The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-01-24
by PAUL II. BRUsKE.

A pool match was In progress AT an
east side "parlor." The room cham
pion, friend OF all, was one or the
competitors. and he was naturally
hot favorite with the crowd that
hemmed in the players. Every move
he made was the sign OF riotous ap-
prevail or sorrowful coincidence. Every
shot OF his opponent was greeted with
frenzied boots.
But the room champion was getting
worsted In spite of It. The visitor
kept clicking them OF. quietly. dog
gediy, accurately. The game came 10
an end with the visitor an easy win
per. The proprietor advanced and
handed the victor a small roll OF bills
the purse and the sum OF the small
side bet up on the match.
The winner turned TO the crowd and
spoke for the first time. He was well
worth q look or two. A big man,
dressed Electrically, with white vest
and q big $40 gold piece dangling from
his watch chain, and he spoke TO the
point.
Gentlemen" he said. II came here
tonight to play our friend, but ! won't
necessarily stop there. Is there any
body else in the house who would
ike To play mel Some OF you were
making a lot OF noise a while ago
bold as lions, and saying couldn't
play pool. Now"--fiashing a roll-'Fll
play any OF you. $50 to 100 balls Tor
$25."
No reply was made by the crowd.
'rll play any OF you ten or no
count"
Still the crowd kept its peace.
well. make 1t Is or no counts NO?
twenty-five or no count, and that Is
something better than a professional
camel"
Still there was no answer.
deliberately the gentleman pushed
his cue into his case. donned high
silk hat and departed. The man was
prof" Lou j. Laubscher.~ and the
scene was typical Of those that hap
pen almost nightly in some room IN
Detroit. Nor was the professor" blum
ing. Had anyone called" Laubscher
would have come across with his coin
and woe to the man who gagged the
visiting experts ability on the per
Torrance he had given In the match
game, More often than not the first
was only a clever stall"
Laubscher has been in Detroit four
years. and has set a record never be
fore attained by any pool expert he
has made the pool rooms OF the city
yield him and his family living, and
good one. all that time. Visiting
experts come and go. but Laubscher
sticks. And the big coin remains a
conspicuous part of his frontispiece.
How does he do lit
Well. Laubscher himself admits that
II IN as much triumph Of diplomacy
as skill. Quite a number Of men can
be, found In Detroit who can say they
have beaten Laubscher. Only a
mighty few are there who can truth
fully affirm they have beaten the pro
lessor" for the money. And he has
met them all on their own tables and
with their own rooters making the
rafturs rfrfe. Haabscher stalls" In
large share of his matches. He has
been known to stall" twice TO man
before the latter could be induced TO
come through with wager. And
then? Draw the curtain.
let the heather rage: get the
coin" is Laubscher's motto.
The trick OF keeping the general
public steadfast in the belief that. at
straight pool, Laubscher Is only
mediocre Is the secret OF the PRO
fessor's" long stay in our midst
But this Is by no means the whole
secret. There are undoubtedly num-
Der of outside experts who can beat
Laubscher at straight pool. Right
here in Detroit Il is doubtful matter
as TO whether the professor" has II
on az least one player-Freddie Wood.
OF the Griswold house--though Laub-
scher is willing to play the latter on
a neutral table for the money ut any
time. II Is at fancy shots that Laub-
scher is locally in class by himself.
In fact, IL is a doubtful matter IL he
has a superior In the world at that
style OF play.
There is at present no fancy-shot
pool champion, though Lew Shaw IL
generally conceded this title in bil-
liards.
Shaw visited Detroit recently and
claimed. the title at both billiards and
pool. The day following the publicar