Evening journal., 1917-03-10

Clean sport-and first OF all clean
| billiards is the goal for which r.
B. Benjamin. manager of Willie Hop
pc. the cue king. is striving And
when you realize that he has been
identified with almost every branch
OF sport in his thirty years of bust
ness life. you'll know he probably
has some idea Of what is needed. And
when you know in addition that
wrestling is one branch in which he
has dabbled a bit, you'll know that
he is thoroughly aware that cleans
ing process is absolutely secessary
for teh life of sport itself
Dumping into ideas OF the sort Mr..
Benjamin propounds isn't what was
expected from him Managers of per
sons as prominent in the sporting
world as Willie Hoppe aren't expect
ed to talk about anything or anybody
but their protege Not that Mr.. Benja-
min can't talk about HOppe-for he
can and does-as the Dutchman said.
"muchly." But he can talk about
other things. too.
billiards is going to be as popular
as baseball within a few years is
one Of his broad and sweeping state
ments. why? Because it's going
to be renovated and reiuvenated by
n cleansing process. Mr. Hoppe and
l have plans on to take commercial
ism away from the game. If our
plans materialize. the pool hall that
Is nothing more than an idling spot
for loafers. won't be able TO live. And
in clean places the game will thrive
for il is positively the most scien-
tific game We have.
Hoppe Champion and Christian.
And it's true with any sport.
Willie Hoppe can improve billiards
because he's the cleanest. squarest
man in the game. He's Christian
man and thoroughly honest. He
isn't a money gIabber and he isn't
working to commercialize the game.
and what's more he's real
champion. He has held the title
eleven years and is ready today to
defend Il at any time without asking
exorbitant terms. And he'll spot any
challenger one thousand points IN
every five thousand
Mr.. BENJAMIN is highly pleased
with the success OF his billiard tour.
The players will play at the Royal
Billiard Parlors Tuesday and We'd
uesday. William F. Hoppe. cham
pion OF the world; Chick Wright
! Pacific Coast champion; Jacob Schae-
1 fer. Jr. son OF the cue wizard; Chas
| c. Peterson. OF ST. Louis. champion
| fancy shot player Of the world form
/ the "troupe." and they can show you
iust about anything IN the line of
ivory performances except with the
/ head.
Cove COrbett Start.
Mr.. BENJAMIN long has been as
sociated with sport He started out
as an amateur wrestler in California.
II was through him that James J..
/ Corbett a schoolmate. took up box
ing. He later became a champion.
Mr.. BENJAMIN has passed through the
/ Suez Canal twenty-three times on his
way TO or from India and Australia
ALWAYS with some big sporting attrac-
ton He has managed cricket tours,
I wrestlers. tennis tours. billiardists
and dabbled I'm other lines or sport.
lust before the war. A. G. Spaldlng,
head Of the widely known sporting
goods house. had decided to send him
10 England TO introduce an popular
ize the game of baseball there. The
! war halted the plans and now Mr.
Spalding is dead. Mr. Benjamin was
eager to take the assignment. He
believes he could have made baseball
as popular with John Bull as Il Is
with Uncle Ssm-because it's a