Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-28
Willie HOPPE
BEST CUE NAN
OF Them ALL
Associated Pressl

line billiardist and the greatest the
world has ever seen" So answers
Tom Foley, who has seen them all 60
by and has studied their game, to the
statement credited to Maurice DAILY,
New York billiardist. in a Brooklyn
newspaper not lcng ago.
The statement had to do with
Days commendation CT Frank Ives,
his comparison of Ives with Hoppe
10 the detriment of Hoppe. since DAILY
considered Ives the greatest billiard.
list and far superior to Hoppe at his
present glory.
"Daly makes the remark, says Mr..
Foley, that Hoppe plays with no
methods, but depends upon wealth OF
execution and his resourcefulness.
Is Supreme at All Angles.
aThat Is the truth, for the youthful
champion does not play or follow any
system. He is supreme In any mo
ment and Is able to play the balls
from any position, using long drives,
which DAILY remarks at and says Ives
never would use because he feared
them, and that Hoppe made the long
drives 10 times oftener than Ives ever
did.
"a little comparison with baseball
will illustrate my opinion Of Hopes
use of the long table shots You have
seen Iris Speaker or some other mas
ter outfielder whip them In to catch
a runner at the plate Not many out
fielders can do this When some OF
them try 1t they fall absolutely flat.
1t is much easier to throw a man out
at the plate from second base than II
is from center field--but the fellow
who can throw them out from the out
garden . considered wonder, Is hi
not?
See the point?
Hoppe is the iris Speaker Of bill
lizards en- these long shots, and he
whips them out at the plate every
time. T have never seen him miss on
one of those shots.
Hoppe Master Of All Shots.
There is not shot upon q billiard
table that Ives ever made that Hoppe
cannot make and with better success
than Ives did. There Is not dead
ball, ball to ball or cushion play that
Hoppe does not excel in executing.
IN every point Of -naist Ion play Hoppe
is superior to Ives. He goes the best
way for a play, long or short shot,
and is equally good at either. Ives
feared the long shots because he could
not play them. Hoppe does not have
to wriggle and work around to get
position as Ives would.
Hoppe has wonderful judgment
of force and his finesse IS marvellous,
to say the least. His concentration, a
Point that DAILY emphasizes in favor
of Ives, Is shown every moment of a
match. You don't see him missing
He couldn't do the great
things he goes greater than any.
thing I have ever seen Ives perform
wonderful concentration.
Remembers Plays After Game.
Hoppe appears nots to be interest
ed in match when playing. That
may be a pose or merely his natural
attitude. Anyhow, he can recount yir-
tually every shot OF contest long
after it has become cold. That Is con-
centratioH to nice degree.
Getting back to system talk Ives
played system, as nearly all bill.
liardists do, and he was undoubtedly
strong with that system while it
worked. When the system failed,
when things went wrong with his
plans of play. with the scheme OF
things he had schooled himself to
follow, Ives was crippled. Hoppe is
not dependent upon any system and
never is crippled.
There never was any system de
vised for balk line billiards, or any
other, that would cover a whole table,
and balk line billiard match is not
confined to any one section OF the
table by any means.
Ives was about 80 years old when
he died. Hoppe is now only % and
be has shown better billiards than
Ives.
Champion Holds Big Average.
DAILY remarks that the only time
Ives ever played 1872 billiards he av-
eraged so in 600 points. Those spec
tators at the second 500 point match
between Hoppe and Sutton here few
weeks ago for the championship. be
tOEc the tli-SIdI tOuEuaIU0uL, TcllSlIl-
Der when Hoppe averaged 1854 in
al points
lives draw was good It was as
coed as any ever shown; his spread
shot was even better. But, and am
merely stating facts. not making com
PARSONS, Hoppe does not miss any
Of those draws or spread shots Ives,
never could play cushion shots. He
desired to keep the balls graded and
avoid the cushions as like a pest
Hoppe says he is going our after the
.hree cushion championship and. be-
tween you and me and the corner cop
per, he plays cushions well enough to
get it.
DAILY says ives was careful, solid
and accurate. correct theoretically
ind practically. We'll. - sum Il all
Up. ! would say Hops IS all tie good
Kings DAILY says about Ives and q
OF more He embraces all the good
points in balk line style. He plays
bfinks and draws. l0ng
'hots and short shots plays them al
IS the occasion demands, not as