New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-14
BILLIARD SPLIT LIkELYl'
Rule Affecting Tournaments Is
Cause of Trouble.
WAIT POGGEMBURG'S RETURN
Change Wanted in Regulations
Governing Amateur Stand
ing of Players.

Amateur biliardsts appear likely TO split
over the question az TO whether or not the
National Association OF Amateur Billiard
Players shall direct the open tournaments.
Ever since the new rule was promulgated
the first OF this year there has been more
or less seething agitation. Some members
OF the association have openly declared
that they would compete as they pleased,
and in several instances there has been
open rebellion.
II was stated yesterday by an officer OF
one Of the clubs that only the return Of J.
Ferdinand Poggenburg. who has been COM
pcting in the amateur tournament in Paris.
was awaited TO sclidify the forces OF the
opposition. Mr.. Poggenburg is 20 arrive on
the George Washington to-day Than ar
rangements will go forward toward holding
an important meeting the latter part of
this month. at which time the rules pro-
mulgated by the association looking tow
ard the preservation of a high amateur
standard and the protection of amateur
players may be curtailed or completely
nullifed. So far, three stormy sessions
have been held over the matter.
An officer OF the association yesterday
spoke of the work that yas being done az
follows
The plan OF direction adopted. in brief,
required notification to the association Of
all open tournaments, whether held in pub
lice rooms or clubs and a record Of tbs
competitors was put into operation JAM
uary ], 1912. Previous TO that date printed
circulars explaining the rules and their APP
plication were mailed TO players. clubs and
public rooms throughout the country. Adj
verse criticism soon appeared. In this city
Maurice Daily, a roomkeeper Of promi.
nence: George Slosson and several others
declared the association in attempting 10
supervise tournaments held in public rooms
was interfering with the business OF ths
proprietors.
For more than two years members OF ths
association had been of the opinion that the
organization should exert itself in ths d.
rection of tournaments and to prevent sn
intermngllng of semi professionals profess
| SIGNALS and amateurs. It was the general
belief Of members in putting the plan into
operation that the national association.
would relieve the roomkeeper OF a respon-.
sibility and would encourage amateurs be-
cause Of the prestige and the consequent
security which the amateurs would feel in
competing under the sanction OF approval
issued by the association. The opposition
of several roomkeepers came as sur
! prise II was not the intention OF the as
ISOLATION TO interfere with their business.
The matter was an optional one and has SO
| been conducted.
up to the time that the new rules were
put in force interest in the association and
| its tournaments had Jagged. From the
days when Wright and Sigourney journeyed
| from the Pacific Coast TO compete, and
! when tournaments were held In Chicago
and there was rivalry among the cities for
| the national championship, the association
! had dwindled to few members. with the
! interest centred almost entirely in this
city. Whether due TO the new and aggres"
| sive action of the association or not, It's
membership has increased tenfod in the
| last few months Letters from various,
parts of the country have been received
| commencing the plan. The Wisconsin
| Amateur Billiard Association. has become
member upon the application OF It's
president, w. f. Furong, of Milwaukee.
"A number of the rooms Of this city
notably Pauls Riverside Academy and
the Morningside Academy. both in Har-
| lem. have found that the sanction OF
the national association has attracted the
better class of players to the room tourna-
ments. Many of these players have openly
| stated the security they feel under the
present rules. In one of the pocket billiard
tournaments now in progress several en-
trants were eliminated because Of inability
to pass the requirements of the sssocis-
ton.
1T has not been the policy Of the asso-
citation to dictate, nor has It sought 10 do
so. II is optional with the player. club or
roomkeeper as to enrolment in the ASSOC
citation or not. The association through
it's committee is only carrying forward
the work which was voted on three times.
and which is only following the action OF
the governing organizations in other
branches of sport.
The majority OF the members are OF ms
opinion that under a more rigid supervision
more capable players and newer ones VIII
be attracted to the tournaments