Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-24
Boy Bi|liardist Favorite
In Match With Slosson
Willie Hoppe is Expected TO Win Championship
in Forthcoming Match.

pevotee's OF the "sentleman's game"
are On edge 10 anticipation OF the
worlds Championship billiard match
between George Slosson, the student
and Willie Hoppe. the boy wonder"
The contest Is 10 be played In Madison
Square Garden concert hall III New
York on the evening OF March 81 and
II will be the first championship
match played In this country since
1901, when Schsefer won the title.
For weeks past the two players have
bsen getting into condition for ne
champions SHY contest and the practice
work shows that each Is in splendid
form. Both the veteran and the
youngster have a host of ardent ad.
mirers 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. II Is
a significant fact. however. that the
professional experts, almost without
exception, pick hoppe TO win. This
has led to the boy being made a fav-
orite In the betting at odds of 10 10 $.
Tuesdays contest IL 10 be q 500
point game for $500 q side, and the
championship emblem which Hoppe
won from Vignaux in Paris. The
match will be at eighreen.inch balh
line, n shot In.
Thu UNlsnh hos MT ran tod v,rrsS thop
the usual amount Of interest which
centers in a championship contest,
which fact is due largely to the dis.
parity In the ages Of the contestants
and their. years Of experience. Hoppe
is stin under twenty years old. while
Slosson Is over fifty. The latter has
taken part in more than fifty matches
and tournaments. 1t was in October,
1870, that he made his first appear
ance in public. He was beaten by a
player named Denison at the old fonr-
ball game. Through all the ensuing
transitions Of the game he has held
his own, keeping up 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 vignaux. An trip
and poor health upset him in that
tourney. He won the 49, champion.
ship from Schaeffer. Ives, DAILY and
Sutton in 1897, and tied with Barutel
for second money in the ISL tourney
Of 1901.
Hopbe made his formal debut in
public less than five years ago at
Daly's academy in New York. 1t was a
handicap affair at 1872, the other play
ers being Orlando Morningstar, Tom
Gallagher, Edward Mclaughlin and
Ortiz, the Spaniard. The nandicaps
were Hoppe. 200 points; Gallagher.
Mclaughlin and Morningstar, 500
each, and Ortiz. 225. Hoppe Q all
four of mis- games and did not snffer
defeat. in the brief space OF five
years be mas SO advanced in billiard
proficiency that to men from whom
he accepted odds he a give ODDS.
In 1904. in Paris, Hoppe won the
championship Of tine young masters
at the 1872 game. defeating every one
OF his rivals. Barring an exhibition
in which he defeated albert Cutler OF
Boston and a tour with Schaeffer. be
did no public playing again until JAN
nary Is last, when he jumped to the
. chapionship by defeating 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
1887, the games being OF 500 points.
Slosson, with a grand average Of S.S9
and a high run Of 81, was returned
the winper, with four victories to his
credit. Schaefer was second, with
three games won, his grand average