The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-19
STAGE is SET FOR
BILLIARD TOURNEY
Nations Leading GUESTS Be-
gin Play for Champion
ship Tomorrow.
HOPPE AMONG ENTRANTS
schaefer and Cochran, His
Leading Rivals, Also to Com
pete in Hotel Astor.
by THE REFEREE.

by THE REFEREE.
Never in the history OF the game OF
billiards has a more attractive pro-
gramme of tournamental contests been
arranged than that which beginning to-
morrow in the Hotel Aston ballroom will
be set before the devotees of that popu-
lar branch of sport. After years of in
action and non-competition by the lead
Ing experts they now have been brought
together in a contest for the worlds
championship at is p balk line. and the
seven competitors include all the leading
players of the world. William F. Hoppe,
champion at all varieties of balkline
Jacob Schaefer. son of the former wizard
OF the cue and worthy successor OF
brilliant player; Welker Cochran.
youngster with a sensational record on
the chalk line table Ora Morningstar,
one of the greatest of modern cueTnen !;
George B. Sutton, former holder OF the
1872 title, and George F.. Slosson, one
Of the famous trio OF Schaefer, Ives and
Slosson, and still potential in his mastery
over the ivory spheres. are names to
conture with among those who deligh,
in the exhibitions of skill and science by
the masters Of the game.
Hoppe Plays Tomorrow.
On the first day of the tournament
william F. Hoppe will engage welker
Cochran in contest, Jake Schaefer will
play with Ora Morningstar and George
F. Slosson will match his skill against
that of George Butler Sutton. The
Schaefer Morningstar game will open
the tournament at P. NJ; the Slosson-
Sutton match will follow at p. NJ. and
the Cochran-Hoppe event will be the
opening evening competition Of the tour
ney at 8 80 o'clock.
So much has been said OF Hopes
Il 49, - l,u
TO be written. For years he has been
supreme in the balkline game, and al
though he now faces the stiffest opposi-
ton of his career he expects to retain
the title which he so long has held.
Welker Cochrans name has become
known TO every follower of the game
during the past few years and when
have the opportunity he has sought for
more than two years. He has shown
remarkable skill in the past. and on
the eve of his contest with the balkline
king declares that he has perfected a
style of billiards that will puzzle even
the young master of the game.
Quite as much attention will centre
on the Schaefer Morningstar contest
Schaefer has been looked on as the
most promising of the younger experts
and has had the beneht of some excel
lent training, including that which he
received from his famous father. He
meets a brilliant performer in the In
diana man and must furnish proof Of
his prowses at the very outset Of the
tournament.
Practice Work.
As far as the form so far shown by
the players is concerned, there Is little
TO choose between them. The veteran
Slosson in tuning up for the contests
made an average of 60 in 500 points and
chalked up run Of S33.
Sutton has been practising in Chicago
and is playing in good stroke. averag-
ing 40 in four practice games and max
ing runs of 21S and 265. Hoppe has
been consistent in making a general av-
erage of around so in practice games.
An idea OF the form he 10 in can be OBJ
tanned from his work at the Rational
Recreation Rooms in Brooklyn, where
he ran 507.
Cochran practised in secret, but those
who have seen him in action say that
he will compare favorably with the other
players
Schaefer's practice work steadily in
creases in briliiance and he has chaiked
up runs of over 200 and averaged from
40 to so in his tryouts, so that billiard
lovers should see some exceedingly keen
competition.
History of the Players.
The careers OF the competitors fur
nsh an interesting study.
william F. Hoppe has held the Is Il
title for thirteen years, acquiring It
from Maurice Vignaux in Paris in
1905. He captured the 1872 title in
1909, and has won practically every
balkline title tournament since that time.
He is considered by many as the
greatest billiardist America ever pro.
duced. He is now thirty-two years old
and represents New York In the tourna-
ment
George F. Slosson. dean of the
American billiardists. has been playing
the game for nearly fifty years and
has held three billiard championships.
He is now sixty-five years old and Is
playing remarkably well. He repre-
sents Boston In the title tournament
Welker Cochran. the youngest player
IN the tourney, although only twenty
two years old is considered one OF
the chief contenders for the crown. He
will be Hopes opponent in the first
evening game and represents Detroit.
George r. Sutton Of Chicago Is
holeu lot Close play on the line. He
is hfty-four years old and has held
the championship at IS q balk line.
Jacob Schaefer is the son of the late
Jake Schsefer, one OF the most famous
players the game ever knew. The
son, now twenty-six years OF age, is
considered a worthy opponent for
every player in the tournament and
has been in line for championship
honors for some time past.
Kohl Yamada, the Japanese, is now
thirty-one years of age and represents
san Francisco In the tournament. He
hrst made his appearance In America
seven years ago and has been a. con-
tender for championship honors,
Ora horningstar originally hailed
non. Indiana, but now represents San
Francisco in the tournament He is
one OF the greatest players OF the
nsIdine game and is now forty-five
Years old.