The sun., 1908-12-27
BILLIARD SHARKS ARRFREER
SOME LEFT, HOWEVER, AND
THEY'RE PRETTY SMOOTH.

/ THEY'RE FhETTH SMVOThs
Roem Keepers Have Their Eye Peeled 70
Them and Went Stand fer The1
TFicl6s-Used to FlouFish In the Csun
try Towns-CleveF with the. Csc
The Billiard shark is fungous growtl
from the game Of cue and ivories vhici
\ while not extinct doesn't flourish as 4
onoe did. Reputable room keepers arr
constantly on the watch to keep out ane
suppress this pariah Of the game, 'ano
nowadays billiard players Of skill arc sc
well known that 1t is hard for that anal
proportion OF them who would turn thell
ability % questionable uses to avoid being
spotted were they to try TO do any shark
ing. The room keeper aims to protect his
patrons. and - the big majority Of players
themselves are genuine sportsmen the
shark is more or less OF an ostracized
individual who finds his wits and resource
fulness put 10 the test TO do much lucrative
business.
-From 1875 to 1885 was the period when
the billiard shark fourished most said
Tom Gallagher, the veteran cueist, the
other day. HE was numerous In country
towns. but that was before the days OF
fast cushions. The sharks Of the country
towns could play good enough game
on the slow cushions to put their skill
to profit. but now the good players are
found only In the cities. and there are
few sharks because the room keepers
won't stand for them.
ne, htut, a oaxnox 4 havn txavoIlarl
q great deal and seen a good many Of
these sharks. More than once they used
TO try to inveigle me into game. thinking
me mark for their wiles. but always
made 1t point to tell everybody played
with who was and what my speed was
on the billiard table. and they weren't
likely to want q game with me with the
idea of trimming me for my money when
they learned who 1 was.
"Once. however. ran against fellow
up in Canada who proposed q game with
me. and when / told him my name he
seemed to think was blufing. Well. we
played and played. and he was easy both
at billiards and pin pool, which latter he
said was his game after he had lost nu-
merous games OF billiards to me. Before
we played he was surs he could beat me,
no matter who l was, but during the
night no appeared to undergo change
OF heart. for met him on the street the
next day and he hailed me;
Hey. Gallagher. know who you
are now. wish you would come to
the billiard room and teach me how to
make a mass ahot!" .-
The billiard shark ia clever, ingenious
and inventive says Maurice DAILY He
is always trying 10 invent schemes where
by he can work, victims for their money
He has nothing but his brain TO start
with, except his billiard skill, and that
with him ia not a gift to be enjoyed in
normal way or to bring him legitimate
living, but only means to an end. He's
got to be intelligent to converse with and
gain the confidence OF the men he intends
victimizing, has to dress well and 20 to
the places where the money is He is
ostracized by all but his fellow sharks,
and he knows that the room keepers who
are conducting places Of tho proper sort
are all against him and are looking out
for him.
"In some ways he 10 much brighter
man than those he is out 20 skin. He
talks we'll. has pleasing manner and has
other attributes necessary to gain the
confidence Of people. Billiards with him
frequently is simply to lead up to some
other means Of defraudine a victim.
Maybe after few games, during which he
has ingratiated himself into the good
graces of his new acquaintance, hs will
suggest a stroll and seeking diversion in
some other way. You may be sure he's
posted on all matters on which men make
bets and likely az not he'll know what the
decision will be. The bet will be
decided his way.
Hes a parasite, but resourosful. He
works ON the confidence, the credulity and
often the self-oonceit of those he feeds
on. New sharks pop up now and then.
and to these the old artists who aren't
allowed in the billiard rooms will furnish
a description OF some man whom they
think will prove an apt victim. They
will make 1t q point to locate that man,
find him in a billiard room or set about
with patience and ingenuity to strike up
an acquaintance with him somehow.
Once his confidence 10 gained it 10 easy for
them to have him playing billiards. Bet
ting small amounts at first, maybe start
ng In with bet Of cigars or drinks, but
leading the victim on to where
The amount bet 10 large enough for them
70 play their game In earnest and Of course
win the money.
Sometimes the sharks are playing a
game together. They play well enough
70 attract the attention OF some unknow-
ing outsider. and when the moment 10
ripe one OF them sidles up TO the on
locker and innofently observes that
This man thinks he can beat me- The
outsider becomes more interested, ac-
1uaintance develops and the victim !
doesn't mind making bet that his new
will win. He loses as mat !
Ter of course. There have been cases OF |
room keepers sending out men to follow
men whom they suspected Of working |
his game and seeing item split the
money.
aIf the room keeper suspects q man is
, shark he watches his stroke, and he can
,oon tell how good q game he 10 capable
IF. Then 1t is part Of the room keepers
,lan to ask the probable victim II he pro-
posed the game. II the answer Is no,
he other man is watched all the
more closely. II necessary, We warn
iim and tell him not TO play for money.
There are two things that won't mix. and
hey are gambling and billiards, We
,ave to be careful In introducing q
stranger In o billiard room, and II We
Ind out that he wants to play for money |
/ sharp watch 10 kept on him.
"One weakness Of the victim In favor
u the shark. by which the latter can pull
IN his tricks, 10 the mania OF the former
a ret his mopey back. After he has won