New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-16
HOPPE YIELDS
WIZARDS CUE
In BEATING JAP
Starts Off in Big Handicap
Billiard Tourney with
an Easy Victory.
BY FRED HAWTHORNE.

William F. Hoppe. balkline champion
billiard player of the world, defeated
Koji Yamada, Of Japan, last night in
the opening round robin match Of the
first national handicap billiard tourna-
ment at 1872 balklins by a score OF 500
points 10 49 in six innings. The
japanese had a handicap Of l25 points,
making his total score l6s points.
The match was played in the concert
hall of the New York Theatre Build
ing before a crowd that taxed the ca
pacity of the house, and after it was
all over and little Yamsda was sadly
putting away his cue one Of the spec
tators voiced the prevailing opinion Of
the crowd when he said: THE only
way any other fellow will ever have q
chance at beating Willie at balkline
will be when they tie one OF Hopes
feet TO the chair, so that ne can't
reach the table"
Running out his string for an aver
age Of SO 90. Hoppe gave as brilliant
an exhibition in every department Of
the game as has been seen in this city
for several years. For the most part
he dazzled the spectators by wonderful
close billiards, weaving the worries In
and out of balk with deftness OF
touch that left little TO be desired.
At other times, as though to vary
the monotony Of the performance, the
champion sent the balls cannonading
around the table. only 10 bring them
together again In any position he de-
sired. Three and four cushion shots,
difficult draw shots and masses that
fairly sparkled with brilliancy, rippled
continuously from Hopes cue, espe-
cially in the first two innings. when he
clicked off runs of 1872 and 278 points.
respectively, for total OF 4l0 points.
Such were the hopes raised by
Hopes work in his first two turns at
the table that there was general
feeling of disappointment that he did
not complete his string in two innings
He might just as well have done 1t. for
both the shots on which he missed
were comparatively simple cushion
draws.
After failing on his 279th shot, In
the second inning, Hoppe seemed TO
lose his touch for space, getting only
10 points in the third and blank in
the fourth, when Yamada left the balls
widely scattered. The nth yielded the
champion is points, and then he ran
out with an uncompleted string OF o9
points. ~,
George Sutton, George Slosson, We'll
ker Cochran and Joseph Mayer, who
make IN the field OF six players COM
netting In the tournament, were among
the spectators last night when hoppe
ran away from Yamada, and each ana
every one seemed visibly impressed by
what they saw.
]. Ferdinand Poggenburg, former ma
tional and international amateur cham-
MON At 1872 balk line, introduced the
players of the night and gave brief
history of professional handicap tour
naments in this country. Two such al
fairs were held in 1890 and one IN
1898. he said. at different forms Of balk
line. and il had become necessary TO
resort to the handicaps again, princi-
pallv because Of Hopes unbeatable
skill a. the game.
The rule against smoking proved
magnet for the women, many belng
scattered through the audience. IA
mazda won the bank and started OIL
bravelv enough, but after getting run
of he failed on draw shot, leaving
linn 1870 points ahead of Hoppe. The
latter hogan ut once TO pull down MS
opponents lead, taking the balls
around the table as he clicked on the
points with wonderful speed. when
George Moore, the referee, announced
that Hoppe had scored l3l points, put
ting him In the lead, there was an out
burst ~ applause, but after scoring
one more Willie ended his run.
Yamada seemed awed by the cham
pion's display and played with an ut
ter lack Of confidence, getting Ia points
In the second and 20 points in the
fourth inning, his best efforts. a..
The tournament will continue this
afternoon, Mayer 1925 points, meeting
young Cochran (l25 points,. and to-
nioht George Sutton (iO0) and Slosson
(o7bA will NAV