The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-29

There was talk Of DemaTest turning pro-
fessional, but he says he Is not going TO, and
there has been some conjecture among
billiard followers as to where amateur players
Of sufficient ability TO cope with him will be
found
'Demarest is the strongest amateur play er
ever developed, says one Of bis late COM
p%etitors, and / firmly believe that in the
| course Of a few years he would improve
uficiently 10 be In the class with Hoppe and
the other crack professionals He Is better
to-day than any amateur we ever have had
in this country, and though | never have seen
Rerolle play, ! think he can beat the French
man,
play billiards, his method and position at the
table, is such that there is less strain on him
than on anybody else, even the professionals,
lie invariably makes four preliminary strokes
Of the cue before playing an, around the table
shot, three preliminary strokes when nursing
and two when about to play a masse. There
Is a mechanical ease about his play that moth
ing can disturb. II he has the nerve he ought
to become one Of the greatest Of players.
not been thoroughly tested that | know Of.
Wright IL q high class player, and II he
had not been taken sick the night he was TO
meet Conklin in the final game Of the regular
was too bad he should have been taken sick
lust when he had the championship in his
pocket They were betting > 10 In Chicago
that he'd beat Conklln. Conklin, however, has
improved too, and he always was a splendid
Conkiin has agreed to play in the inter
national amateur tournament az 1872 to be
held In New York IN April, and Demarest is
matter Poggenburg Of this city will COM
pete and Gardner too II the latter's entry Is
necessary 70 make up a field. herole, the
Paris expert, y another who will be ln the
tournament. Speaking Of 1872 one Of the
national tournament players said the other
day: Il have played a good deal OF both IS
and IA inch balk line. and don't see any diff.
ference In the two 30 far as the difficulty OF
them goes. IL seems TO me that one Is as
hard and no harder than the other"
The grand averages made In this years
amateur tournament are interesting In COM
parison with other grand averages made by
amateurs. In 1899 Martin Mullen made a
grand average Of $50 for 1900 points, in 1900
Wilson Foss grand averaged 1894 for 1000
points. n In 1908 Foss grand averaged i2.i g
Tor 500 points. Among the professionals
made an average Of 774l for 1000 points,
Jake also. has q grand average OF 1885 for
200 points at the more difficult game OF 1871,
20 the best amateurs have a good way to
go yet before being on even terms with the
Demarest retained the amateur champion
ship on Friday night by defeating u. G
Wright in Chicago. The score was 400 to
ali week and unable TO do himself Justice.
Demarest made q new record run for a ma
teurs at II inch balk line Of 202. He also
made the big average Of 80 iO-l3.
Had George Sutton defeated Hoppe last
Friday night the chances Won have been
rood for his becoming the permanent owner
Of the present 1872 balk line championship
trophy. To win an emblem outright a player
must hold II for two years, and Sutton had
had uninterrupted possession OF I since
October, 1908. Had he o this time he
probably wouldn't have been called on to
play again before next fall at the earliest.
just how well Hoppe did financially by
winning from Sutton Is a matter known only
here was a big house and he got all u the net
proceeds in addition to $500 he won on the
stake, his victory must have netted him a
tidy sum.