The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-21
Old Balkline Champion Scores
by 400 to 118 as Tourney
Gets Under Way.
SCHAEFER Is SURPRISED
Beaten by Morningstar in a
Close Tilt-SuttOn Is Vic
tor Over SlOsson.
STANDING OF PLAYERS.
BY CHARLES F. MATHIsoN.

By CHARLES f. MATHIsoN.
Playing the same brand OF billiards
that has characterized his work with the
ivory spheroids for the last fifteen years
William F.. Hoppe. holder of all balk-
line titles. demonstrated when he de-
feated Welker Cochran ny 400 to lis in
the ballroom of the Hotel Aston last
night that he still is the master of the
class.
Not only did Hoppe play UP to his
form, but he made the comfortable
average of ~ 4-e and completed the
game with an unfinished run OF 1873.
Hoppe had high runs of l49 and 1913,
while Cochran had high runs Of 81 and
~, and averaged 13 1-9.
The Hoppe Cochran match was the
piece de resistance of the opening day of
the tournament for the worlds cham
piorship at 1874 balkline billiards. The
competition got under way In the after
noon with big surprise for Young Jake
Schaefer. by many regarded as Hopes
closest rival was defeated in a nip and
tuck struggle by the veteran Ora Morn
ingstar. The score was 400 to 395.
Morningstar had high strings of 1923, IS
and 81 and averages 21 liz. while
Schaefer ran 81, IS and n ard aver
aged 20 1919.
Early in the night session George B.
Sutton defeated George F. Slosson by
400 to 237. Suttons average was
Is -22, with high runs of 20, SO and 50.
Blossoms average was 10 1922 and his
high runs were IS. Is and %.
Cochran Never in Hunt.
The chief interest OF course centred
IN the contest between Hoppe and
Cochran, and many thought the young
ster had a chance to win. A distin-
guished assemblage filled every seat in
the gilded ballroom when the two ex-
perts banked for the lead and watched
with absorbing interest every move of
the wizards of the cue. Not only did
the peerless Hoppe defeat his youthful
opponent but he nearly quadrupled the
score of the Iowan and compelled him TO
act as a spectator for the greater part
Of the two hours. The youthful Iowan
never got started. his belated runs in
the sixth and eighth innings failing to
bring him near the champion.
1t was evident from the first inning.
after Cochran had won the bank and
missed from the spot that Hoppe was
in rare form. He started off at the out
set gathering the buttons in profusion
through delicate line nurse and driving
for position that seemed uncanny in its
accuracy.
The victor seemed to have the worries
under the most perfect control and at
the same time took hard chances with
the unconcern with which an ordinary
player would make a simple carom. In
the midst of a long run on the line
Hoppe several times made difficult bank
shots, which II missed would have left
the balls in position for big count by
his opponent.
Starts with 10.
II looked as though Hoppe would make
a long run in his first inning. but after
scoring 70 he fell down on a six inch
follow through lack of force.
Hoppe did not do much till the fifth
session. chiefly because the worries
showed a contrary disposition and in
sisted on spreading, but in the fifth he
got the balls under control and began
to click off the points with regularity.
The balls were frozen on his fifty-ninth
shot, but did not hamper Hoppe, who
made an easy two cushion shot and got
the worries again in a. cluster.
Again it seemed that Hoppe would
run out or come close to II when he
missed on his l50th attempt on a one
cushion shot. Cochran did his first good
work in the sixth inning when he played
carefully for ~. but failed to get the
balls out of balk on his forty fifth effort.
The youngster got going well in the
eighth and put up 81 through really fine
play when he sat down due to a three
cushion miss.
Hoppe failed to do much with the
balls in the sixth, seventh and eighth
sessions, and made his only miss of a
FIRST shot in the eight, an around the
table play
Cochran also missed a three cushion
shot, and then Hoppe settled down and
by remarkable play. which included all
the delicacy, accuracy and brilliancy for
which he is noted, ran out THE game with
13S. He seemed equal to the task of
running 1888 more when referee Charley
Peterson said game" The score by
innings
Hoppe--79 l, 4. s, l4s. IL o. lss.-Total.
400. High runs-l4s, iss. 70. Average
Cochran-o. 5. 0, 5, 10. ~. 81. o. Total
lis. High runs--54. A, 10. Average
sutton Is the Master.
Sutton, who once held the 1872 title
and whose single average of 100 still
stands, easily took Slosson, the "stu-
dent" into camp. 1t was a onesided
game, Sutton taking the lead at the out
tot and holding 1t TO the close. With
the exception of a well played IS in his
nineteenth inning Slosson was unable
t.. control the worries
Sutton played consistent game, and
while his longest run was 20. he scored
well in nearly every attempt. The
score:
sutton--0. AZ. 0. 20. 20. 4. SO. 0, 50, 4
IS, 2. /, 3, s. 80, l6. 0, 10, 8. 81, ls Total
400. High runs, 20, SO. 81. Average
- l4-22.
eiosson-O. 7. 20, 1. 25. 90. l, 90. 3, 1,
., ., (, 8. /. H. o. 22. 6s. 0. l. s. Total
2s7; .High runs IS, IS. %. Average
schaefer Is on Form.
In his defeat by Morningstar Young
schaefor did not shown any of the form
he displayed In practice and corta inly
little OF the skill he exhibited in pre-