Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
AGE DOESN'T FIGURE
IN BILLIARD PLAY
Interesting Letter From Willie
Hoppe on the FasCinat-
ing Game.
BY Willie Hoppe

BY Willie hoppe.
Few things have afforded me more
( amusement than the varying opinions of
billiard enthusiasts as TO my age. At a
time when I wore kniCkerbockcrs and
/ long stockings l played game OF bill
j lizards that many a man who was
voter could not duplicate and tie Inn
preston seems 10 have been created that
/ / was dressed iii a manner to give tie
appearance OF yollthfulness. So far as l
| personally was concerned. was more
! than anxious to don trousers. IN which
| respect 1 did not differ from all other
/ boys
Nevertheless MANY persons Who saw
me PLAY reached the conclusion that
/ was considerably older than the family
! Bible indicated. and in many instances
| the doubling Thomases were willing and
ready to back their opinions with cold
/ cash
| An instance of this occurred when l
was meeting all corners at 1872 balklne
| billiards TO Isl in the academy of Cat
/ ton q Greene In Chicago. At this time
+ l was but twelve years OF age. and
/ was playing a very stiff game. The first
night of my appearance at the academy
/ stop of considera Die ability.
! Some of the spectators We're 50 conf
! dent that Saylor would beat me that they
/ wagerei heavily on the result. Many OF
! them were sorely disappointed with my
| easy victory, and one of the losers, who
! had dropped a large roll. was clearly dis
grunted Somebody made the remarh
! that il was a remarkable performance
for a boy of twelve to beat a seasoned
! veteran like Saylor-
T boy of twelve, eh?" queried the loser.
with an incredulous look; why, that kid
/ will never see eighteen again"
! Il think you are mistaken. said my
father. who was standing near the
/ stranger The latter was unacquainted
/ .'Nn hat do you know about 1t? You see,
! I know the facts | know the whole
! Hoppe family like book. Why, | have
/ known Willie since he was knee high TO
! a grasshopper. and his father and mother
are warm personal friends of mine. Why.
I | used to live at the same hotel with
them. and many a game of pool have /
played with Frank Hoppe Why. | know
! every one of the children, and when j
saw Willie is eighteen l am ready to bet
1 on it.
! My father never even cracked a smile,
/ but Billy Cation. who was standing near,
! said t. the stranger:
/ We'll. just to settle the point, / will
| bet you 500 that Willie is not eighteen.
We'll. Cation" said the stranger. 'of
course you may have some inside infor-
nation. but l will wager that the boy is
sixteen.
You are on said Cation.
| This scared the stranger a bit, and the
/ best he would do was to bet the wine and
cigars for all present that l was
thirteen.
| who will decide the bet?" asked the
stranger
| "Willie's father, of course said Cat
| ton.
But where can we find him." asked
| the stranger.
| Well. you have been talking with him
| for half an hour replied Cation, with
a chuckle.
| Realizing that he had been thoroughly
vanquished, the stranger paid the wager
and retired as gracefully as possible.
| One of the interesting things about the
game of billiards is the fact that 1t can
| be played well by youth or age. No
doubt, a man increases in age ne
loses much Of the keenness Of vision that
is so necessary TO successful play, but
| unless a younger opponent pos esses
great steadiness the experience OF the
elder man may give him the advant lge.
When l played Maurice VignauX for the
ISL balk-line billiard championship In
Paris in 1906 he was nearing the sixty
mark, while / was but eighteen years old.
| played very strongly. and had l been
easily discouraged he would have &. ne
ahead and won but the bet er he played
the harder l worked, and soon teo ok the
lead away from him. The great French
man played fine game right to the fin
ish is proven by the average. Maybe
it was my youth and keen eye that en-
ab!ed me to win, but Vignaux played
desperately to the last shot. and had l
been lacking in either techn que or cour-
age I never would have won that game.
/, naturally. was very pleased with my
victory over world-famed a billiard
player as Maurice Vignaux. but I would
have been much more gratified had the
play been of three nights duration and
100 points. However, he as the chai-
enged champion of course set the condi-A
tons and l had no recourse bu- to comply
with them. But the result Of that match
gave conclusive proof that a man OF ad
vanced years and a youth in his teens
can beth play the great game Of billiards
with the highest quality Of skill and with
the greatest courage
There are few other forms OF contest.
in which the keenness of eye and plla-
bility of muscle are required, that would
admit Of competition between persons OF
such contrasting years.
| question if in the history of billiards
three such notable competitions as those
decided during the past week have ever
The three might match between Cham
pion Thomas Houston of st. Louis, Mo-.
and Challenger Jerome keough of Roches-
ter. n. Y, for the pool championship.
held in New York.
The three-night match between Cham
pion Calvin Demarest of Chicago and
Challenger Harry Cline of Philadelphia,
Pa, for the 1872 balk-line billiard cham
pionship title, held in Chicago.
Also the three-night match at 1872 balk
line billiards, between Ora Morningstar
of New York. former champion. and my
self in Pittsburg, which indicates clearly
the wide and diversified interest in the
game all over the country.
The pool championship match, which
by the way was the first game for the
title held in New York city for many
years, attracted great deal Of attention
and gave decided impetus to that style
Of game in New York.
The attendance was very fattering to
the contestants and indicates that the
interest in that form of billiards is now
on a solid basis.
Houston and Keough are unquestiona-
bly, the leading opponents of that style of
play since De Orc went into the three
cushion camp, and their work was high
ly appreciated by the enthusiasts.
The Demarest-Cline match in Chicago,
while technically for the 1872 balk-line
title, was really an elimination contest.
the same as that between Morningstar
and myself. and the winners should meet
in a contest for the real championship at
that style of play.
Since NornnpSfar and mySeIf have re-