The New York herald., 1922-02-26
Foreign GUESTS Below
Form in Championship
Tightly Stretched Cloth of Billiard Table Offered
Drawback to Good Play-Record Attendance
at Amateur Title Tournament.
By THOMAS j. GALLAGHER.

for two hours in the afternoon and for
an hour in the evening.
Advice to rest before going to the
tournament table was ignored He
played until he was satisfied with his
stroke. He was fit when he banked for
the lead. Starting with a rush he kept
moving at top speed. Some spectators
expressed opinions that he was going too
fast. They were not aware that when
playing rapidly he was normal. His
best practice performances had been ac-
complished at racing speed. In preced-
ing games in which he affected care and
delfberation he was unnatural, infiexi-
BILE and inaccurate. Playing at his nat
ural clip he was so effective and brilliant
that Bos, the European champion. pro-
nounced him the best \of all amateurs.
AS a national and worlds champion
he stands out in bold relief among anna
teur exponents Of billiards.
Notwithstanding his achievements his
father e. S. Appleby. contends that the
younger brother is better player. Per-
haps that contention is inspired by the
fact that while the father taught Fran
ces s. the writer and Maurie DAILY de-
veloped the champion. 1t must, how
ever, be oneded that Francs S. is a
formidable amateur, good match Tor
his brother The trouble with him Is
he will not exploit the full measure OF
his skill. AS one Of his supporters ex-
pressed it, "He will not turn himself
loose" Safety is his bugaboo. 1t mimi
mizes his ability and exasperates his
admirers.
Collins a Puzzle.
Percy N. Collins is an enigma. He
- Il. 80 tlAx- an
tertaining and enthusing. Yet he does
not realize expectations or hopes. Just
when he Is playing brilliantly and solid
ly he makes miscue or some other
shocking error end eliminates inspiring
prospects. He has a good draw stroke
and when playing well drives effectively
In his games against the foreigners, Bos
and Roudi he made many drives. Asked
why he did so he replied that when driv-
ing he was more at ease and felt surer
Of counting than when trying to hold
POSITIONS.
J. e. Cope Morton, champion OF the
Union League, who has hosts of friends
in Philadelphia and vicinity, filled
breach caused by the inability of Emil
A. Renner of Youngstown. Ohio, to COM
pete Although not in good practice he
was induced to become local represen-
tative in the tournament. Playing
free stroke, lively ball and executing
scintillating shots he was popular
figure in each of the five games he
played. While he received cordial en-
couragemant and carried rabbits foot
he did not win q game.
J. Herbert Lewis of Chicago, who off,
ciated as referee, is painstaking. capa-
BILE arbiter. He has fine personality.
strong voice and makes all calls and
announcements distinctly and promptly.
Withal he did not give complete satis-
faction. He stood close to the striking
player, often in front Of him. Both
Roudil and Bos protested that he should
not stand in front Of them when they
were about to play. Roudll remarked:
He is good referee for professional,
not for amateur" Bos supplemented
with. "His voice, It breaks my arm"
Lewis laughed at the views of the for
eigners and remarked IT wonder II they
would like to have me miss one9"
Position for n Referee.
Harry Cline. who has acted as referee
in important matches, supported Roudil
and Bos. His position was: "A referee
has no business to stand in front OF a
player where the player may be dis
concerted. If he can't see from behind
a player he can't see at all. If 1 were
playing and a referee stood in front OF
me I would tell him to get behind me.
and il he wouldn't do 1t wouldn't play"
In one instance Lewis failed to call
the balls "in" when they located in the
lower right balk. Bos was at the table.
After he had made one shot Lewis said
you must get them out" why
asked Bos. Because I forgot to call
them in before you make the last shot.
was the reply. Bos hesitated briefly and
then manifested his displeasure by de-
liberately playing to neither count nor
getting the spheres out OF balk. That
incident led to discussions OF the ques-
tion whether Bos should not have main
tained that since the balls had not been
officially called "in," so far as he was
concerned they were not i'm and they
could not enforce the correction OF an
error he claimed to have made.
Much has been said and published
about the effect OF safety tactics en-
ployed by American players in games
with the Holland and French champions
Asked what he thought OF safety Bos
laughed and responded: That is Moth
ing. | pay no attention to II. II does
not count I play my game, count X
can. What my partner does don't
bother. He plays his game " It is bet
ter than mine he wins. II not / win. III
he tries 10 count ne may. III ne uoeS
not try to count he hurts his game"
To the average spectator efforts to play
safely on Bos are futile.
Roudil says. I'm Europe safety is not
played by amateurs. The French Fed
Grafton OF Amateurs would frown on 1t
and object. It would not be considered
good form for a gentleman. In France
professionals do not resort to II. Any
how, II Ia OF little consequence. There
are difficult shots as well as easy ones
i'm billiards. To play the game well one
must be able to make difficult Shots"