New Britain herald., 1919-10-25
NEW BILLIARD MARK SET BY COCHRAN
Youthful loWan Shatters Vig- naux'S 46 Year Record

at the national billiard tourney in the ffotel Astor yesterday morning when ne ran out his gamo with George Slos- son in II innings with an unfinished collection of 265 points, breaking tho worlds record Of 346 for high run in championship competition made by Maurice NignauX There have been iarger runs in n-championship contests, Hoppe [ collecting 307 in a Iournament in Chicago in 1906, but backing the titular element. It, how lever. was u scratch tourney. in which the champion, George Sutton, com- peted, and why the record of 3o7 does not stand is puzzling. However, 1he records of the Brunswick Bake 1ollenucr company, which staged the tourney. do not credit Hoppe with an ofncial record. The tourney is refer red to as a professional competition.
 Later on Hoppe made n run of 30s hn handicap tourney in this city, but &Rs this was not a scratch competition 8no performances are accepted as rec ords. Hoppc has run 622 and 507 in practice.
 According to the official figures, however, Maurice VignauN, the French 3eNpert held the high run at bal< line, putting together 246 buttons in d Championship tournament in Chicago March to 13, 1883. Yet the balk lines were but eight inches from the cushion and the play, therefore, was much easter than at the present dis tance Of 8 inches
 Still the 246 of the Frenchman has stood all these 46 years, only to be ob- liberated by a boy who first saw the light of day 24 years after the Paris ian had made the run.
 Sutton Ran 235 in 1909.
 The nearest previous approach to the VignauX record was made by George Sutton in 1909, when, in a Tournament for the title, he rolled up 235. Sutton also holds the high sin gle average of 100 in a championship competition, which he made in a 300 point game in 1906, and in addition holds the best grand average of 24.14, achieved in the same competition in 1906.
 As Sutton's records and the run just made by Cochran were at IS inch balk inc they must be admitted to be su- perior to tho 246 made by Vignaux at eight inch balk line.
 Up to the time that Cochran began piling upp the points in the eleventh fnninG of his game with George Slos- son the youngster had been playing NtIy IlullSISHIIy ana tle veteran Slosson was holding the boy on even terms. Slosson made five points in his tenth inning and when he missed un- intentionally left the balls in favorable position for a run.
 It was exactly to the liking of the ayoungster and he proved that he was equal to the occasion, for his touch was light and sure as he began q close line nurse at the foot of the ta- ble.
 Gently he led tho balls along the end rail for short and delicate ball to bail caroms, employing an occasional draw or masse, and on few occasions made use of the cushion to hold position.
 Makes Use of Dead Ball Drive
 It was not until the 133d carom that Eochran made use of a dead ball drive &the length of the table as the balls were Inclined to separate. His delft cue work brought them along. how ever, and he had them well in hand until 200. He held them closely under control until 233, when there was an other break which his masterful use kof the cue quickly subdued.
 From that point to the completion |of his string Cochran had tno- worries 1so closely punched on the short line 5hat q hat might have covered them. He used a zephyrlike stroke, and the balls scarcely moved an inch as he Tapidly clicked off the final points So wonderful was Cochran playing at the lend of the match that it appeared as tf he might readily have continued on to shatter any record, tournament or otherwise, that ever was made.
 Only the fact that he had complet- ed his quota of 400 points for the game prevented general slaughter of high run records of all description
 Cochran added to his brilliant rec ord when in the evening match he disposed of Young Jake Schaefer, Hopes greatest rival for the tourney honors He beat Schaefer by a score of 400 to 257.
 Hoppe an Easy Victor
 Hoppe, playing his first afternoon game, in scofing his fifth successive victory played with customary consist ency and ran away from the veteran Slosson, who led at the close of the third innings by 9l to S3. Hoppe be- gan scoring heavily In the sixth ses- sion, putting together d fine cluster of 97, following this with 7S in his scv- onth and 21 in his eighth.
 Slosson fell away badly in his hna attcmp pts and Hoppc getting the ivor- ies under control in the ninth inning completcd his 400 points with an un- Finished run of 1O8. The champion was not in quite such good form as il preceding games, but he managed tc count, which, after all, is the chici object of the game.
 Koji Yamada scored his second vic tory of the tourney when he defeated the veteran Sutton by 400 to 356 in an interesting struggle in the after noon.
 Yamada overcame long lead when it appeared he was hopelessly beaten as the tally stood 333 to 166 against him.