New-York tribune., 1912-02-08
HOPPE HOLDS CUE TITLE
Defeats Sutton by a Wide Mar
gin at Hotel AStor.
MAKES TWO MASSIVE RUNS
Match for Worlds Champion
ship at 1872 Draws Crowd
of Billiard Lovers.

William +. Hoppe successfully defended
his holding of the worlds 1872 balkline bill
lard championship title last night. For the
second time i'm less than three months ne
defeated George Sutton, OF Chicago MS
challenger. The score was 800 points 10 ~.
The two met at table in the grand pail
room of the Hotel AstoT and the scene was
one which has never been rivalled at
billiard match in this country. 1t served TO
send Hoppe along at his most masterfui
gait. for he finished with an average OF
% III and high runs of 96. IS and an i'm
pressive unfinished run of rs with which he
completed his string Sutton's average was
16 SIT, and his best runs were 67, 30 and a"
At all times Hoppe demonstrated that ne
stands easily as the master Of American
billiards to-day. His open table play, es-
pecially when number Of intricate cush-
ions were required. was lawless. Then he
is closely approaching to that phenomenal
method Of dropping on the second object
ball, which in other days caused the late
Jacob Schaeffer to stand invinciblc.
Hoppe was often delicacy itself when lie
softly sent the cue ball rolling to the sec
ond object ball 10 touch it with a gauzy
Carrom. His one fault seemed to lie in his
propensity to jiggle his cue when making
doubtful shot. Several times this caused
him to miss. but he was far superior TO
Sutton, who failed TO show any speed
whatever
II was remarkable asscmblagc that sat
about the table. In the boxes were clabo-
ratcly gowned women. and the scene was
that of a brilliant society function rather
than a billiard match. This effect was en-
phaSzed by the tinklc OF soft music from
the adjoining palm garden room. As Tod
Coles, the veteran announcer, remarked in
introducing the players, the charm Of the
situation marked a new era in billiards
Even in Paris. so long regarded as the
capital of the game there had never been
anything equal to the setting afforded. 1t
indicated that the leadership in another
sport universal to the world had crossed the
Atlantic Ocean and found a place in
America.
Hoppe was the first 10 enter the room,
and Sutton followed in few moments.
Both were literally applauded. Sutton was
tie winner Of the bank for lead and after
spinning the balls with his fingers he
chose the white. After counting the rcgu-
'cross-table carrom and gave way to Hoppe.
The latter brought the globes to the foot
of the table in three shots. The champion,
however, was inclined to shave the sides
thnly. and after a dozen deft cushion shots
at close quarters he, too, went astray on
single cushion shot across the table.
Hoppe was in perfect stroke and this
was shown during the early innings, as he
executed his draw shots. The easy swing
Of his cue and the hawless manner in
which the ball turned backward proclaimed
him 10 be easy in mind as 10 the outcome.
Steadily the youthful champion drew
ahead, and a pleasing feature was the
rapidity with which each collected the car
roms
The portly challenger was the first to
hang up zero as Hoppe left the worries
safely when he returned from the table
after a run Of Sc for his third turn. This
cluster carried the champion past the first
hundred mark, as the tally stood at 105 to
ca. After Sutton's miss Hoppe enlivened
The contest by picking of the counts by
rather open play His eighteenth count
was a smashing five-cushion drive, so as TO
get the balls at top of the table on the
short rail. His twenty-fourth count was
a daring mass6 to the cushion. Then he
played direct carrom of inches. following
Immediately with another. At this Harry
Cline, the referee, declared Not out 10
the evident bewildermen Of Hoppe. APP
parently the latter had miscalCulatcd the
carroms in the corner square.
There was a quiet dispute for n moment
while Cline explained the sequence Of the
shots to Hoppe. Then the champion re-
tired. and sutton reclcd off a run of 67 that
contained some pretty nursing and tenn
porarily put him in the lead at 1&l TO 1S0.
After the first burst Of the opening inn
ings had subsided the two players lapsed
into a streak that was both uncventful and
unremunerativc. Strictly so in the latter
sense, as one Of the Wall Street bankers
present was heard TO remark that the
carroms were worth exactly s. each. ac-
cording to the market value Of the purse
for which they were competing.
Hoppe was the first 10 break the spell.
Sutton had left him fair sct-up as he
came to the table for his eleventh turn.
BY some pretty deadbaI driving Hoppe
soon had the spheres rolling smoothly along
tho rails He led them 10 and fro. up and
down the length Of the table. under
fcatheTy touch The counts came rapidly
so rapidly that the big crowd sat silent and
spolbOund, as If fearing to disturb the
murmuring click of the worries. Finally the
globes came to a lineup a the foot Of the
table and in the centre panel. Hoppe
fiddled over a masse for some time and
when he did let go muffed the shot com
pletely. He had put together a run Of 95,
however, and when, two innings later, he
repeated with So the crowd accorded him
a full measure OF applause.
william T. Hoppe spot talD-l2 ~, 3s ~. 3,
o, 80, l, 4, o. 0G, IA, IS, 2 46 ,. rs; total.
800 points average, 20 Ill; high runs, 90,
IS and rs
George sutton (white balD--l 10. AZ, o, G7, o, o.
q, /, o. ~ SO. >, o. 3, 80 II; total, $50
points; average, 10 sly; high runs. ", 30
rs aIu - ,y.r, u CI,ro 10 phua5a,rht