Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-16
WILLIE HOPPE TELLS
NOTABLE INCIDENTS
Nearly Drank Strychnine
While Playing vignaux for
Billiard Championship.
By Willie Hoppe.

with Maurice VignauX, the great French
player. which took place In Paris in 1906.
On that occasion | was temporarily I'M
nerved by narrow escape from taking
a drink from a pitcher in which the aged
Partisan kept water tinctured with
strychnine with the object of strengthen
ing his heart action I had observed that
my opponent frequently poured water out
Of a pitcher into a glass and drank 1t
sparingly. and SO when about the middle
OF the contest my throat became dry.
walked up to the stand on which the
pitcher stood and started to pour out a
glass fun Mrs. NignauX, WHO was sit
ting close 10 the table. arose. and selz-
ing my hand, said. eXcitedly:
NO. no, no. Eet ees not for You. Ne
streechnine ees for Maureese." l fell
back into my chair with establishment.
and 1t was some minutes before I was
able to order an attendant to bring a
pitcher of ice water minus Strychnine
Had taken a drink Of the strychnine
favored water ii undoubtedly would have
made me so nervous | would have been
unable to play with effect. I felt very
f. ateful to Nine. NiGnauN for warning
me in time for went along and won
handily, in spite Of tho stimulating effect
of. the strychnine on the Frenchman. At
the time OF that match l was hut g ght-
cen years old while my opponent was
most formidable players in the world.
| question If any billiard match ever
had larger representation Of the titled
class than that between NignauX and
myself. Nearly every oniooker was a
duke or marquis, and the referee was
count
vas riding down town on an elevated
aft
who sat near me. after regarding me at
tentively FOR some time. finally said:
Isn't this Mr.. Demarest, the billiard
PLAYER"
That isn't my name. although ! play
But he is the great professional play
err he added.
Yes. ! know him" said I; lin fact.
have played with him.
rs that so? Did you get shot?
..Oh, yes, several of them
Il suppose he played balk line to your
straigh, rail?"
NO. / played ISL to his 14o and I
won
Never was more serious in my life
why, who are you?"
MY name Is Hoppe"
Willie Hopper"
That's it
"Oh, glad 10 have met YOU, said the
next station.
Frequent announcements appear In the
public press in reference to the manage
nlent of my billiard affairs First one
IAN and then another is said to be my
manager and the inference created that
am a very changeable person. In order
10 set at rest all these misleading re-
ports I desire to have it understood that
! have no manager and that I attend TO
my own affairs. TrtR 1 get valuable s
sistance from my father and brother and
selected by me as manager. and when 1t
comes to the settlement Of important
questions | am the one who decides.
/ have a pretty good idea as to what
want to do and what is best for me,
and I think l have made few mistakes.
X x
One of the most interesting things in
billiards is to watch the mannerisms and
peculiarities OF the contestants. Each
has some distinctive oddity of demeanor
during play and as / have met all the
great ones in match and tournament,
have had an excellent opportunity TO
study them Several of the players re-
sort to devices calculated to discomfort
an opponent and these are Unanswered
in a way to escape the notice of the av
erage onloOker.
For example, Vignaux, after missing a
shot would look fixedly at the ball for
perhaps ten seconds, standing close to the
table the while. and preventing his OPP
ponent from playing. Then, backing
slowly away from the table, with his
eve still on the ball. and an expression
of extreme surprise on his face. he would
finally sit down. His object was to an
noy his opponent and give the spectators
the idea that his failure 10 count was
due to an accident.
Ia Schapfar also pnnOlOyad similar
tactics. with some variations. When Jake
missed a shot ne would stand stock still.
with an incredulous smile on his face.
while he contemplatlvely scratched his
head He seemed to be in a reverie till
the other player nudged him out of the
way.
Schaefer had scheme he always tried.
with view OF breaking up. a long run
by his opponent. He would jump up
briskly. file his cue and bnmp the tip on
the floor. If the man he was playing
was any way unsteady it would have the
effect Of bringing the run to close.
x \
Many a promising run has been stopped
by the failure OF the player to get the
balls out of balk, and as there is much
confusion as TO what constitutes in
and out" of balk. l will offer an ex-
panation The chief trouble seems TO
be when the ball is on the line. and this
was exemplified in the recent tournament
in New York. when Slosson and Referee
Mc(iraW had a warm dispute. According
10 the rules a ball lying with its center
exactly on the line is in balk. In real
ity IL is half in and half out but
as il is as fair for one player as another
il is the hest solution of the problem.
If the public thoroughly understood this
point there would not be so much I'M
warranted criticism.
! !, + 4
1t is now nearly three years since l
played a set match. and in view of the
general belief that an expert in any
branch of sport who is out OF competition
for any length of time loses his form.
there may be some who think that / Will
not have my accustomed stroke and skill.
/ will set alarm at rest by stating that
although | have not had tournament or
match play, yet | have practiced asstdu-
ously during the time | was at variance
with the promoters. Billiards is different
from other branches of sport in that pro-
ficiency does not depend on muscular
strength or speed. Clearness or vision,
steadiness Of nerve, precision and dehcacy
Of stroke are the requisites. and these l
have The fact that men of middle age
have played in championship form Illus
trates forcibly the difference between
billiards and other pastimes.
| am practicing daily in the warerooms
of the Brunswick Balke-Collender Com
pany and | am confident ! will be in
good form for my match with Mr.. Morn
inestar in Pittsburg early next month.
and also for my 1871 match with Sutton
in Chicago in March.
II is not generally known that Ora
Morningstar in addition TO playing first
class game of billiards is also painter
of 10 mean ability. Morningstar has TAX