEON of Billiards appear In the
arena of green cloth Do conquer Che
hitherto inyincibie experts. Jake Sclaeter
The wizard" and Geo. r.. S.ossom. tine
Student There Is this difference m
the simiie. however. When the mighty
Jon D.. was knocked ont. that settled
him as far as the ring was coneerneI
but the game of billiards Us different
and DO has happened that since ives
wrested tie title from schaefer and
sl0.s0m. defeating them both in QulcN
slcCe Jon carly in the n.netics. The old
fellows have frequently beaten the youhs
man in tournament and match games
However. Ives won the last Champion
ship match and held the title up 90 the
time OF his death.
THE fonriquei OF Young Nt.o'pN
of BILLIARDS. was first applied Go him in
fhe tournament OF February. l@O.
wherein SchaeCer. s.0ss0m. Daily. Ives
m- HL- L.LH-.H.LH.
d. WAS m handicap affair. Schaefer
and el1ssom playing f1lrlc1ninch haIk
lines while the others played the eight
inch lines. sl0s-om won the tourney
Schaefer the SCI. ond. while Ives. Day
and cation divided ulrd glnc-. ln the
champion tournament a month later
at Chicago. Ives laished second tp
Schaefer. The 'YOuug Nap0leJu,' m
l,al connected in the shorlstoD tOurla-
ment-so called because it was limieI
10 s-e.ond-class players. schaefer and
si0ssom being barred and finished
second 90 Eugene Garter. Then he
ura.tised hard for another twelve
months. making wonderful progress
in mastering the game. and in the winter
OF Ie- challenged Selaelcr for the
chamuionshio emblem. The match was
played ln Chicago on March Do 1892. ANA
Ives won dis "a score of SD 20 $50. Every
one teoreht the Wizard had been caught
ON an oa-dly and tlat Ives had won by
"a nl.,e. s.9ssom. who had been beaten
b. schaefer for the championship d
short time before shared this belief. an
he promptly challenged the "Youns
Na9o.c0u." The match was played al
Culcaco on May u. 1882 and ives won
by sou 20 as. DIS average OF % 20
beating all match records in a game OK
like length. Ives. is said to have bet
$3.50 of DIS own money ON the match
The same year the crack American
biNiardist struck "a hlondyAe DID fail7
whore tine game was enjoying an ll-
mense boom. owains to is ne.hs n'li
the medium of extensive stn'Nns' ives
Schaefer and Siossom Went over sl'y ei
there until the police stopped me iun
and then returned nome iaoen Win
gold.
Before RETURNING, however ives
visited London and attempted 10 make
a match with John Roberts the English
champion. Nothlns '-"1 oA '"V "
er until next year "nen an asrsement
was reached ana at-t = MAp." was