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.
1871.
[In this and all later years, table a 5 × 10 carom, with crotch barred, unless mentioned differently.]
First Match on a 5 × 10 Between First-Class Players. Platt’s Hall, San Francisco, January 12th.—$500 a side. J. Dion, 500—3.60—46; Deery, 474—37.
January 26th, same hall and stake, Dion giving odds of 100. Deery, 600—3.73 (in 500)—57; Dion, 479—42.
February 9th, same place and stake, Dion now giving 50. Deery, 600—5.98 (in 550)—83; Dion, 491—25.
These were the first public three-ball contests at odds between first-class players, and the odds was always marked up at the start of the game, instead of, as usual now, one man’s going to 500 against the other’s 600. Practically, or temperamentally, there is often a difference between ways that theoretically seem the same.
Rudolphe vs. Garnier. Apollo Hall, N. Y. City, January 21st.—$500 a side, 5½ × 11 carom, crotch not barred, but no crotching, Garnier receiving odds of 15 per cent. Rudolphe, 600—5.46—72; G., 510—28.