1904

First American Amateur Tournament at 18:2. Daly’s, N.Y. City, beginning January 4th. Handicap.

W.R.Av.G. A.
J. F. Poggenburg (300)35810.  8.41
Dr. L. L. Mial (300)2608.578.51
Wm. Gershel (250)1274.155.13
F. M. Canda (225)026 3.71

First Match for 18:2 Championship of the World. See Vignaux vs. Sutton, January 29, 1904, under February, 1903.

Pittsburg, Pa., Handicap at 14:2. Great Northern Billiard Hall, January 11–26th.—4½ × 9 table. First to fourth, Messrs. Bennie, Jack, Powers, and Brown. Bennie, the only “scratchman,” made highest run and best average—36 and 6.90.

Chicago Handicap at 14:2. A. M. Clarke’s Room, ending January 28th.—J. M. Miller (175), first in field of ten, winning every game. C. F. Conklin (300), beaten only by Miller (175 to 213), made highest run (112) and best average (12). John Daly, who also was at 300, won only a game or two.

Fourth Annual Gold Cup Championship. Under patronage of the German Liederkranz Society and the N. A. A. B. P. Held in the minor hall of the German Liederkranz Society, N. Y. City, February 1–13th.—Game, 300 points, 14:2, Arthur Marcotte, of Quebec, representing Canada; C. F. Conklin, Chicago; J. De Munn Smith, St. Louis; E. W. Gardner, New Jersey; and Dr. L. L. Mial, Arthur Townsend, and J. Ferdinand Poggenburg, N. Y. City. Prizes: First, the “Brooklyn Eagle” Gold Cup (contingent upon three winnings, consecutive or non-consecutive) and a royal Dresden vase (absolute); second, silver punchbowl and ladle; third, marble statue of “Night”; fourth, a camera; for high run, an ornate clock, with candelabra; for best single average, a cut-glass wine set, with silver tray. Average of tournament, six games apiece, 6.66.

W.R.Av.G. A.
Poggenburg57313.648.56
Mial57310.  7.39
Gardner4649.686.75
Conklin36813.048.41
Townsend2609.095.98
Smith1506.825.62
Marcotte1353.904.67

Tie game, February 13th: Poggenburg, 300—9.68—41; Mial, 185—31. By agreement, high run in this game also determined the tie as to high run of tournament.

Four players now have equal claims upon the Gold Cup, viz., Messrs. Townsend, Gardner, Foss, and Poggenburg, severally as winners of the tournaments of 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1904.

Championship of “The Young Masters.” Salle Scribe, Grand Hotel, Paris, France, beginning January 31st. Tournament at 18:2 (in reality, 45 centimetres, or 17¾ in.), 400–point games. There were ten in at the outset, but Jose Ortiz, of Spain, and Mons. Payan, of France, appear not to have played, while Juan Alvarez, of Spain, and Al Taylor and Joseph Capron, of Chicago, seem to have withdrawn after playing two unsuccessful games apiece. This table, forwarded from Paris, limits itself to the four games played by every one of the five named therein after the others had withdrawn.

W.R.Av.G. A.
Willie Hoppe49417.3912.80
Manuel Sanchez35418.1813.71
Robert Glorieux210011.7610.86
Ora Morningstar110718.1813.89
Mons. Ducasse052 8.78

We make the average of the final four games apiece, or ten in all, to be 11.82.

As matter of exact record, Hoppe’s best winning average is 20, made in defeating Taylor by 400 to 164; Morningstar’s 21.05, in defeating Capron by 400 to 85; and Glorieux’s 12.90, in defeating Taylor by 400 to 310. The general averages of those known here to have played six games apiece are: Morningstar, 14.14; Hoppe, 13.66; and Sanchez, 12.36. Omission of the first two games played by every one of those three affects the single and general averages somewhat, but not the high runs at all, all five of the tabulated contestants happening to have made their highest in their latest four games.

Boston Class A Amateur Tournament at 14:2. “The Hub” Academy, closing about February 26th.—Won by W. A. Paige, who defeated Charles Eaton in final game by 300 to 260. Table probably 4½ × 9.

Championship of the World at 18:1. Paris, France, March 4th.—First match contest for championship instituted in 1901 and $500 a side. Maurice Vignaux, 500—12.82—89; Geo. Sutton (as champion), 387—79. (For later matches, see Jan., March, and Oct., 1906.)

Brooklyn Amateur Handicap at 14:2. Keeney’s Knickerbocker Academy, February and March.—H. Hoxie, H. White, and F. Lowenthal, tied, won play-offs in that order March 7th, 8th, 9th.

Fifth Avenue Hotel Amateur Handicap at 14:2. N. Y. City, ending March 12th.—C. E. White (300), 5—0; E. O. Presby (250), second. In playing off for third prize, Dr. W. G. Douglas (300) defeated L. A. Servatius (250) and J. M. Millette (225). F. M. Canda (300), who beat Douglas only, made highest run of tournament (46), and White the highest single (6.67) and general average (5.51).

Interclub Tournament at 14:2. Arts Club, Philadelphia, February and March.—Won by T. Mortimer Rolls, of Belmont Cricket Club, who made highest runs and single averages (94 and 10.87, both against T. R. Reaney, and 51 and 6.95, both against Dr. C. A. Borda). Other competitors were Harrison Townsend, Julius J. Hovey, J. E. Cape Morton, and Dr. Holden.

Foley’s Chicago Amateur Handicap at 14:2. Ended March 23d.—J. M. Miller (155) first, Ed. C. Rein (250) second, and Messrs. Hale and Cochrane (both 180) tied for third and fourth. Rein made highest run (76) and best single average (11.36, against Hale, in final game).

Amateur International Souvenir Match at 18:2. Theatre of the Automobile Club of France, Paris, March 29th, 30th, 31st, for an emblem presented by the B. B. C. Co. Admission by invitation. Lucien Rérolle, of Toulouse, 1200—12.24—129, 94, 71; W. P. Foss, of Haverstraw, N. Y., 1153—74, 73, 63.

Championship of Billiard Club at 14:2. N. Y. City, ending March 29th in tie among Dr. A. B. Miller, Florian Tobias, and Dr. W. G. Douglas. Of the eight contestants, Wm. Gershel made the highest run (65), Douglas the next highest (51), and Tobias the third highest (50). The highest average (8.06) was made by both Douglas and Miller.

Miller, in winning both plays-off, ran 52 and averaged 11.36 against Douglas, this final contest of theirs occurring April 18th. All games were of 250 points. The 11.36 is Miller’s best performance in a set competition to date.

Championship of Minneapolis. Hotel Vendome, March and April, game 14:2 on a 4½ × 9 table, with seven contestants.—Winner was Hogue, who lost no game. Logan, who was second, was beaten only by Hogue, and made best run, single average, and general average, viz., 43, 7.14, and 5.28.

Interborough Amateur Tournament at 14:2. Maurice Daly’s Room, N. Y., March 28th to April 14th, including ties. All games were 300 up. Average of tournament, 5.50.

W.R.Av.G. A.
Dr. W. G. Douglas3436.265.60
F. M. Canda3427.146.68
A. Lewenberg3407.506.02
C. B. Barker1365.454.87
C. E. White038 4.04

The playing-off resulted in another tie, Douglas being beaten by Lewenberg, Canda by Douglas, and Lewenberg by Canda. In beating Canda for the second time, Douglas averaged 9.68, thus surpassing his best previous one—8.06 (vide “Championship of Billiard Club at 14:2,” above). In the second play-off, Douglas beat both Lewenberg and Canda, and the latter lost to Lewenberg.

Mussey’s Handicap at 14:2. Chicago, Ill., March and April, with C. F. Conklin and R. J. Maginniss at “scratch” (300). Of the other eight, H. A. Coleman represented Milwaukee, and C. S. Schmitt, once of Chicago, had latterly moved from Boston, Mass., to Racine, Wis. Messrs. Reinman, Huntley, Adams, Harley Parker, and George Kent were of the eight representatives of Chicago. Maginniss, who made best run (89) and best single average (13.64), was winner-in-chief, with Schmitt second. Conklin, who made the best general average, was third, and Coleman and Adams divided fourth and fifth prizes. Maginniss and Conklin played the final game, April 29, the latter losing. Maginniss was beaten by Kent only.

French Amateur Championship of the World at 14:2. Billiard Palace, Boulevard des Capucines, Paris, March 7–21st, under the auspices of the Federation des Sociétés Françaises d’Amateurs de Billard. Unlike that at 18:2, won by Rérolle a year before, this championship is typified in a Challenge Cup, the gift of the B. B. C. Co. There were twenty-one entries, but a weeding-out process left but six for the final rounds, whose fifteen games resulted in these winnings:

Rérolle5
Darantière4
Blanc3
De Drée2
Maure1
Cayla0

Maure forfeited a half-finished game to De Drée. The best runs of the whole tournament were 111 by Rérolle (in the last game of all, which was with Darantière, second winner) and 108 by Maure. The third-best run seems to have been Darantière’s 89. The best winning average was Rérolle’s 20 against Blanc. As to general averages, there are no complete figures at hand as to any one of the players; but Rérolle’s was probably not far below 15. The games were 400 up. A special round of 250–point ones for a consolation prize terminated as follows: Nélys, 3—0; Castel, 2—1; Faroux, 1—2; Lamare, 0—3. In the deciding game of this round, Nélys vs. Faroux, the former averaged 8.62, with 31 for high run to 27 for the loser (Faroux).

San Francisco Handicap at 14:2. At J. F. Morley’s Room, May 2–19th.—H. A. Wright, winner-in-chief, averaged 16.67 in one game and 14.85 in all (1500 points), and ran 101, 95, 84, 76, and 67 for high in his five games. Wilson H. Sigourney, beaten by Wright and Frank Dubois, had 18.75 for high average, 12.62 in 1426 points for general, and 111, 95, 83, 79, and 79 for high runs per game. The two general averages are high for amateurs in this country. Dubois, Frank Coffin, Dr. O. B. Burns, and J. F. Morley played 150 to the 300 of Wright and Sigourney.

Jacob Schaefer vs. Louis Cure. Match at 18:2 for $2000 a side, 500 points nightly, Nouveau Cirque, Paris, France, June 6–11th.—S., 3000—22.90—166; C., 2988—255.

Al Taylor vs. John Matthews. Chicago, September 14th.—Match at 18:2 for $50 a side. T., 400—11.11—61; M., 259—39.

Ten Games Straight. Summer handicap at 14:2, Foley’s Room, Chicago, July 7th to October 3d.—Roney (115) won all his games. Myers (150, scratch) tied Bevington (140) for second and third, and Bevington forfeited. Eleven contestants.

Amateur Handicap at 14:2. Maurice Daly’s, New York City, October 3–10th.—Winners of the first eight games made an aggregate average of 8.25, which is high for the start of an amateur tournament having as many as six competitors. After defeating J. Ferd. Poggenburg (scratch, 300) by 240 to 292, and Wm. Gershel by 240 to 188, averaging 8 in the first game and 8.28 in the second, Albert Brock had to withdraw, and those games and his unplayed three were canceled. This was Paul Van Dieman’s first tournament, H. A. Coleman’s first in the East, and Albert Lewenberg’s first tournamental victory at balkline.

W.R.Av.G. A.
Poggenburg, 300.37015.797.80
Lewenberg, 240.4448.  6.96
Coleman, 240.2366.325.07
Gershel, 240.1396.325.43
Brock, 240.2378.258.12[[12]]
Van Dieman.032 4.38

[12]. Two games only.

Boston Class B Amateur Championship at 14:2. “Hub” Billiard Parlors, October.—Amidon won all five of his games, and also made high winning average (4.26) and second highest run (26). Smalley’s 39 was highest.

Chas. Threshie vs. Wm. A. Paige. Class A challenge match at 14:2, Boston, Mass., about November 15th.—T., 400—11.11—48; P., 203—36.

Championship of Northwest and Southwest at 18:2. A tournament so announced was held in St. Louis toward the close of November, and was won by Al Taylor, of Chicago. The other contestants were Chas. Peterson, Frank Maggioli, and Lewis Shaw. They played afternoon and night, 300 points up, and every game (600 points in all) had two sessions. Peterson was second. It was professedly a challenge championship for shortstops, but there has never been a match for it.

Handicap 14:2 at Louis Bensinger’s, Chicago. October 31st to December 8th.—Chas. F. Conklin (scratch, 300) won every game of his but the last, which was with Ed. Rein (265), who finished second. Tieing Bliss for third and fourth, A. J. Brown won play-off. Bliss had been the leader until Conklin, making high average (14.29), defeated him by 300 to 46.

Maurice Daly’s Class B 14:2 Tourney. N. Y. City, December 5–14th.—Won by Albert Lewenberg, with H. A. Coleman second and F. M. Canda third. The chief winning averages were 9.26 by Lewenberg, 8.03 by J. B. Whitehead, and 7.58 by Canda. This was the first tournament of Whitehead and James Vantine, and Canda’s last up to the present time. A sixth competitor was Louis A. Servatius.

Championship of Illinois at 18:2. Louis Bensinger’s Room, Chicago, December 12–17th.—Three-handed tournament among Clem E. Ellison, John Matthews, and George Wheeler. Ellison, the winner, made the best run (124 in the first half of his game with Matthews), and the latter the best full-game average (13.33) in his contest with Wheeler. They played in double sessions of 300 points each, and in his first session with Wheeler Matthews showed the remarkable speed of 33.33 per inning for the 300 points.

Foley’s Chicago Handicap at 14:2. October 17th to December 24th.—Ballard (175) lost only one game to the two each of Jenkins (140) and Ed. Rein (scratch, 300). In the play-off for second prize, Jenkins beat Rein. Of the other seven, J. M. Miller (200) failed to win a game. Rein made the best run and average (84 and 9.38), Ballard the second-best run (37), and De Witt Cochrane the second-best average (8.70).

Amateur Match, Ed. W. Gardner vs. Dr. L. L. Mial. German Liederkranz Society’s Rooms, December 29th.—Game 14:2. G., 300—14.29—137; M., 100—46.

Northwestern Amateur Championship. West Hotel, Minneapolis, Minn., November and December, Messrs. Logan, Huyck, and Campbell tieing, playing off, and winning the first three prizes in that order. Thayer made the best run (50), and Thayer, Logan, and Fremont tied on the best winning average (7.14). Liverman, Stephenson, and Risden were the other competitors. The game was 14:2, 200 up, on a 4½ × 9 table.