The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-10
WILLIE HOPPE, CUE WIZARD,
 HERE TONIGHT
Boy Wonder" of 1915 Still Holds Three Worlds
 Billiard Titles

Willie Hoppe of New York, with out . doubt the greatest billiard player that ever lived and whose name has been snyonoymous with billiards for thirty years, will appear at the Exchange and Genlot billiard rooms tonight at 7:30 and 0:30 o'clock. "The King of Billiards", ss he is known by Q legion of sports fans, comes here under the auspices of the National Billiard Association of America on their third annual national Better Billiards" program.
 Free Instruction
 The worlds premier cue star will not only offer billiards exhibition and Q display of his brilliant fancy shots, but also devote one hour of his two hour engagement to giving FREE instruction on the fundamen- tals of the ivory sport to ell women and men players, whether tyros, of mediocre or advanced ability. Wo- men are especially invited to at- tend Hopes exhibition.
 At the same time--the boy won- der and grand old man of billiards, Hoppe apparently is getting better as the years roll on. At the age of 48, when most men in sports are through, Hoppe achieved his life's ambition-winning the worlds three-cushion billiards champion ship from Welker Cochran of San Francisco after four previous at- tempts. It had been the only title that ever eluded him. He Smothered Cochran under @ top-heavy 300 to 240 point score in their three day challenge match held on the new streamlined table with it's new purple cloth and yellow ball in place of the traditional red object in the picturesque and beautiful setting of the, grand ballroom in Hotel Sher- man, Chicago, early in January. Hoppe gained the title match by finishing second to Cochran in the worlds title tournament in Chicago last November.
 All Alone
 Hoppe, therefore, becomes the first billiard player to hold three worlds titles at the same time: the three cushion championship; the 8l.l balkline crown and the cushion carorn (one cushion) title. It is 0 record that bids fair to stand the thrusts of all time. The only major world billiard crown that is not held by Hoppe at the present times is the 18.2 balkline championship, held by Cochran. Hoppe, however, has held this title more times than any other expert, holding 1t last in 1925 when Jake Schaefer, Jr., took it away.
 In winning the angle crown from Cochran, Hoppe set Q new worlds challenge match record high run of l5 during the fourth block, narrow ly missing his sixteenth billiard and coming within three of breaking the worlds title tournament record of l7, held jointly by Tiff Denton and Gus Copulos. Hoppe holds the ex- hibition high run record at three- rail billiards, however; clustering % against Charlie Peterson in San C1oACAoCV iu AOAOs
 Started At Six
 Rated as the greatest billiard player of all time, he first grabbed Q cue at the age of six in hotel owned by his father in Cornwall on-the. Hudson. Since then he has won twenty championships.
 He only started smoking six years ago and rarely takes drink. He Is still called Willie by almost every body, but his fellow billiard players call him "Bill."
 Charlie Peterson of Nst. Louis, noted billiard authority and the greatest trick shot artist of them all, who travelled the country with Hoppe for twenty years giving ex- says that Hoppe is the greatest player that ever lived. "Pete" still refers to Willie as "the' boy" Upon Hoppe's recent conquest Peterson said: T never saw any, body like him. He's clean, affable and refined all the way through. I've always preached to others to lead the life of Hoppe' and they would be Q success"
 Hoppe's first distinguished cham pionship achievement was scored back in 1906, only four days earlier than thirty years later in his most recent conquest, when at the age of 18, he went to Paris and con- quered the 60-year-old Maurice Vignaux for the worlds 18.l balk- | line championship.
 The famous billiardist is the father of a married daughter and a 17-year-old son. Hoppe has never | tried to teach his son billiards be- cause he says he feels he would | never become a star.