Evening journal., 1914-07-24
WILMINGTON IN THE
BILLIARD LEAGUE
Match Game Here Will
Bring Best OF the Artists
Together
EXPECT HOPPE TO
GIVE EXHIBITION

Wilmington has just been granted
a franchise in the new Champion Bill
lizard Players League.
This means that the famous cue
artists of the world are to be seen
here during the season in exhibition
matches and championship games.
The first match is to be played about
the first week in October and other
matches will follow at intervals Of
several weeks until all of the cham
pions have played contests in this
city.
A new era in the ivory ball game
has been inaugurated by the league.
Nine of the most famous players of
the world have been banded together
under the management of Burton
Mank for an extended tour of this
country. The primary object of the
league is the general advancement of
the game and to furnish champion
ship matches by the real champions
to the smaller cities, that is, cities
other than New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Boston, ST. Louis and Pitts
burgh.
With the organizing of the league
il is the first time in the history of
the game that any such aggregation
of talent has been combined for anus
ing the public or displaying the Won
derful technique that is required for
establishing high runs and playing
the game as these champions can.
The remarkable feature of the league
Is the fact that every member has at
one time been worlds champion with
the exception of Jake Schaefer, who
at this time is displaying such form
as to indicate that before he arrives
at the age of twenty-one he will have
shared the honors of having been a
worlds champion.
The members of the league are
Willie Hoppe, Calvin Demarest. Kojl
famada, George Slosson, Ora Morn
ingstar, George Sutton, Harry Cline,
Albert Cutler and Jake Schaefer.
The league was organized for the
express purpose of touring the United
States In such cities as have here
tofore had no opportunity of witness
ing championship matches or exhi-
y
ers. They will travel in teams and
play exhibitions in 15O cities. All OF
the champions will appear in those
cities that are accepted for the league
during the season. which is seven
months, commencing October 1. and
continuing until April 80. The teams
will appear six weeks apart. Those
interested in the enterprise are maxi
ing arrangements for a large a.
vertising campaign. by bill posting
the cities extensively with handsome
three and eight sheet lithograph
posters. also advertising in the local
papers literally. In fact they will
follow the same methods pursued in
the theatrical business.
Burton Mank. president and man
Rger Of the league, has made a thor
OuRh canvass as to what cities would
doubtless be most interested and
learned that the small cities averag-
ing fifteen to seventy-five thousand
would offer more liberal patronage
owing to the fact that the champions
have never been seen in cities OF
that size.
In addition to giving the exhibit
tions. arrangements have ben made
10 hold eight championship matches
between the players of the league in
eight different cities, a championship
game to be held every month, which
will doubtless create quite an inter
est throughout the United States.
Although all the champions are as
ISOLATED in the league. these cham
pionship matches will be played witt
just as much rivalry as heretofore
as it is a known fact that the bill
Hard players can be friendly wher
not playing, but the moment they steI
to the table to play billiards and theil
regulations are at stake. they cease
| TO be on friendly terms.
Large sums of money are being ex
pended by those backing this enter
prise and from the general outlool
at this time the venture should prov,
a phenomenal success, as the names
of all the players in the league arr
we'll known throughout the countr!
and should draw large houses. owinl
| TO the popular prices that will b.
charged. Theatrical people vii
doubtless watch this venture yer,
closely. as IL will no doubt prove
counter attraction to that of thl
show business.
Burton Mank. president OF tn
league has decided on Wilmington 70
a franchise and the billiard fans viii
doubtless welcome this news an
anxiously await the arrival Of thes
celebrated cue experts.