The Calumet news., 1914-08-20
TO STANDARDIzE
BILLIARDS SOON
English Player Seeks o.0psration
of the American Experts

New York, Aug 20.-Melbourne In
man, the champion English billiard
player, hopes TO get the cooperation
| OF American billiard payers to a
| project to formulate an international
game of billiards by combining the
best features OF both the American
and English games. Inman thinks that
some such standard game could be
| made in which English and American
players could meet on even terms for
an international championship each
year. The match between Inman and
Hoppe, in which both English and
American billiards will he played, will
do much to show whether such a
project is feasible.
The difference between American
and English billiards as they are
played at present is so marked that no
international match between the
champions in the two games has been
held in years. Mr.. lnman believes
that the formulation OF a standard
game to be played the world over
would do much to put billiards in its
proper place among the games Of skill.
I Hoppe Favors Plan.
| Willie Hoppe, the American cham
pion. favors such plan, too, but he
believes that the formulation OF
standard game will be difficult, as both
nations will desire the larger part OF
the new game to be based on their
style OF play.
| The coming series OF matches be-
tween Inman and Hoppe will be the
| first international matches since 1898.
Veteran billiard players who remem-
Der how Frank G. Ives, the American
champion Of that day, defeated John
Roberts, the English champion, in the
| 1898 match will watch with great in
terest to see whether Hoppe can dupli-
| cate that feat. Hoppe will not have
such difficult task, however. mas
much as Inman will be under as big q
handicap in playing the American
game as Hoppe will be under in play
ing the English game. Ives. when he
went to England in 1898, played the
English champion at his own game and
defeated him, 5000 to 1891. The de-
feat was such shock To the English
that since then no American has been
given much encouragement to cross
the water and play them at their own
game. Since then the English game
has developed considerably, however,
and the standard of English play has
been greatly improved.
Matches With Hoppe.
Inman In the present matches
doesn't ask Hoppe to play the English
game. The matches will be for 5000
points apiece, just half OF which will
be played in each game. For instance,
a match will be started under the Eng
lish game, and when a player has OBJ
tanned 5000 points in that game he
will start playing the other game. The
two games are very different and are
played on different tables, and II is
diflcult, even for a marvel like Hoppe.
to change from one to the other. Each
player expects to win al his own game.
and II will be q question Of how we'll
they can do at their opponents game
which will probably decide the match.
The English game is played on a
much larger table than that used for
the American game. The English
table has six pockets, like those on a
pool table. In addition to making the
caroms, points are scored when car
ON Is made and the cue ball is pocket
ed. This play is considered one of the
fine points OF the game.
Both Hoppe and Inman will have
had practically two months practice
at each others game before the match
es start at the Hotel Astor on Sept. rs.
Hoppe is planning to make an In
vasion of England In February, when
he hopes to duplicate the feat Of Ives
in 1893 by defeating the English stars
at their own game. Hoppe has such
wonderful control OF the balls that
American billiard players are confident
that he could master any variety of
the game with a fair amount of prac-
tice.
Inman Is considered almost as much
OF a marvel in England as Hoppe is in
this country. and must be considered
I'm the nature Of a dark horse" until
line can be secured on his play.
Inman believes that Hoppe will find