New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-12
HOPPE WINS HIS MATCH.
Defeats Cline in Tourney for
Billiards Title.
MORNINGSTAR A VICTOR
George Slosson Goes Down
Before Rival After Stub
born Resistance.

winners last night at the opening OF the
1872 balkline tournament for the cham
pionship Of the world on the two tables
set UP in the beIvedere on the roof of the
Hotel Aston For the first time in the
history OF the game the matches were
decided simultaneously: Hoppe defeated
Harry r. Cline by a score OF 500 points
to 1870 and with an average of II 1914 and
a hight run Of III. Cline fell to an
average Of 1913 and his best run was
25. The other match proved bitter bat
tie before Morningstar defeated George
Slosson by a score Of 800 points to iIi,
with an average of II 2i-34 and high run
of GO; Slosson made the high run of the
night. 40. by wonderful open table play.
Both of the matches were spoiled by
the falling of tiny bugs. seeds and pollen
from the withered foliage and floral deco
rations OF the roof garden Enclosure.
Thousands Of insects fell upon the tables.
When crushed under the rolling worries
and the cue they ooZed OIL which caused
innumerable miscues. Like burrs, the
bugs and seeds stuck to the cloth of the
not be cleaned off Harry Cline said II
was like trying to play billiards over d
lot Of golf bunkers At any rate, it was
condition which had never been met
with before in the game. II was some
thing the like Of which billiard players
had never before known. The experts oX-
amined the cloths. stained and crusted
with the mess. after the match, and de-
Clared new cloths would have to be
stretched on the tables for to-days con-
tests. The foliage and every vestige of
decoration was removed at midnight after
the games
Slosson played a heartbreaking match
with his young rival Morningstar The
veteran piled up a long lead with run
of 40 on his thirteenth turn at the table.
1t contained more than the usual. num-
Der Of sparkling ball TO ball and cushion
carroms before Slosson retired, following
the miss of daring single cushion shot
at a difficult angle. MOrnngstar retail
ated with runs of 81 and 4S. BY steady
Accommodations and bigger clusters OF 90
and 50, the last i'm the twentieth inning
Morningstar took the lead by scant
margin as the tally stood at 3i6 to Sii
Then the real battle began. Both
welded the cue cleverly. and Morning
star took plenty Of time for his shots.
There was little close billiards, but the
open table shooting was spectacular BY
a tremendous effort Morningstar collect
ed 60 as the reward of his twenty-eighth
inning Then. when within ten of the
end he slumped badly, Slosson threaten
ing TO overhaul him. He finally closed
his string with run OF s. which contained
nervy draw shot that just connected,
and the veteran was beaten In the great
est uphill fight of the night.
Willie Hoppe and Harry Cline were the
first TO open the championships. The seats
about the table at their end were filled
with an enthusiastic crowd. while scant
handful of spectators witnessed the be-
ginning of the match between Slosson and
Ora Morningstar. The tide shifted later
when the veteran Slosson began TO put to-
gether masterful collections Of carroms
for big runs.
After winning the bank, Hoppe cracked
goose eggs on his first three turns at the
table Cline managed 10 get direct
carrom in his second inning and ten In his
third The versatile youngster steaded on
his fourth attempt He began counting
and put in a great masse shot 10 the bank
as he started what promised to be run.
After Il he retired, however, by playing
too gently 2-cushion shot
Hoppe had gained control a this early
stage and put together an impressive
collection of 81 as his fifth contribution.
Dead ball drives predominated during
this session, and the huency Of the
youthful players stroke kept the crowd
applauding the shots.
Cline just plodded along. lie missed
comparatively easy cushion and draw
shots lie finally blamed IT on his cue
tip and changed, but the results were
the same. The easy, graceful stroke Of
Hoppe reached its height in the eleventh
inning, in which he reeled off III before
retiring on his carelessness of fouling
the ball with his cue as he set himself
for the shot Hoppe favored the ends
of the table during this run, and he
rang all the changes on the masse shots,
to the delight Of the crowd. At "a he
narrowly missed disaster, as the cue ball
only connected with the carrom as 1t
travelled along the short rail because OF
a bit Of twisting english Hoppe had
distanced cline. for at the end Of this
inning the score stood 800 to Sc.
Then, lacking the inspiration Of con-
test. Hoppe let down. Cline. on his part,
worked out some skyrocket carroms
on his fifteenth turn. AS he went
ear .S,rav an a 'crOgs-tabie shot after
collecting %, Cline asked Hoppe If he
would consent to having the table
brushed. The pollen. small insects and
the dust of the withered foliage from
the leftover summers decorations over
head had fallen upon the table and 80
covered II as TO make playing largely a
matter OF luck 1t could easily be seen
from a distance that the balls were COW
cred with dirt collected as they rolled.
Hoppe, with the advantage of big lead,
refused TO allow the brush to clear the
table, so the two pegged away at skittles
for a while. for close manipulation was
impossible.
IL was comic and tragic by turns ana
completely spoiled the ending OF the
match, although Hoppe finally ran out In
his forty-hfth inning 1t was brave bit
OF cue welding.
Two matches will be decided Tonight
George Sutton meeting Al Taylor ana
Calvin Demarest meeting kodJi famada'
~. Tapapaco avperf