Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-03-27
HOPPE FAYORITE
In BIG MATCH
THE WORLDS CHAMPION Bill
LARD MATCH is CREATING
GREAT INTEREST.

Special TO the Herald.
New York, March 27-Devotees o.
the "gentlemans game" are on edge
in anticipation of the worlds cham
pionship billiard match between Geo
Slosson, the student" and Willie
Hoppe. the boy wonder" The con
test is to be played in Madison
Square Garden concert hall tonight
and it will be the first championship
match played in this country since
1901, when Schaefer won the title.
For weeks past the two players
have been getting into condition for
the championship contest and the
practice work shows that each is in
splendid form. Both the veteran and
the youngster have a host of ardent
admirers who are willing to bet on
the success of their favorite, and a
great amount of money is sure to
change hands on the result of the
game. 1t is significant fact, how
ever that the professional experts,
almost without exception, pick Hoppe
to win. This has led to the boy be-
ing made a favorite in the betting at
odds of 10 to g.
Tonight's contest is 500 point
game for $500 a side, and the cham
pionship emblem, which Hoppe won
from Vignaux in Paris The match
viii be at eighteen-inch balk line, one
shot in.
The match has attracted more
than the usual amount of interest
which centers in a championship
contest, which fact is due largely to
the disparity in the ages of the con-
testants and their years of exper-
fence. Hoppe is still under twenty
years old, while Slosson is over fifty.
The latter has taken part in more
than fifty matches and tournaments.
1t was in December, 1870, that he
made his first appearance in public.
He was beaten by a player named
Dennison at the old four-ball game.
Through all the ensuing transitions
OF the game he has held his own.
keeping up with his end at straight
rail, the champions game, cushion
caroms and the different balk line
distances His last big contest was
in the 1872 championship in Paris in
1903, when he finished last to Cure
Sutton and Vignalx. An ocean trim
and poor health upset him In that
tourney. He won the 1871 champion. |
ship from Schaeffer, Ives. DAILY and
Sutton In 1897, and tied with Barutel
for second money in the 1871 tourney
of 1901
Hoppe made his formal debut In /
public nfe less than i've years ago /
al DAYS Academy in this city. II
was a handicap affair at 1872, the
other players being Orlando Moring
star Tom Gallagher, Edward Nc
Laugniin and Ortiz, the Spaniard.
1ne handicaps were Hoppe, 200
points; Gallagher. Mclaughlin and
---G~N@@-' WV SoNh anu OIltL,
225. Hoppe won all four of his games
and did not suffer defeat In the
prief space of five years he has so
advanced in billiard proficiency that
to men from whom he accepted odds
he can give odds. In 1904, in Paris,
Hoppe won the championship of the
young masters" at the 1872 game.
defeating every one of his rivals.
Barring an exhibition in which he de-
feated Albert Cutler of Boston and a
Jour Win Schaener, ne did no pub
nc playing again until January 10 h
iast' Wnen ne jumped to the cham
plonsnip Dy oeieaung Vignaux, the
celebrated french champion.
The first worlds championship at |
the 1871 style of play was decided In
the Madison Square Garden concert |
hall, from November 20 to December ,
4, 1897, the games being of 500 ,
points. Slosson. with a grand aver.