The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-07
MISS OF MASSE SHOT COST
SUTTON CHAMPIONSHIP.
With Only Four Points to Go in Ills
Match With Maurice viEnaux,
the American Fell Down.

That accidents will sometime deprive a
man of victory in billiards when the ap-
plause OF the multitude awaits him. was
SHOWN in the recent match between NJ.
Nignaux of Paris and George Sutton. the
American expert. The match is still the
talk of the cafes.
No such exciting championship match
has ever been seen in Paris. It took place
IN the banquet hall of the Grand Cafe.
Every seat was occupied. the spectators
being a critical body Nomposed OF nsIn-
ners OF the Jockey Club and other leading
NJ; Darantiere acted as referee and in
PRODUCED the players at s:la o'clock. SUIT
ton Won the bank and missed the opening
Shot. 1t was evident the cushions were
suffering from atmospheric conditions. and
Tor awhile both men were all ut sea on the
new table. IT took Sutton nine innings to
compile 10 to his oppoent's s.. v~ignaux.
however. soon found strength. ard in the
three following essays made &c, 70. and 4
beautifully compiled 1l6.
The run OF Jas IVES remarkable for soIne
brilliant open play at the commencement.
but when he once got tHa balls 'taii %
gether at the bottom 1T IAN; .i'te Of the
table he keit sending tI,erl use ate: the
of the balk line and .r!HRi'.g t!cr back
from the cushion wiki w'i,d"T:ai Irsci-
sion. It Looked as IL re might SO IN for
ever. when n kiss placed TIC ba.iS awk-
wardly and the champion trckr dom. At
the end Of This RIM tie narktns onerd
showed NiErauX. go. average "a c-1a: sut-
ton. 1S. average - 9-ie.
On resu!ni'iS. the play foT seven innings
was poor. NlgnauN's break of 20 being the
best mads. bat III his twentieth essay SUIT
ton, by 7 clever masse. got the balls in a
bunch. and with the stylish execution for
which he is renowned. he put together 81.
this bringing his score ~ sol. as against
his rivals 35o.
Nothing more OF Importance occurred
until the twenty-fourth inning. when SUIT
ton again went on the %warpath. and
when. at tho markers call OF IS, he tied
with NiSHauX, a deafening cheer went up,
for. although a majority of those present
were on the French side. they Were none
else than good spGrtsmen for that. 1t
never fluttered Sutton. who kept pegsing
away. When 100 was called more applause
took place. and ii was not until he had
made los that he failed over an easy
straight caroT.
Vignauy was nov 80 behind. bat he soon
compiled half a century and caught and
passed the American. but at 10 missed a
long shot. hut left the balls awkwardly
all.
Both players now showed slight signs of
nervousness: Sutton suffering greatly from
the heat. The American. after a miss
by Nicn9uy. began what was expected to
be his Anal inuingn. and. after a careful
ly put tnaether q. -four Ia win was
American came TO grief over a none too
simple masse. This cost lin the cham
pionship. for fi3naux. amid almost
GREATNESS silence, and playing with the
greatest prudence, compiled the needed %
points and won.
Sutton was the first to CRASH his hand.
and. while The cheering. which lasted fully
two minutes. was being INDUCED in. both
PLAYERS were sinlrly miobbed. and it is
doubtful to say which received the most
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES on account OF
his victory. or Sutton for his stubborn up
hill defense.
In the cpiaion of good iudses. the men.
although belonging to the old and the
new schools. are about Of equal strength.
and 1t is greatly regretted that the cham
pion shin has To be confined to Gre nights
PLAY. That the best Two ont OF three
matches would be q far more accurate
method Of judging the mems real talent
is shown by the fact That il was only aft
er they became accustomed 10 the table
that they began to play in something like
true form.
However. on March 4. in the same hall.
on the same table, ViSnaux and Sutton
will again do battle-this time for the one
shot-in championship. the American be-
ing the present holder of that title. The
conditions will be 800 points for a stake
80 S-rn - $780,