1908.
Amateur Handicap at G. F. Slosson’s Room. February 3–11th.—Contestants, Messrs. Gremmels (50), French, Blair, Strauss, and Pallasco, the last four at 40. Won by French, who in his final game, defeating Gremmels by 20, averaged .52. One higher average (.67) had been made by Blair when he ran 6 and defeated Pallasco by 40 to 34.
Three-Handed Professional Exhibition. Maurice Daly’s Room, week ending February 22d, 50–point games, playing twice around.—Won by Edward McLaughlin, who lost only his second game with T. J. Gallagher. Morningstar won only his first game with Gallagher. The latter made the highest run and best winning average of the tournament, respectively 6 and .67. McLaughlin’s .55 was high general average, .65 being his best winning one.
BEST PERFORMANCES.
There are few unquestionable records. Most of the professional games, whether short or long, have of late years been played in “academies” by “academy” employees. To admit one such to record, on the plea that there was a public admission-fee, as well as more or less of a staking, would be to admit all. Then, again, this is a game that has never had a standard as to length. It is unlikely that since 1878 there has been a better average for 50 points in a match than Wayman C. McCreery’s .94; but there may have been before that year, and without attracting any attention whatever. In a tournament game of 50 points at Mussey’s, Chicago, Avery surpassed it by making .98 during season of 1901–2. The best verified run is 14. Two amateurs made it—Peterson in St. Louis, and Avery years afterward in Chicago, both in Mussey’s rooms. Also in Mussey’s, in 1905, James Shea, another amateur, reached 1.03 in a game of 50, while Charles P. Day, in the St. Louis tournament of November and December, 1907, attained to 1.32 in 50 points.
BEST PERFORMANCES BY AMATEURS
The New York Racquet Club was the first to institute a national championship of amateurs (1887–88–89–90), which it did not attempt to renew. There was no second essay until the Amateur Athletic Union entered the field in 1898–99. Anything in the nature of amateur record, therefore, may be said to begin in 1887 and end in 1890, to resume in another direction in 1898 and continue until now.
AVERAGES AT REGULAR THREE-BALL GAME.
17.33 in 300 (championship)—Orville Oddie, Jr., 1889.