El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-09
Copyright 1915 by National News
\


Bureau.)
TN the days when Americans were
exercising themselves by twisting
Il the lions tail Jake Schaeffer jour
neyed to Paris where for several weeks
ne engaged in exhibition contests with
Maurice VignauX. the French billiard
expert To Paris also went another
American, Frank Ives, who played at a
rival academy and defeated all Corners
with the exception of Schaeffer and
NlgnauX whom he did not meet there.
Ihls was in 1892 and followed Ives's
victory over both Schaeffer and Slos-
son for the IA inch baIk line chamDion-
snip OF the United States. In return
ing from Paris, Ives passed through
London, and there met John Roberts,
the English champion, to whom he
proposed championship match. As
l nave before remarked this was dur
ing the days when lion batting was
popular sport on this side and it is re-
ported that Roberts received Ives none
too cOurteously
In spite of this frigidity of reception,
however, the meeting eventuated into
an international match which left 4
lot of hard feelings between the de-
voices of the game of billiards in Eng
land and America, and, besides being
the most spectacular international
cue Faatch in which an American ever
engaged, resulted in the transference
British pounds sterling with which the
compatriots of Roberts backed his
chances of beating the American
Had the Confidence.
Ives had supreme confidence in his
ability to win over Roberts, who was
the idol of all England and the son of
champion billiardist even at the
English game, but being a shrewd bar
game, he slipped over trick
which gave him a tremendous advant-
age and which it was necessary for him
to use to insure victory, as it turned
out Hence the bad international feel
Ing over the match and the caustic
comment of the British press, which
conceded that Ives was truly enough
the victory but prOfessed to despise
the methods by which he won.
At the time when Ives called on
Roberts in London, there did not seem
TO be chance in the world for the
arrangement Of a match. To begin
with, Roberts is said to have patron.
lied the American to such an extent
that Ives could have been excused if
he had taken Offense. This is more
or less hearsay, but the greatest OBJ
stacle seemed to be the arrangement
OF method by which the English
game of billiards, which was played
on a table with pockets, as it is today,
could be compromised with the French
game, which was played in America
and at which Ives was particularly
expert.
Arranging the Game.
At the first meeting there seemed to
be no way to arrange a game at which
the men could meet on anything like
even terms. While Ives was conscious
enough of his own ability, he was not
disposed to cOncede too much, especial
~ as no billiard match was of much
account in those days unless there was
a big side bet and the American did
not care to take a chance with the
the matter at several meetings, Rob
erts holding alOOf and Ives arguing
that a compromise could be arranged,
but the way out of the dilemma did
not appear and Ives finally sailed for
America convinced that a match with
the Britain was not possible.
These days were not only days of
twisting the lions tail, but were the
days of the academies when wealthy
spOrtsmen were accustomed to play
their cue fayOrites much as they later
learned to back their favOrites on the
race courses and even on the football
fields. Ives returned to New York,
where he played for a while and then
went on to the Chicago academies
where he resumed the effots which
were abandoned when he Ventured into
the foreign fields.
Seed Bears Fruit.
The seed he had sOwn in London,
however, was destined to bear fruit.
Roberts thought over the proposal Of
Ives for some time, and being nothing
if not thrifty, concluded to swallow
his distaste for the American and make
what money there was to be made out
OF the match. So in 1893 Roberts dis