New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-12
Slow, Deliberate Play
Wins Him Class A 1872
Balkline Championship.
"WlGGLE" AVERAGE II
KEEPS BROWN GOLD"
Hamilton Club Man Got Lead i'm
Twentieth Inning, but
Lost II.
BY FRED HAWTHORNE

Edward ". Gardners utter disregard
OF newspaper ethics at the Arion
Billiard Club Friday night. when no
defeated Morris ID. Brown for the ma
tional amateur Class A lS2-bslkline
billiard title, prevented full and COM
plete report OF his victory being duly
recorded IN yesterdays morning news
papers.
The hour for FIRST editions came and
went, and Gardner rocked not. Tho
presses heaved ana strained under tho
rush of the second editions, yet tho
Arlon Society veteran nGdled on, with
his cue, while time burned. Just
before a. m. yesterday Gardner
ran out his final point. and the war
correspondents in the press trenches
made a concerted rush Tor the tele-
phone and caught their third editions.
Gardner lIved up To all expectations
in the hnal game tor the championship.
He was generally expected TO defeat
Brown, and he did. In 1914, when
Gardner and the Hamilton Club player
were the hnalists. the battle lasted for
almost five hours: 80 dad the one on
FRIDAY night, and OF that time tho
new title holder consumed fully three
hours by mis- deliberate, exasperating
me IN DDS.
The veteran played well and got out
of many tight situations by his abll-
ity 10 corral the worries when faced by
difficult llne-ups. but his triumph WAS
largely gained by physical endurance.
for his tactics finally wore the stall
wart Brown down 20 a mere shadow,
and the latter was IN such a state OF
mind that he lost all command OF his
cue at times. but even then Gardner
showed no meS~.
Sitting Just back Of the press stand
was Brooklynite, hence Brown
rooter. who was counting 20 himself
in a low voice. every time Gardner
went 20 the table. Twenty, twenty
one, twenty-five. twenty-three." We
heard him say. and our curiosity WAS
finally sufficiently aroused TO ask him
the reason for his actionN
"Why, don't you get it?' he replied.
"Im counting the number OF times he
wiggles that cue every time before he
makes his shot. I've been keeping
tabs on him now for thirty-one innings
and his average Is just II Tor eacn
point"
That started US along the same
trail, and we found all the Brooklyn
fan said WAS true Gardner, u seems,
must be an incipient golfer, one OK
those who take twenty or thirty pre-
liminary "wiggles" on the tee before
letting the drive 20 Everybody IN
the audience began 90 lean forward
in the seats after time. In the hope
Il 81
going 10 hit the ball every time ne
advanced his cue.
II was really painful 20 watch ana
frightfully wearing on the nerves, but
Gardner allowed no feelings OF pity 70
SWAY him, and never made The stroke
until he was certain the time was ripe.
Brown bore up well under thls
gruelling treatment for while ana
actually forged into the lead m the
twentieth inning, when he got the bshs
near the foot of the table and rattlea
off the points at what seemed msrvei,
lous speed. Several times he found
the worries lined up, but each time no
got by the trouble by brilliant masse
shots A single cushion draw cut snort
the run. and, with the exception OF the
.wentv-siSth and twenty-seventh Inn
ings when he ran % and 81, Brown
had a long succession OF misses.
Gardners tactics were beginning 70
tell. He kept Brown in his seat for
such long periods by his studied SLOW
ness Of play that the Brooklyn player
was "cold" when he went 20 the tapie
and could not take advantage OF the
few set-ups that came ms way "he
the other failed 20 negotiate some Oh
his skiifully planned safety shots.
In the last six or seven inhihs'
Brown managed 20 cut down ms OF
ponent's long lead, until ne was QUIZ
az points behind, but Gardner nsd
talon the cunning out Of the Hamilton
Club mans cue by his crafty tactics
and after a brilliant cluster Of - car
rons in the forty-eighth inning, brown
sank back into his seat. In the mex.
three frames he could only clck on
one point, and Gardner completed MS
string with an unfinished run OF IL
giving him the title. -
The main thing IL 70 win, IN Dill
lizards as in anything else, after az,
and therefore Gardner deserved ms
Iaurels FOR he actually outplayed
Brown. his eye for angles and his play
inc for position being unusually gooD'
even though he did require hity-two
innings TO run out the 400 points J"
Browns 35l. cut.
But those who attend billiard games
are never ardent advocates Of Gardners
stvle Of play. and yawning gaps were
torn in the ranks Of the onlookers long
before the game ended Friday night;
Those who remained 70 the bitter end
did SO in the hope that Brown might
rally and win out.
Besides winning the championship,
Gardner won the high grand average
prize. while Charles Heddon took down
he trophy for the highest run, with
q Rrown finished in second place.