Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT
De ORC RETURNS TO NATIVE
ISLE TO DEFEND HIS TITLE
VIII Walt Cuba After Tuenty-Three
lcara' Absence for Match
with Charley otis.

When Alfredo De orc and Charley
otis go 10 Cuba next month TO play
p their match for the three-cushion
championship OF the world. it will 3o
.the C'uban's first visit to his native
country in twcnty-thrcc years. and the
-iormer Brooklyn players first attempt
Ito win the title. although he has been
-lonc time.
Tho rivals in the coming match. who
arc boon companions in private life.
will leave together on January for
for Havana. The match Will he at
30 points up. in block OF 20 on the
nights Of January 10. ! aud /. and
:vana's biggest sporting center. The
Cuban government brought the contest
II" tho island and then turned the di-
owners OF tho Circus who yosicr-
Iay forwarded the contracts to tho
Two players; After tho match DC ORC
and OTIS plan to tour the islanl OF
cuba giving exhibitions of pocket bill
lizards and three cushions, provided Gus
Eicckhrfcr, the rcNt challenger for
beyond January 20. which Is the date
Sc, for the defense OF tho champion
ship should eiihcr pc orc or otis win.
rriumphnI Tour for De Orc.
Some time acc bc ORC was pen
stoned by the Cuban government, for
his services IL placing the little island
his advent there after an absence OF
twcntN-thrcc Years Will bc in the ma
turc of ,riumphal tour, The ropu-
lar Cuban is the real wonder Of the
NTH year. he holds the cccushion
car"m billiard championship. and, but
would probably now hold the pocket
hilinrd tito as well. thereby rivalinS
the rcdoubtablc Willie Hoppe, who -
master at all the halkline games Eut
q = "A
ID orc. who may hc classcd with Wig
nau%. ia" great French player who
WAS Il champion at three score and ten.
lie GRO was first champion as Tar
back as 1857, when he won the pocket
billiard title. since then. over period
tinucusly held either the pocket or
three cushion crown. For while he
held both titles.
Dc ORC is Of AN impuisirc temperament.
often turning impending defeat into
glorious victory through some tremcn..
Jous feat. This was csrccially true OF
his match with kiecllhefer in 1915.
Just prior to that contest De ORC had
LOST his stroke, being beaten three or
four times Ivy ordinary players in Chi
Rrokc World, Hccord.
On the afternoon prior to ms cham
6 G,S"sa aprar rsti G|ronrased sumter
cd into Tom 'oley's room and asked
for light cue.
ounces answered Foley.
oham mp me- Foley Fol pr ought form II ihs
stick and set Of rsFu, nts no H9r'ns
them around. He practiced with the /.
Light cue for about an houi and then |
returned IL to the rack
Followers Of athletics have often /
heard OF the Splinter who wore heavy /
cvcrShoeS until called on to race. and !
then. DOMINIC his spiked slippers. al.
m ~ h.s n,,h
tho change worked with dc ORC. When ,
he picked up his own heavy cue TO play I
the challenger that night he found h /
old stroke in u ;winkine. |, was the |
first time he has mastered ii in TWO ,
years, during which period he had SUI /
fered frequent defeats
iblc return OF the old rhythmic swing II |
is a matter OF history how the cham /
pion slaughtered his young rival win
ming by "A score of 80 10 IS aud setting
two worlds rcCordS--thc first a single I
average OF so points in 81 innings and /
the other 100 points in 80 innings Gov |
crinS the three nights play
DE orc relinquished tho title later. /
hut retained IL, and is now about to ,
defend 1t again. he Won pSrmanent
ply III 1874 and IS now in line TO cap
lure the Brunswick Bake -Collender
cup; During, his career as pocket bill
dozen championship matches. on one
occa sion setting u worlds record run
OF cighty-one balls. He owns the cham
pionship emblem outright. In 1915 he
held both the pocket AMI three cushion
carom titles.
Otis n brooklyn Product.
Otis was long q resident %! Brook
Ign. but a year ago he moved % Man
haitian after taking up the manage
inent OF Joe Thum'S Academy ~ BROAD
Way and Forty first street. He learn
cd pocket billiards at IN. Moutauk T.
Academy and the thrac-cuShioY game
at keci!cy'S. Two years ago he rep
resented the Brooklyn Academy IN the
Interstate Three -Gsh!vH League and
finished with Z. majority of Victories
Last season NJ. .paytu for Thum's
Academy ana 1saia finished in ;he
MONEY"
The challenger Possesses an excel
lent stroke and Is always willing u
20 a,tc- q point regardless o: posi-
zion before OF a.:cr TIC shOt lie has
frequently beaten De orc IN l!np-o:nptu
matches. knows the Cubaus STYLE ana
hopes 10 prO.t b.. E.> knowledge lu
the:- coming contest Dt.s : some t"n
years younger Than Toe champion