The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-01
scHAEFEm oN p.I.IlAaps.
The Wizard Discusses the Changes IN
rit the Gumc.

The wizard Discusses the Changes IN
\ the Game.
New York World,
During the period OF my many years of
devotion 10 billiards--and that dates back
1 to tho last OF the 60's--thc.e have been
more changes made In the game thaa Ia
any other sport within M know.edso
The game has been developed care. uhy,
consistently and constantly until the 81 Ga
ent game Of iS-incn balk-ine, the most
dluicult OF the open-tanle system, appears
10 be the limit OF It's advancement. just
how radical these changes have been can
be best illustrated by my belief tpat Wiz
liam Sexton, one OF the greatest billiard
lists in his day, could now be defeated by
a third-rate amateur
Billiards had not gained a frm footing
In this country until the early IO's, At
that time iarge table, having pocket
In each corner was in vogue. Ny first
match against George Slcsson. "the Su-
dent. was played In is53 in Indianapolis
on that style OF furniture In those days
the masse shot was unknown. q sho,e shot
being used instead, Wcdging the object
balls against the points OF the cushion in
the corner-called "jawing then al
lowable, and under such rules the old
time experts found little difficulty IA maxi
ing big runs. Then those who were fore
most in billiards abolished this system OF
scoring caroms aud the four-hail geme
had its boom. This was soon changed to
the use OF three balls. us new played, be-
cause OF the clusters OF over one thousand,
which the top.noteh players were scoang,
Tho table was first chalked OFF IN 1873,
but It did not seem make any difference
how the spaces were restricted. the OBJ
iect always being TO overcome the
"crochlng of the balls: some oac always
invented way TO push up big runs As
tho chalk-llne table appeared to be Al
failure, most OF the professionals turned
back to cushion oaroms, Maurice Daly
and William Sexton were master hands
at that game, as was also student
Slcsson, who has developed II TO h gh
degree and Eow plays Il 70 porlecti
About fifteen years ago tho agitation Tor
some restriction was again felt. When
rules had been made which were accept
able 90 all Of the hrst-raters tourna-
inent was arranged and held In Chicago
ir. 1883. a. Maurice Vignaux, the great
Frenchman and probably the k ng OF ti-
lard players today WAS entered. as We're
also Sexton. Maurice Daily. Tom Wallace
aud myself. How 4 happened that the top
place in this tournament fell 10 my lot
has always been a mystery TO me, 1t did
however and since that time the bnik-line
favorite. Indeed, the fact that Il Is now
recognized by the amateurs as the style OF
play adapted TO championship matches is
evidence of its superiority over other
STYLES OF billiards.
Frank Ives entered the billiard arena
In 1893. In few short years he con-
quered every expert OF prominence. and
was really the champion a the time OF his
death last August With the attention
that billiards ID now receiving from the
amateur and professional the time appears
ripe for bringing out the best and most
promising material from the class OF short
stop players In the professional rants.
The best men in this class are Sutton.
Morningstar, Mclaughlin, Magioli Caton,
Eames, Carter Spinks and GALLAGHER.
These players are all good, but have never
been successful IN keeping abreast OF tho
changes IN the game. II is case OF the
game developing more rapidly than the
players, and they being cut out In con .e-
quence. Slosson and myself are now prar-
ucally loft alone In class q few degrees
better than the men named or these men
the players of greatest promise are Sutton
and Morningstar In the order named.
Both are young men and are In every
sense OF the term "comers' In the field o.
billiards. What their absolute relative
speed would be in tournament play has yet
to be decided. There seems now to be a
possibility that the exact position OF these
players in the shortstop class may BECOME
definitely fixed, and also their relation to
the first rank and perhaps championship
honors, For some time past there has
been earnest talk Of arranging tourua-
nlent that would fix the status Of the
shorstops and would perhaps bring out a.
man capable of challenging for the cham
ponship emblem, which was returned 10:
the Brunswick Bake Collender company
by Frank Ives. To my mind this tourna-..
ment Is greatly to be desired. a. tbe'
hearty competition in which the players
would enter would greatly add 10 the life
Of the sport, which Is now in such live
Is condition. There never seemed bet
ter opportunity for putting Billiards en- tn \
same high plane In this country thai A.
enjoys abroad. especially In France,
the doing Of 1t lies wholly With the low y
and followers Of the game {
Jacob schnefeg
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