The Washington herald., 1906-10-14
SCHAEFER STILL A WIZARD
Despite His Twisted Hands, He Con-
tines to Play Great Game.
Cracker Box In His Fathers Hall
and Played His First Game.

New York. Oct 13-The good people OF
Leavenworth, Kans.. saw little future in
the boy with the black eyes who used 10
climb on the billiard tables and annoy the
srown-up players. He asked too many
questions Many Of them were puzzlers.
and that IL itself annoyed the town ex-
rerts.
Little Jake kept nagging, however. until
one day old man Schaefer, who owned the
billiard han. picked out nice. light cue
and. handing IT to the proud and persist
=Bt boy OF ten, said;
Now. take this cue. Jake. go down 20
that end table. play till you get your fill.
and quit bothcring these customers with
questions"
That was enough for little Jake Schae-
.er securing q cracker box which would
make him high enough to get on q Ievei
with the balls. he went 10 work.
He couldn't STOP his questions, for ther9
were things he just had to know.
"Oh. father, yelled Jake from his table,
IF, 1 put English on the right side Of my
hall and then hit the red ball. which way
will the red ball run after II strikes the
cushions?'
that, 50 the boy had to work it out alone.
And h did That same boy became such
an adept with the three ivory balls that
in later years the game had to be
changed 10 make it harder for him TO
play.
On Tuesday this hoy, who is now lit
tie wizea-fsced man Of fifty-One years,
/ while practicing at the McGraw-Slosn
billiard rooms for his match with Willie
Hoppe here in New York, ran 10s points
at lS.1-inch balk line and completed the
game with an average OF 5
If he were permitted TO play the game
rs ordinary players 'straight-rair' it
| is caIled-he could make points until he
= as tired. He has been known TO run
| 3.0o0 at that kind of a game, and then
could have made more.
At the age of eighteen Schaefer had be-
come the marvel of Leavenworth, and he
/ got his first glimpse of the great outside
world when he went to Eureka Nev., and
defeated Tom kTaher for the champion
| ship by a score of GO to 1S7.
After that Schaefer acquired the sobri-
duet OF The Wizard and toured the
world, defeating everybody. TO the great
pride Of those same "grown-up folks he
had annoyed in Leavenworth-
Schaefer's skill now is even more mar
yelOus than when he astonished the world
as boy.
With both hands broken and his fingers
twisted into grewsome shapes he still
maintains his right 10 the sobriquet OF
Wizard
When he was thrown from a Chicago
street car by rufianly conductor some
years ago. it was thought his billiard
days were done. Both hands were broken
and the first joint of one forefnger had 10
be amputated The little finger on one
hand was also bent double, so that It can
never be Strengthened. and his right wrist
was badly gnarled and twisted.
The street car company gave him SZ,0tJ
and he then started out 70 learn the Dii-
lard game over again He succeeded ad-
mirably but soon thereafter came 10 New
York TO play a match with Slosson, and
fell down a flight Of stairs. again break
ing his already MANNED wrist
Still undaunted. this piucky little man
came to the front again, and is now IN
New York. ready to play Willie Hoppe
for the title of champion of the world 1T
IS-inch balk line. one shot in the baik-
Schaefer is showing remarkably well in
his practice. and his friends believe he
1 has chance though naturally Hoppe
! has the advantage Of youth and strength
/ on his side.
| The most remarkable game Schaefer
/ ever played was dSdillSl Jbllii McCltdi y
/ OF san Francisco. in 1880. The game was
/ for 5000 points straight rail. with q wager
of $3.50 a side Schaefer discounted Nc
/ CIearv; that is. he agreed to take Off one
/ point every time McCleaTy made one.
| NcCIeary made 10 points in two innings.
and then Schaefer began. The Wizard
got the balls on the rail and ran l.000
points The game was resumed the next
/ might. and Schaefer ran 1,000 more The
! following evening McCleary sat in the gal
/ lcry without having a shot. and saw his
/ opponent run out the other 1000 and COM
/ DIete the game