New-York tribune., 1910-12-02
HOPPE TAKES LONG LEAD
Makes Amazing Average in Play
for Billiard Championship.
SMASHES ALL OLD RECORDS
Slosson, Handicapped by Bad
Cold. Faces Hard Fight IN
Second Block.

challenger. George F Slosson. last night by
rno points 10 e0- in TIE first block of their
7s1 hsIk line Billiard match for the worlds
Championship. il she concert hall Of Madi-
son Square Garden Hoppe not only took
commanding lead but he made d new
worlds record with the amazing average
~ g SIS
y must ae taken into consideration, how
ever. that the match is only half com
r7leted and that on the two nights Of the
ri.v the average of the young champion
nav be reduced. Il is noteworthy, how
e--er thar the best championship match
average record is 20.s3. made by Hoppe in
-es. Frank Ives established the best tour
r.anerI record il 1881 by averaging 81
Last night Hoppe surpassed both figures.
Slosson. as the challenger OF the youthful
holder Of both balk line titles. was badly
outraged There is no use glossing over
the eli TOO apparent fact Hoppe was the
master. Not only that. but be is degrees
superior il performance since his last
mate, in This ci+v. He controlled the ivory
globes in q manner that recalled the best
s.avs Of Ives and Schaefe-. His overcoming
Of difficulties was phenomenal
As for SIosson he was hardly up 10 his
hest form. although he made the good av-
e-ase Of i T1-I4. Still. the veteran was
handicapped by severe cold and at times
Il was only too evident that he was far
from being a well man On the whole. his
misses seemed due 10 lack Of proper judg-
ment and in striving TO play too thiniy to
the sides OF the balls. Hopes misses
seemed careless
Among those who sat about the table
we're Robert c. Kamn,erer. Charles Starr.
Edward v. Gardner. national amateur
champion: J Ferdinand PoggenbuTg. ex-
champion: Dr.. G.. A Jennings. Judge Rus
sell. Chalmers Coleman. Cortlandt Palmer.
Wilson p Foss. ex-chanlpion, Alfredo De
orc Tim Flynn. Abraham Bassford, Joseph
Mayer, Philadelphia champion, and many
women, who joined in the applause and
appeared TO un ierstand the finer points OF
T8e game.
The big room was chilly. As the two
players stepped 20 the table 10 begin their
match The head usher looked at the Their
-noueter hung beside IT. shook his head
and hurried away. Ivory billiard balls to
accomplish the best results need a wam
room The head usher knew that Every
little while he came back and took a look
al the tube of mercury. The room. how
s-er remained cold. and the chilled ivory
euFeres upon several occasions displayed
their rebellion n The conditions.
Tcppe won the string for lead by a mar
row margin lie essaye1 10 play the Tegu-
Iation opening too thinly and missed il by
q shadow SlosE0u counted 5. and then IN
assembling the glolyes along The end raj
- failed TO connect with the second object
bal. He had PLAYED = single cushion for
she stot-thc same at which he was tor-
-nerlv 20 deadly. Slosson thought ne
counted. but Albert O Cutler. the referee,
thought otherwise. and Slosson sat down.
) Ia -f7p T.
.1l holder Of the worlds baikIine honors
--spi5Iv ran q c-srroms. He favored the
end rail. which he varied by pretty dead
nsu driving Several times during the run
1,c as-~r77pted close formations, but the
ivor, was not responsive TO delicacy o.
stroke consequently these brief sessions
provided but flashing moments IN a Sc
,luerce Of interesting caTronls- Al q the
.,le ball froze 10 the white Hoppe al
-er7nred 10 draw by q very full Tnasse.
l-sIsffz- ne executes such a play with Ger
7aiu-v This tine he went wide on IL
Tho old champion worked out MS hrS'
double iSure run IN his third inning ne
began from a good leave. and gently roiieo
-ae ivory globes into the centre OF inc
-anle. His bail 70 ball billiards al short
range vas exceptionally good After t"el-
- carroFns Slosson lost the balls In as
senlblfnC them again his twenty-second
count vas the result OF q long draw Shot
.l,spo7allv across the Ia bic for It's len9lA-
7 was q remarkable piece Of cue WORK anu
nc crowd accorded him its measure O. al-
rlause Finally. after 3 carronns' 9io9s'i-
had 10 retire because Of faulty ulaN
around the second object ball
E4gfan,nC with his fourth turn and end
ir- with his ninth, the boyish aPped'il-s
Home simply played II circles 4to'-ii-
Slosso-. The innings tailed runs III
caen~e-46 81. IS -. 25 and 81 me I'la.
.sf -fix splendidIy sustained ef1oTt vas 80
,srrrnas. IN the same space SloSsoh az
crnulafed but 81 and these came 10 iia1' -
for r.rn as 70 accentuate lHe ease u
Heppe's general manipulation
Two things appeared prominently IN 'ne
work Of Hoppe during the progress OF the
runs. IL. excelIed IL quickness Of pefcep-
-:a, and manual execution. Also his con
-ro- a. -17o halls. always holding them De
fore him vas superior TO the method ne
6isrlsva5 II his last great match II TINS
civ II = word. Hoppe has improFec-14'N
sligh.ly. but 1o a marked degree 4oulH'
-er7ner.77ent in accord with the game ai-~
a natural genius for billiards have al e0'l-
b1ned u make Hoppe apparently 14'e mus
1nfshed PLAYER this country has proouceo-
II The first Of these double-nsure runs
-.e va--rc master worked a beautiful nslhs
,llasse 10 free himself from d lineup a. me
loot q the table. Shortly after lie PLAYED q
cushion natural thaL nicely asseltlOieo
TIE globes But the cool room LED 10 bumps
-hat spelled the best laid plans. X was 80
ir this r1n for the ivories lined closely Oh
the cushion. and as Hoppe jiggled q IasSe
He had 10 retire at as The next tiIns Up ne
collected twenty beautiful carronls by close
formation II as many seconds
Right rere was a Schaeferesque toucn 70
hls handling OF cue and balls. Then for i've
counts the young player had 10 resort 10
sqir.r,.rg rounG-the-table carTor-s- AGAIN
ae corralIed them, and by end rail play
ran on 30 s. when ne missed by = thln
E1ot . The cushion. In this same inning
Sosson. as Il inspired by his young oppo-
neur. worked out 4 pretty carroms
Strangely enough. he slipped up on com
larativelv easy cushion carroTn shot tllat
n other and more golden days vas his
forte
Hoppe going along remarkably Wei
lie made use Of either hand with equally
gcod results. and his selection of shots
was perfect. This IN contrast with
siosson. who exhibited faulty judgment al
tines that proved costly.
The old champion improved toward the
snd bis long shots were good az we're
his hits Of short and deft nursing Hoppe