Omaha daily bee., 1914-04-12
LOOK OUT FOR HENDERSON
New Dark Horse in the Amateur
Billiard World at Chicago.
IS STUDENT OF CoNKL1N's
Makes His Teacher and other stars
Hustle Co Keep Up with Him
During Many stages In
the Game.

CHICAGO, April ll--Look out for viii
liam Henderson!
Who on earth IL William Henderson?
Well, William Henderson is a dark
horse In the amateur billiard world He
Is q member OF the Chicago Board OF
Trade and has been discovered by C..
Frederick Couklln, former national and
international balk line champion.
When Conklin withdrew from the
amateur ranks he. in partnership with
William Burdick opened a billiard room
on jackson boulevard, directly across the
street from the board OF trade. At least
Conklin and Burdlck acquired the room
which had formerly been conducted by
Charles II. Weeghman, president OF the
Chicago Federal League base ball club
And It was here that Conkiin first got
his lamps on william Henderson, the
coming national amateur balk line cham
pion."
SO impressed was Conkiin with the
natural. fine swinging stroke OF Hen
derson that he displayed a keen inter-
est In the grain broker from the start.
Taking him on for game Conklln found
the dark horse a worthy opponent. and
the old champion had to step right along
to beat him. Conklin averaged 0, while
Hendersons clip was a trifie under 8.
From that moment Henderson became
pupil of Conkiin, and an apt one at
that His style needed correcting and he
was a bit shy on his draws and masses
but in general his work was good and he
possessed all the earmRrks OF a cham.
pion.
Makes C0nIxlin HustIe.
! Now Conklin has sometimes TO trave
at a 2O-averRge to beat the newcomer /,
the amateur field and only last weel
Henderson took Charles Fredericks' 'mea
sure in 4OO-polnt game at 1879 balk line
In that contest Henderson averaged is
and had the high run OF the game, a wei
accomplished compilation OF 124.
Henderson, though a man Of 10 years O.
better, has shown such marked improve
ment under the earnest tutelage Of In
former amateur champion. that Conkii,
has persuaded him 10 enter the nationa
tournament next year, feeling that he VIII
have on excellent chance 20 carry off IN
championship. And Conklln Is willing /.
wager a good hat right now that hi
protege will not finish worse than thir,
in the big event OF 1915.
Conklin also thinks that Charles Heder
the Dowagiac, Mich. publisher who wo
the high run prize in the recent tourne
with collection Of 1856 points, which SO
a record for national tournaments, vii
be a contender for championship honor
next year. Conklin says that Hede
played excellently IN spots, but lacked IN
necessary steadiness which comes only O
experience and which he has now game
to fit him for the games In 1915
Conklin must have felt funny when. a
referee. he saw Joe Mayer. who ha
beaten him for the title in 1918. 20 dow
In defeat with an average of somethin
like five in the opening game OF the ma
tional tournament. Mayer was forced I
average twenty to beat Conlslin the yea
previous.
Morris ID. Brown of Brooklyn, amateu
champion OF 1879 and rlinner-up 20 I'd
ward Gardner IN the last New Yor
tournament will visit Chicago late thi
month, at which time Conklin plans t
match him against Henderson as try
out for the clever member OF the Boar
Of Trade.