New-York tribune., 1912-01-30
FIRST GAME FOR MAYER
Defeats Collins in Opening Ma
tionaI Billiard Tourney.
FoSS ILL AND RETIRES
Seven Competitors Left to Fight
for Glass A Laurels at
Hanover Club.

EN the narrow lndIElH W wv i
sepb Mayer. the Philadelphia Champion
last night won the opening match Oh 'he
National Amateur Glass a 1872 oalkhne
billiard tournament at the Hanover Ciuo'
Prooklyn The Phnodelphian had his nerve
with him when he took his place at the
,sbIo for the last time and he put TO-
eotber a run If % that made it possible
for him 10 defeat Percy Collins the
voutbrul Chicagoan, by a score OF 4W
points 10 39S II was the sort of finish that
held the crowd spelbound as the bahs
clicked for the last few counts. Then When
II WAS over there was a roar Of cheers ana
applause. for Mayer had trailed his oppo-
nent for the better part Of the game.
During the opening innings Mayer
nlayed brilliantly Then when Collins
passed him the cueing became tactical with
plenty Of safety. which pulled down the
winning average to 43-51 and high runs
Of 40, 3S and 33. Collins had shade the
hest Of the average. with 1870 and high
runs Of AS Sc and "a.
II WAS the debut Of the ChicagOan in
rremier tournament once he caught his
stroke he played rapidly and freely lie
was as daring as Mayer, but appeared to be
given to rolling the ivory globes too widely
The impression prevailed that he will show
to better advantage as the tournament pro-
eresges and Is likely to finish high in the
list Of seven competitors.
Colonel Andrew d. Baird the president
NJ the club. welcomed the players and the
guests in a neat speech. Harry f. Mollen-
hauer. the chairman OF the tournament
committee. then announced that Wilson +.
Foss the former national champion. bad
been con,peIed to retire because OF neurius
In his left arm. This reduces the field OF
contestants TO seven and will shorten the
schedule to twenty-one games.
Everybody leaned forward to see Collins
bring off a pretty three-cushion shot for his
first tallv Then he played a number of
direct carroms and led the ivories toward
the head of the table. At this stage the
welding Of the willow on the part OF the
Cbicagoan was rather heavy handed lie
kept the balls rolling more widely than the
occasion demanded, for the room was
sitting hot and the sensitive ivory globes
rolled perfectly Collins worked out eleven
as his first contribution and then retired by
widely missing a two-cushion shot in at
tempting to play to the side Of the second
object ball
That Mayors tournament experience has
removed that Irepidation from which the
newcomers suffer was evident as ne
stepped 10 the table for his next turn The
Philadelphian opened with a daring two
cushion draw. for which he smeared the
n cue ball with reverse english. Mayer made
3I good and clever use Of english throughout
n the match. Often he solved some Of the
most puzzling position problems by the
combination of cushion and twist, to the
delight of many of the billiard lovers. At
this second turn at the table also Mayer
sent the balls spinning in a deXtrously
worked masse for the 18th count and re-
peated for the 2Oth He clicked off the
csrroms far more rapidly than Collins at
this stage. and his short shots in which
he deadened the cue ball allowed him to
play better position and more closely than
his opponent. Strangely enough It was a
comparatively easy half masse shot which
Mayer missed TO terminate his second in
ming at q.
How close Mayer was disposed to ma
n9uvre the ivories became evident in the
fourth inning. when he codXed them down
TO the end rail and in a too delicate ma
nRuvre failed to get the spheres out OF
anchor and so had TO give way to Col
Inns, who was only getting a few each
time by what seemed more like skittles
than halkline. Even when Mayer left Col
Inns a promising set-up, as he did at the
end Of the eighth inning. the Chicago boy
seemingly could not make the most OF his
opportunities, and he was falling behind.
Each time he went TO the table the
Philadelphian was successful in collecting
the worries after a few shots. He had
brought them into the right hand corner
square at the foot Of the table by three
carroms in the ninth inning, when he tried
another bit Of deft line play. Tom Gal
lagher. the veteran, who acted as referee,
nosed over the fourth tally and then sur
prised Mayer by declaring not out. The
Philadelphian thought differently but Gal
lagher stood by the decision, so Collins
went TO the table and after four easy ones
bungled a follow so that Mayer became
the recipient Of perfect leave in the cor
ner from which he reeled off 20 before he
fouled in attempting flying masse from
freeze. Mayer, with all of his good work,
was having more than his share OF hard
luck, and he was again the victim I'm the
next inning when. with the globes rolling
nicely his cue seemed TO slip under the cue
ball as he played q follow shot. with the
result that he gave up his place to Collins.
The Chicago player had gradually been
overcoming his halting and heavy style.
and, with a run of 36 on his thirteenth
turn at the table, he took the lead, as the
score stood l03 to SS During this run Col
Inns clicked of the carroms freely and at
tained to the rapidity with which Mayer
had played In the earlier innings His
eighteenth count was a difficult masse in
which he sent the cue ball curling around
bad lineup. At the 2sth count ne
scratched on a long follow that did
not have legs enough OF It's own to con-
meet but which allowed him to continue
by a kiss.
When once Collins began TO forge ahead
Mayer gave him a taste of safety. This
had the effect of breaking up the work Of
the two competitors during the latter part
of the game. Still, the younger player
pluckily worked for the counts, and
thought off a number of brilliant open
table shots Within two OF the match Col.
Ins missed on a cushion shot. Then 1t was
that Mayer pulled himself together, and by
clever and certain man9uvring counted
the run OF % that gained him the victory.
The scores follow:
Joseph Mayer (white ball)--1, q. O. TO- /. g.
I. 10. g. 90, II, - o, ., !, J. Q, 3, !, 40. o.
4, 80 rs, O. z, o Is o 4: O. l. T. 10. s.
total. 400 points; average, 1851; high
runs. 40. IS and 80.
Percy Collins spot bal)--t1. 6, G, o. ., ., 5, T.