New-York tribune., 1912-02-21
POGCENBORG wins TITLE
Defeats ConkIin in Play-Of OF
the Billiard Tie.
HANDLES CUE LIKE WIZARD
Makes Average Of Twenty II
Capturing the international
Championship.


vii Ferdinand Poggenburg last nsh'
go ,ba tie for first place and won the
,rternationaI amateur 1s.2 halkline billai"
,bampionship title The veteran OF nun
dred big matches and tournaments sur
nassed himself lie smothored his old rival
cherries F Conklin, Of Chicago, by score
81 zoo points 10 ls1. and wrcstcd the inter
national honors from him in one Oh inc
greatest Of amateur billiard battles.
More than that. Poggenburg displayed
roatcbless skin. so that he finished with an
average of 90 to the delight of the crowd oil
spectators who sat about the table in the
Grand ballroom OF the Liederkranz. 5sth
street and Park avenue. He took revenge
for the defeat which Conklin administered
the previous night, so as to necessitate the
play off OF the tie for the title.
ont Of his twenty turns at the table PoS-
genburg counted in double figures no less
man fourteen times. His high runs were
20. n and AZ. Conkln played slightly De-
low his usual speed, to an average OF ll-~V'
with high runs of 81, % and =.
The contest was a fitting climax 10 IN.
third international championship tourna-
ment Each has been won by an AmeH-
can. and Poggenburg's name follows those
of Calvin Demarest and Charles r. Cohk-
lin on the honor roll Poggenburg not only
becomes the holder Of the title and cuf.
but also wins the high single average prize
not for the game Of last night, when Is
outside of the tournament SERIES but ty
his average of 16, made against Dr. Leonl-
das l.. Mial last Thursday night.
Conklin takes second prize, and also the
high run for his cluster of 80 against Pog-
eenburg in the last of the regular tourna
ment competitions. Joseph Mayer the
Philadelphia champion, earned third prlze'
Edouard ROudil. the French player m
ished fourth; Edward w. Gardner hfth'
and DR. Mial. sixth.
The most gratifying thing about the VIC
tory TO Poggenburg, so ne stated after the
match, was the fact that it probably would
result in his journeying to Paris to repre-
sent this nation in the coming champion
ship tournament of Europe, which will be
held in April. Unless something unfore-
seen intervened. he said, he certainly would
be among the competitors for what IS re-
garded as one of the foremost amateur
billiard titles in tho world, and one which
has never been won by an American.
1t was the contrast of certainty and un-
certainty, the difference between conf
dence and a lack of control which Pog-
genburg and Conklln afforded last night,
At all times Poggenburg maneuvred
skilfully for position. There was a fleXi-
binty TO his stroke and touch which at
once caused the ivories to act responsively.
Then his use Of English was far above the
ordinary. It seemed at times, and was
freely commented upon by Edward w.
Gardner Morris d. Brown, the new Class
A champion, and others, that Poggenburg
appeared TO be playing up to professional
standards. 1t was rare, indeed, that he
played the wrong shot,
The score of the final game follows:
j. Ferdinand Poggenburg spot bal2-24, 0. |
21. l. ~. Total, 400 points; average, 20; high
runs, 20. so ana AZ.
3atiss ~ Is l. IS 0 s. an "t 2a o. 25, 81 iS
Total, 191 points; average 9ll-2o; high runs
81, IS and 81.
Referee-Thomas J. Gallagher
Joseph Mayer the Philadelphia champion,
won the third prize in the afternoon. In
The short matches OF 200 points each he de-
deated both Edward W. Gardner the
Class A champion of 1910 and Edouard
Roudil. the French amateur, who holds the
championship of Europe.
In the first Of the competitions yesterday
Mayer played somewhat uncertain billiards,
but finished his string of 200 points, leav-
ing Gardner at 1S2. Mayors average was
e2-22. with high runs of Il, so and IA. The
run OF II was splendid exhibition of def
line nursing, in which Mayer held the
ivories closely punched throughout the inn
ing. Gardner's average was 14-21, and his
best runs were 81, q and q.
Then. in the next game, Mayer took on
Roudii, and defeated him by the score OF
200 points to 1S9. In this contest the two
men played billiards Of an interesting open
table nature. the Frenchman always threat
enlng and holding a lead for a portion OF
the time. Mayors average was 10 fat,
with high runs of 56. As and 81. Roudil av-
eraged 9 s-20, and his best runs were Ss,
81 and 25.
BY the most amazing lot Of safety Gard
ner introduced a comedy element in the
third game He only emphasized the skill
of the Frenchman as q hard shot player
AS for his own score he literally punctu-
ated Il with zeros. so that Roudil won
by the score of 200 points to 80. Roudils
average was 1926. and his high runs were
73, IS and 10. Gardners average was 24-z1
with high runs of 45, % and IL.
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