Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
SCHAEFER FATHER Of
THE BILLIARD GAME
Present Style of Play Was De-
veloped by Him From the Old
Straight-RaiI Play.
Willie Hoppe Has Demonstrated
That He Easily Ranks as the
Coming Champion.

When comes to look over the list
Of the masters of the and what they
have done to place the game OF billiards
upon the plane 1t now occupies. Jake
Schaefer, "the Wizard" is deservedly en-
| titled to first place. slosson. yigneaux.
Sutton, Hoppe. Daily and the late Frank
Ives have in their day electrified the world
! by their brilliant playing. but TO the little
German is due the advancement in the
| style of play.
Starting from the old straight-rail game.
the Wizard" far outclassed other ex-
perts that the six-inch balk line style was
adopted.
This soon became just as easy. and the
| balk was raised until 1t reached the four
| teen-inch, with two shots in, which held
sway for many years.
| Even at this style Schaefer outclassed all
others. until the advent of Ives, who kept
the old champion busy defending his title.
Making Game Harder.
At the ordinary balk line game Ives
soon proved hard man for Schaefer to
| dispose of. Then the wizard perfected
| the anchor play, and for a time drew away
| from his opponent. Ives was not TO be
| shaken off. and he. too, took to the anchor
shot.
With these two great players standing
virtually alone, the anch0r SnOt was DaTfeu
| and the box drawn. which allowed but two
shots In the box, the same as IN ordinary
balk.
Frank Ives death at the early age OF
| thirtyfour years again placed Schaefer at
the top and the balk rods Increased to
| eighteen-inch. two shots in, and recently to
| eighteen, one shot in.
This gave George Slosson chance to
| demonstrate that his ability as master
| with the cue had not waned. II also
| brought to the front George Sutton and
Willie Hoppe. who are looked upon today
| as the real champions.
| Sutton today holds both the 1872 and ISL
championships. the first being won by him
from George Slosson two months ago In
Willie Hoppe. who forfeited the title to
accept q nattering offer in Amsterdam, Hoi-
| land, thus giving no chance for Sutton to
play for the honor after the acceptance OF
| his challenge.
Willie Hopes Career.
Sutton has already been challenged by
Ora Morningstar and Jake Schaefer and
the contests will be played this winter
The career Of Willie Hoppe has been a.
most remarkable one. Not yet twenty
| one years of age. he has demonstrated
| that he easily ranks as the coming cham
pion. His defeat of Maurice Vigneaux
for the 1871 title in Paris last winter
and his victory over Jake Schaefer this
| winter in New York, by the narrow
| margin Of % points in 500, plainly show
that the boy. with youth and ability In
his favor, will soon be in a class by
himself. .''
The boy wonder has years ahead OF
him to improve. while the other experts
lare getting along in the age line and
Twill soon have to drop out In Difference
to Father Time.
| With the passing away of Schaefer,
Siosson. Vigneaux and Sutton there are
no players in sight who compare with
the boy in speed
Thus it can be readily seen that in the
| course of few years Willie Hoppe. If he
| lives. Is bound to- by his wonderful abil-.
| ity. stand alone the undisputed champion.
pion
1t may be that Hoppe has reached his
limit as player. but this is hardly La
| BILE, his Improvement has been con-
| sistent and rapid that followers of the
game place no limit upon his possible
.ities.
| have chance to become competitors OF
| Hoppe--Harry Cline, Bert Cutler Of Bos-
| ton and Ora Morningstar of New York.
The other shoftstops, Ned Mclaughlin.
Thomas Gallagher and AL Taylor. will
never graduate from the class they are
| now IN.
! Harry Cline has great possibilities, ss
he has all the natural advantages that
go toward making mark In the billiard
| world. -....,
| He has q perfect stroke fine con-
| ough student and has improved to such
an extent that he Is already accredited
| to be the premier player In the short
| stop class.
| Bert Cutler is an erratic player, some
times showing flashes of true champion
| ship billiards. and then again falling Off
| to ordinary form.
In practice Morningstar is a wonder.
| but in nearly all his match games he
has displayed poor form He may be
able to overcome this fault. and II he
does he will make foeman worthy Of
| more than passing consideration for first
class honors.
| Upon these three players shoulders
| rests the rather heavy task of giving
| Willie Hoppe q chase for premier honors
| In the billiard whirl
or the old champions only four are
| alive today-Schaefer, Slosson, Vigneaux
and GARNER. Dudley Kavanaugh, Frank
c. Ives. Joseph and Cyril Dion, A. p.
| Rondophe, William Sexton, John Derey.
| John McDevitt and Eugene Parker have
| all passed over the great beyond.