The Washington times., 1913-10-14
ENGL|SHMAN WANTS
TO MEET CHAMPION
Melbourne Inman Issues a ChaI-
Ienge to American Billiard
ist, Hoppe.

NEW YORK, Oct. A.-Melbourne,
Inman, champion of English billiards,
wishes to arrange a series of matches
with William F. Hoppe, worlds cham
pion of balkline billiards. 1nman pro-
poses three games. on an English table,
on terms similar to those which gov
erned the famous international match
between Frank c. Ives and John Rob
e.ts, PLAYED in London twenty years
ago. Modified conditions governed that
contest. and il was not strictly in ac-
cordance with English championship
rules. The present English champion
wishes to play Hoppe on what he terms
an English table with smaller pock-
cts than the regular size, and balls
larger than the standard for Englsh
championship. Otherwise the rules Of
Billiards Control Club of London to
govern. Upon such conditions he is
ready to make three matches each for
s ,Os0 or upward, to be played in New
York, London, and Paris.
The match between Ives and Rob-
erts was played in Humphreys Hall.
Knightsbridge. London, from May y
10 June ., 1898. 1t was a contest of
6 600 points. played in five days, 600
points each afternoon and evening. The
result was a victory for the American
player by a score of 600 to 3,S2l- Prior
10 that match Roberts, the then British
III.
In England a suggestion that any
American player would have any chance
of defeating him was considered the
height of absurdity. Even in Chicago.
where Ives resided at the time, similar
views prevailed.
Ives Was Confident.
Ives was about the only person in
the world who thought differently.
During q visit TO London he studied
the English game. Then he did some
experimental practice work Finally
he startled the realm OF billiards by
offering to match himself against Rob
erts if the latter would consent to
slight notifications with respect to
the width of pockets and the size of
balls
The regulation English table was
6xI2 inside the rails, and had six pock-
cts measuring four inches at the fall
Of The slate Regulation championship
balls were not less than l-6 nor over
= 3-32 in diameter. Ives proposed TO
have the pockets cut square and
measure 1-2 inches at the fall of the
slate and the balls of IA size. Rob-
erts promptly accepted. After ar
ranging to have a table to practice
on shipped TO Chicago, Ives returned
to the United States.
Back Me" Advice.
When he reached New York he was
advised that he had made a losing
cortra:t In Chicago he was told
tie had given himself an absolutely
impossible task. With that self-re-
lance which was his chief character
lstic to all pess!mistic expressions he
replied. I'll win sure" Ia practice
he applied himself assiduously to rail
and anchor nursing, neither OF which
was a resource of English experts.
no ~ ar
play at which he eXcelled. When he
started back to England TO meet Rob-
erts his advice TO all acquaintances
was, Back me"
match Roberts led and there were
large attendances and great enthUsi-
asm. On the afternoon of the third
day Ives got the anchor position in
eide the lower left pocket. The balls
were not ''jawed." as has been errone-
ousiy asserted. The white object
ball rested against the inside of the
pocket. The red was in contact with
tHe white, but was otherwise free 1t
\ - also close TO the edge of the drop.
Ia that position he scored 2.539. He
E.ayed through three sessions without
of. playing IL, and. besides. want to
show that / can get them back again"
he deliberately broke up the position.
A run of $50 on the fifth day completed
the overthrow of the foremost repre-
sentative of English billiards. After
Ives became the leader in the contest
the attendance diminished. During the
closing sessions his rail and anchor
work was Missed, and he was fire.
quently eXhorted to play billiards.
The match caused radical changes in
the rules of English billiards. The mod
ern English game, of which Inman is
an exponent, places limitations on
scOESs obtainable from specialties. and
conipels varied execution. Hopes
challenger IL not only more versatile
than any of his predecessors. but has
the reputation of being the gamest
match player England has produced.