1870.
Geo. T. Stone vs. Hewins. Music Hall, New Haven, Conn., January 4th.—$300 a side, Stone giving odds of 60, probably a 5½ × 11 carom. S., 300—1.63—11; H., 267—11.
First Public Match Contest at the West. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, January 19th.—$200 a side, 5½ × 11 carom, Frank Parker defeating Henry Rhines by 300 to 260. There had been an announced three-ball match at the West a year or so before, but it was really an exhibition.
Carme vs. Henry Miller. National Theatre, New Orleans, March 24–25th.—Two games, each $250 a side, Carme giving odds of 150. First game: M., 500—3.98 (in 350)—56; C., 374—29. Second game: C., 500—6.49—85; M., 388—31. Table was surely no larger than 5 × 10.
J. W. Coon vs. Frank Parker. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, April 25th.—$250 a side, 5½ × 11 carom. C., 500—2.90—24; P., 499—17.
First Three-ball State Championship. Assembly Rooms, Philadelphia, April 25–30th.—First tournament for championship of Pennsylvania, 5½ × 11 carom. E. J. Plunkett, 6—0; E. H. Nelms, 5—1; Wm. Rockhill, 4—2; James Palmer, 3—3; Robt. Hunter, 2—4; McAlier, 1—5; Doyle, 0—6. Prizes—1st., cue and billiard-table; 2d, $150; third, $70.
Plunkett vs. Nelms.—Same hall, January 18, 1872.—First match for champion cue. N., 200—av., 2—run, 22; P., 168—18.
Michael Honohan vs. Abraham Bassford. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago.—$100 a side, 5 × 10 carom. H., 300—2.63—17; B., 191—17.
First Known Case of Crotching Barred. Crosby’s Music Hall, Chicago, October 19th.—$250 a side, 5½ × 11 carom, c. b. Frank Parker and Henry Rhines, 400—3.07 and 2.54—19 and 17; Peter Snyder and John W. Coon, 264—2.26 and 1.51—13 and 12.
As far back as 1860–1, a run of 40 had been crotched (or jawed, in fact), in a non-public match at the three-ball game; and that crotching was not specifically barred before 1870 was because, until small tables came into vogue, it was theoretically twice as hard to get the crotch at three-ball caroms as at four-ball, and practically much harder.