Evening star., 1932-02-20

TINE old Spanish custom OF
draping an enemy around
i the business end of a sword
would have found a leading
exponent in Senor Isidro RibaS,
we're prone to suspect after watch
ing the gentleman from Barcelona
do remarkable things with a bill
lard cue at the Knights of Colum-
bus Hall last night in one Of the
series of matches from which he or
Charlie Peterson of St. Louis will
.emerge the world champion trick
shot maker.
This afternoon at o'clock and to-
night at Sis they will continue the
struggle, the first of its kind in the
history Of billiards. and those who at
tend likely will be astounded by the
dexterity of arm and wrist and control
of direction, but perhaps more by tn"
power behind some of the strokes Of
this newly famed wizard of the green
baise. Peterson is no stranger here.
washington has been visited many
times by the man whose reign over
fancy billiardists was undisputed until
,Ribas appeared year ago, pre-
ieminence that had endured for two
decades.
|. Peterson won last night. 1O4 to 10s.
Snnd reduced his opponents margin on
fthe series to single point. Meetings
lin New York and Cuba will conclude
the competition which opened in St,
Louis, was continued In Chicago and
then here.
WE meant to ask some questions of
w Senor Ribas but gave up when
the Spaniard, a middle aged,
heWk-faced man of spare frame, with
piercing black eyes, shrugged his ignor-
ance of English.
Angliss," he apologized, but Charlie
Peterson came to the rescue. He is a
sfrank admirer Of the only rival Of note
he's ever had. introduced him, in fact,
to the American billiard world.
This fellow" said he, lis a marvel
thought he was blufsng when he ap-
peared in my place in st. Louis year
ago and challenged me. Nobody over
here, it seems, had heard Of him, al
though he was the best il his line in
Europe and had played before most Of
thu Kings.
He has the strongest strcke in the
world and a genuine genius for shot
making"
Just how much steam can Ribas
generate. so to speak?" and Peterson's
reply was intriguing.
We'll, it's difficult to arrange a COM
parison" said he, but maybe this1l
do II Ribas wanted to use his cue as
q weapon. he'd kill any man with one
thrust. I believe, provided his aim
covered a vital organ. I believe he
&t,rt ,,l- Ill fl7r-Ct1 t1rr1
part Of a man.
HOPPE, Schaefer, nor any of the
i L other foremost exponents of COM
petitive billiards approaches the
stroking power Of Ribas. according to
Peterson whose tribute to the Spaniard
was all the more striking because Peter
sen himself holds two world records for
driving a cue bail. He is the only player
to make IL cushions on a round-the-
table shot under normal conditions.
Willie Hoppe did 1t on a small table
with fast banks.
the ball 295 feet. This feat was achieved
on the concrete stretch of an airplane
take-off
Some of the Americans billiard tricks
defy credulity. For instance, he clicked
|: of 100 points in an airplane travelling
y 100 miles an hour With the machine
banked at SO degrees he made 88 BIZ
liards in minute. 1t was his first
airplane ride by the way, and he cap
h ped the business BY balancing one ball
D atop another where it remained for
\ nearly a minute. For these achieve
ments he was greatly indebted to the
! pilots skill of Capt. Frank Courtney,
|, we'll known English flyer.
There Is no such thing as an i'm
possible billiard shot. Take Peterson S
word for it. He has def1ed the world
] for 20 year; to show him one He
has never failed. not only to make the
! billiard, but to DO it three-cushion
style.
R1LL1ARD experts until a few years
~ ago, thought there was one invul-
nerable arrangement of the worries
but this shot is one of the great variety
used in the Peterson-R -Ribas affair.
/ Both missed on it last night, however.
\ For this shot the three balls are lined
| up closely In corner, with the cue
| sphere snuggled in the apex. A
! maSse is used, the cue ball making
several cushions on the end rail- one
on the side rail and returning for the
count.
Thirty-four shots were employed in
last nights skirmish. the contestants
taking turns trying them. Few were
pulled on first attempts.