First Public Contests. What is known simply as “Balkline” took its name originally from the table’s having a continuous line running around it six inches from the cushion. This form, with three shots in balk, was practiced by Rudolphe and the Dions in 1875, pronounced too difficult, and never played in public. The intersecting short lines near every corner were added early in 1883, and the main line was then put eight inches from the cushion; and in this form, with its eight balks and the two shots or one valid count therein, as described for the Champion’s Game, the “Balkline” was first played publicly for the world’s championship in Central Music Hall, Chicago, March 26th to April 6th. Of the seven contestants, Alonzo Morris and Thomas Wallace were graduated from a preliminary tournament held at the J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co.’s warerooms, that city, March 6–13th. In addition to the challenge emblem, there were money-prizes aggregating $3,000, and the tournament was akin to a marvel in embodying so many as seven players without a single tie. Average of the twenty-one games, 12.86. J. Dion’s 17.71 and Sexton’s 16.58 were their best averages—not winning ones. During Sexton’s run of 170 the first glimpses in public were seen of what, in 1890, was dubbed “The Anchor.” It had been played in private at the regular three-ball game, but lacked favoring opportunities at the Champion’s Game, while at Balkline it was impossible until the eight short lines were added near the corners.
| W. | R. | Av. | G. A. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schaefer ($1,000) | 6 | 220 | 40.00 | 23.23 |
| Vignaux ($800) | 5 | 246 | 31.58 | 22.07 |
| Daly ($500) | 4 | 90 | 17.14 | 13.50 |
| Sexton ($300) | 3 | 170 | 16.58 | 10.88 |
| Morris ($200) | 2 | 101 | 15. | 10.84 |
| J. Dion | 1 | 101 | 15.71 | 10.36 |
| Wallace | 0 | 134 | 7.79 |
Matches were to have been 800 points for $500 a side, but none was ever made, and in due time the emblem became Schaefer’s to keep. This was the second case of first-class championship tournament without ever a match. Nor was there a balkline championship match until Slosson and Schaefer’s in 1890, which was the first case of first-class carom championship, either national or universal, without a tournament.
Vignaux vs. Schaefer. At close of foregoing tournament these experts played two games in public. The one in Hartford, Conn., was at cushion caroms, and Schaefer won it. The other, played at Academy of Music, N. Y. City, June 12th, was in all respects on balkline championship terms, except that, as there was no challenge, therefore there could not be a championship match. V., 800 (total)—22.22 (winning average)—106 (highest run); S., 644 (total)—90 (highest run).
First Balkline Match Abroad. Grand Café, Brussels, Belgium, November 21–25th.—$500 a side, 4½ × 9 table. Garnier, 3000; Daly, 2839. Averages and runs not cabled.
Second game, Lyons, France, December 10–14th.—Same size of table. Garnier, 3000—27.23—238; Daly, 2970—309.
Vignaux vs. Schaefer. Grand Hotel, Paris, November 26–30th.—$1,000 a side. V., 3000—28.85—165; S., 2859—164.