1876.
Shaw vs. Carter. Adelphi Theatre, Toledo, January 7th.—$500, 4½ × 9, c. b. S., 500—15.13—108; C., 311—89.
Rudolphe vs. Daniels. Bumstead Hall, Boston, January 20th.—$500, 5 × 10, R. giving odds of 150. R., 600—13.04—68; D., 426—44. This match came of a billiard-room encounter between the pair in N. Y. City, Daniels receiving odds then, also, and losing.
Sexton vs. Slosson. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, January 27th.—$1,000. Sexton, 600—15.38—73; Slosson, 482—110. It was this match, with its high winning average, that determined the choice of Sexton over Slosson to go to Paris as challenger of Vignaux to the last game for the first world’s championship, which see under 1873.
Schaefer’s First Public Match in the East. Ford’s Opera-house, Washington, D. C., April 26th.—Announced as for $2,500 a side. Lewis Shaw, 600—10.72—69; Jacob Schaefer, 547—76. It was because of Shaw’s victory that he, instead of Schaefer, was admitted to the Centennial Tournament of May following.
Centennial Tournament. Horticultural Hall, Philadelphia, May 15–27th.—300–point games. This tournament took its rise in a purse of $1,000 proffered by Frank Queen, editor of the New York Clipper, to whichever billiard manufacturer should add most. H. W. Collender added $4,000. J. Dion, Daly, and Rudolphe played off their ties in Irving Hall, this city, June 5, 6, 7, with the results shown here in apportioning the prizes. Nine games apiece. Average of tournament, 10.07.
| W. | R. | Av. | G. A. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wm. Sexton ($2,000) | 8 | 287[[8]] | 60.[[8]] | 14.73[[8]] |
| A. Garnier ($1,200) | 7 | 176 | 37.50 | 13.78 |
| G. F. Slosson ($800) | 6 | 103 | 21.43 | 13.48 |
| J. Dion ($600) | 5 | 106 | 50. | 14.26 |
| M. Daly ($400) | 5 | 153 | 23.08 | 13.04 |
| A. P. Rudolphe | 5 | 175 | 23.08 | 12.66 |
| J. Bessunger | 4 | 91 | 12.50 | 7.83 |
| C. Dion | 3 | 86 | 15.79 | 8.72 |
| L. Shaw | 1 | 62 | 6.98 | 7.26 |
| M. Foster | 1 | 79 | 6.38 | 7.29 |
[8]. Beating record—Daly’s 212, Garnier and C. Dion’s 30 and Daly’s 12.32.
The runs of 251 and 287 by Sexton were the first public exhibitions of straightforward railing (term shortened to “straight rail”). Before that, players hugged the rail, or cushion, by close nursing, not going far forward, and especially aiming to keep near a corner.
First of Long Games in Tournaments. Irving Hall, N. Y. City, June 8–16th.—$1,500 in prize-money, 600–point games, one a night, instead of two short ones. In playing off ties, Rudolphe averaged 25 and ran 127 against Sexton, while Slosson against Garnier ran 311, thus beating record, which was Sexton’s 287. Average of tournament was the high one of 15.88. Garnier’s 17.84 eclipsed the general-average record, which was Sexton’s 14.73.
| W. | R. | Av. | G. A. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudolphe | 2 | 102 | 21.43 | 16.71 |
| Sexton | 2 | 125 | 20. | 14.56 |
| Garnier | 1 | 121 | 22.22 | 17.84 |
| Slosson | 1 | 152 | 20.81[[9]] | 14.66 |
[9]. Either losing average or error.
Daly vs. C. Dion. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, June 12–15th.—Five nights for $200 a side, c. b. Dion, 2000—12.99—121; Daly, 1141—128.
The Only First-class Tournament in California. Platt’s Hall, San Francisco, July 31st to August 4th.—600–point games for announced $3,000 in prize-money. Average of tournament, 17.44. Ties not played off.
| W. | R. | Av. | G. A. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garnier | 2 | 139 | 21.43 | 15.47 |
| Sexton | 2 | 120 | 19.35 | 16.16 |
| Slosson | 2 | 230 | 20. | 18.80 |
| Daly | 0 | 184 | 14.29 |
Slosson’s general average of 18.80 surpasses Garnier’s New York record of 17.84. The two tournaments themselves were record-beaters for coincidences. They were the first with long games at three-ball caroms, 600 points in each, and neither came anywhere near paying expenses. The single averages of the winners-in-chief in the two cities were precisely the same (21.43) in exactly the same number of games. Finally, the player who had made the highest single average in New York made the highest in San Francisco also.
Daly vs. Slosson. August 12, same hall and c. b. game as foregoing.—$500 a side. D., 600—13.95—153; S., 364—47.
Louisiana Championship. No record of tournament, if there was one. A change seemingly made to 5 × 10 table.
New Orleans, June 6th, first match, stake $50 a side. Louis Abrams, already champion, 300 to Chas. Quaid’s 143, winner’s average and best run being 8.33 and 50.
August 4th, Abrams, 300—5.88—55; John Miller’s total, 249.
October 4th, Henry Miller, 300—6—63; Abrams, 244—23.
December 4th, Maggioli, 300—10.71—58; H. Miller, 253—61.
This was the sixth match, and seems to have been the last.
Schaefer’s First Tournament. Tammany Hall, N. Y. City, November 20–28th.—Four money-prizes, aggregating $1,500, 300–point games on the usual 5 × 10, but with 25
16 balls. Slosson having gone South, but one tie game was played, and that, increased to 600 points, was won by J. Dion, who also received the special prize (a billiard-table) for best general average. Six games apiece, averaging 9.30, a drop due less to lesser runs on balls together than to missing on smaller balls far apart.
| W. | R. | Av. | G. A. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Dion | 4 | 195 | 17.65 | 10.94 |
| Rudolphe | 4 | 134 | 21.43 | 10.04 |
| Slosson | 4 | 122 | 16.70[[10]] | 9.73 |
| Garnier | 3 | 181 | 16.67 | 8.71 |
| Daly | 2 | 123 | 11.54 | 9.34 |
| C. Dion | 2 | 136 | 13.67[[10]] | 8.79 |
| Schaefer | 2 | 155 | 12.50 | 7.60 |
[10]. Losing averages.
First Public Handicap Tourney at Game. Begun in Academy of Music, Cleveland, O., December 27th.—A Honing (275), $250; T. J. Gallagher (350), $200; J. Randolph Heiser (275), $150; Eugene Carter (300), $100. J. A. Thatcher (275) was the other competitor.