New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-26
FOREIGN AMATEURS N
PLAY BILLIARDS Kk
Morris D. Brown Practie,Ih,
Completed Arrangement m :
Recent Visit to Euroue.
INTEREST EvINCED ABRoAn
Members of French Federatjo
Pleased with Proposal to
Establish Close Relations
with This Country.

MOTIFS ~ bro"n' VINO won the natInr, =,
amateur billiard championship ia N, 81 !.
balkline tournament at the Hanoye, a..
Brooklyn, In 1912, and who, with hls v,..
had been touring in Europe for ~
months. arrived home on Octob., ~
During his stay In Paris he ends.v,...
to promote international contests be,,..-
amateurs.
Speaking Of his trip. Mr.. Brown said ,
was purely for pleasure and that n,
billiard activity was incidental He a.
that as result OF his visit he Is con-.
dent that an international contest anon,
amateurs will soon be arranged R.a.
tive to what he did in the Interests !,
billiards Mr.. Brown said:
Because l am lover OF billiards a.,
was member OF the executive comm,t,..
OF the National Association Of Ama,s.,
Billiard Players, when IL was learned ina,
was going abroad | was asked to call a.
the officials of the French organizatA,
governing amateur billiards and to erst
whatever influence | could bring to bs,,
10 promote international contests Wiz
that end in view | took letter Of lntro.
duction from Charles p. Miller to d.
Brunswick Bake Collender Company,
representative in Paris, and from T.
Kurtz, president of the National Assoc.
alton Of Amateur Billiard Players. h
Jacques Arnous- Riviere, president OF IA,
a
teur de Billiard. g.
'At the beginning Of the year ther
were two claimants TO international cham.
pionshlps-Mortier. in France and Pog.
senburg. in the United States-each hold.
ing a cup as an emblem. In April the
European cup became the personal prop.
erty Of Mortier. That disposed Of one
emblem. The other remained for dispo.
sition.
1T was considered a good idea for me
TO confer with the men in control Of anna.
teur billiards In Europe and to discuss
propositions for harmonious action tina!
would bring about a single authoritative
and recognized international championship
and also to suggest team competitions %
lines similar TO those governing the Daya
Cup In tennis.
AT first my propositions were receive
without much interest. on second r.
terview the Frenchmen became mildly ~.
terested. Finally | met the whole CON
mittee of the federation. When / shows
them a photograph Of the gathering q
men and women who witnessed the gam
between Poggenburg and myself for IL
Metropolitan Cup at the Liederkrsnz the
became enthusiastic over the eyiden'
standing Of amateur billiards IN this coun'
try.
Then I amazed them by telling OF ths
wonderful national tournament al u'
Union League, Philadelphia. last winter
where on the closing night LOCO persoH
were seated in the hall and as many nor
were unable to gain admittance. That
supplemented with a statement OF the or
eanic and financial strength OF our nj
tional association, and my audi'o1
warmed up.
They would not, however. entfrn
any proposition for team contests ING
favored an individual championship, ~
resenting America and Europe. and 70
that the existence OF two internauon
championships or anything that mig
SAVIOR OF friction between the Unis
States and France ought 70 be AVOIDS
Connie de Dreo. speaking for the COMM
tee, said that cordial and harmonious y
lations between the two countries ous'
TO be maintained.
Before ! left them my mission w
practically successful. The president )
Jacques Arnous- Riviere, said: we "a'
TO do Just what you have suggested ~
will make your standard our stsndafa
and will adopt your constitution aha !"
laws and your definition Of an ama'sa'
exactly unless we find in them some 'es'
ure conflicting with our institutions @
ideals.
THE sentiment OF the gentlemen PRIV
ent was that the first tournament ui''e
an international standard should be ne''
in the United States. Comte de Dreo "a
nressed q readiness TO come 10 Amerl1
and play. and was assured that hou'-
who was here in 1912. would be giao
make another visit. II was also son
those gentlemen might be accompanied
representatives OF Germany. Belgium a'
Holland.
"Mortier. who stands alone IN MS Gas
incomparably the best amateur III ru'Vs
NAV be induced to come. but cahho'
considered likely TO do so. lie snr'n'
from travel on water. jacques Arhou
Riviere informed me that in case an :
ternational competition is arranged
had been assured that a suitaoie INV
national trophy will be offered.
What was done was simply informs
new federation. which will take IN
carnations in Germany, Holland s"il''
land. Belgium and France, VIII De Gov
pleted on November Is. at which time
fetal action upon international shS'
will be taken. The gentlemen VINO
members OF the French federation .
sportsmen class and wealth.
Among them are six or seven fine pls'
ers who are retired. and whose en'
pleasure is to play billiards and discu'
the etiquette and methods of the gam
Tbev debate such questions as: rs
courteous 10 play safety? Is 1t wise
keep the balls at one end OF the ta"s
10 open or close play to be preterre',
The rooms in which they play, II no' :
clubs. are semi-public and have the Ve'
best equipment. The public is admiue'
hut only members Of the federation -
the tables.
IT met the professionals Casslsn \.
Adorjan, Vignaux. Cure. Foquet ana ".
len and saw all OF them play. Cassis'..
is a marvellous expert He Is recosn.
as unquestionably the best on tne c',r
tinent. Adorjan ranks next WIN