The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-15
One Time Holder of 1872 Champion.
ship Regains Health and Will
Challenge Hoppe for
Match Game.
AVERAGE RECORD HIGH
Held 1872 Balk Line Average Record
Of 100 FIat-Beaten Repeated
ly In Recent
Years.
Special to The Gate City.l


CHICAGO, Oct 15.-In spite Of
q long string of defeats within the
last few years during which time he
has striven manfully to regain his
lost 1871 and 1872 balk line billiard
titles, George Sutton, the Chicago vet
eran soon will be ready for another
assault on William Hoppe of New
York, holder of both worlds cham
pionship emblems.
No challenge has oficially been
made to Hoppe by Sutton and George
may have to wait until the champion
has crossed cues with Slosson, Morn
lngstar, Demarest, Yamada or possibly
one of the French masters before get
Ing his chance, but he will be taken
ON by Hoppe in due time and when
the two clash Sutton intends to be
In prime condition for the engage.
ment. That he will need be none
familiar with the wondrous skill of
Hoppe will deny.
Though it may not be generally
known, the real reason for Sutton's
Indifferent showing in the last few
years has been ill health. From a
worlds champion and holder of the
1872 balk line average record of 100
I fiat the big fellow fell sudG,snly to the
ranks of the Elk" or "would-be"
champs where he has steadfastly
remained though a persistent chal-
lenger for the title and the highest
honors Of the game.
Sutton proudly points to 1907 when
before his system broke down and he
became afflicted with a malady akin
to diabetes he beat Slosson, Hoppe,
Morningstar, the late jacob Schaefer
aDd Hoppe again, all in one year. A
.50.' average at 1872 was moth g for
George in those days though he has
been repeatedly beaten when seeking
the 1872 crown with %" Or there
ahouts.
Sutton, however, is again a well
man. For more than three years he
had adhered to strict diet and this,
together with the benefits derived
from drinking the mineral water on
his farm in Michigan has completely
restored his health. His nerves are
strong and his eyes and complexion
clear while he has regained his lost
weight entirely.
This summer while not working in
the fields Or doing chores around the
barnyard, Sutton has been practicing
hard across the lake Those who have
seen him in action declare he is going
great guns and that he is reeling off
big runs and averages, just like the
Sutton of old.
But George has one fault and 1t is
bad one that may keep him from
the championship many more moons
If It is not corrected. He insists on
practicing alone prior to big match
and 1t is not in the records where
billardist, boxer tennis player or any
other particular expert ever won a
championship by employing such a
training method Sutton must heed
the advice Of his friends in the future
and choose real opponent one his
equal, such as Calvin Demarest or
George Slosson for series of games
before he can hope to defeat a gen.
eral like Hoppe In match play.
Sutton was almost well last winter
4 and as result showed some fine
flashes of form. In fact he care with.
in very few points of winning the
1871 title, then held by Ora Morning.
star, at Pittsburgh and lost with an
average of better than "15" which
was going some in match play at the
open style of game
But you have got to give it tic
George for trying and who knows that
his persistency may not be rewarded
during the coming championship a
son?