Hugo Kerkau vs. Johann Trebar. In 1900 these experts, German and Hungarian, engaged in more than one series of “straight rail” games in the chief cities of their respective countries. The two were known to be far apart in skill. In one series, Kerkau scored 40,000 to Trebar’s 4998, and made runs of 1656, 1743, 2194, and 3843. It invalidates these runs as comparisons with the lesser deeds of earlier men that, although scarcely through fault of Kerkau, they were not achieved under similar conditions. Years before he ran his 3843, Kerkau ran 3092 against Woerz in Berlin. This was under the old rule as to “frozen” balls, but it was probably also on a 4½ × 9 or smaller table. The 3092 were made in January, 1896. When, not far from that time, Kerkau was here, he showed capacity for but about half that height on a 5 × 10.
FIFTEEN-BALL POOL.
A 5 × 10 table, unless otherwise stated. After the close of 1887, the game is always “Continuous Pool.”
1878.
Record properly begins with the
First National Championship Tournament. Union Square Rooms, N. Y. City, April 8–20th.—Best in 21 games of 61 up, for an emblematic gold medal and $550 in four parts. Among the contestants were all the recognized first-class American caromers of that period, with the exception of Albert Garnier, Maurice Daly and Jacob Schaefer. In addition were the pool-players Samuel F. Knight, Clarke E. Wilson, George Frey, J. McWarble, and Gottlieb Wahlstrom, “The Swede” No. 1. Winners in this order were C. Dion, Knight, Wahlstrom, and J. Dion. McWarble and G. F. Slosson tied for fifth and sixth places, Wilson got seventh, Wm. Sexton eighth, and A. P. Rudolphe tied with Frey for ninth.
Wahlstrom and Wilson had played a match (December 13, 1877, Terrace Garden, N. Y. City, which “The Swede” won by 26 games to 13 out of 50) announced as for the championship of America and $500 a side; but they were not warranted in thus appropriating that title to the exclusion of other experts. The medal of 1878 was held successively up to 1881 by C. Dion, Knight, Alonzo Morris, Wahlstrom and Knight again.
1879.
First Championship of Indiana. Crescent Hall, Indianapolis, January 2–11th.—Won by D. Hough from Albert Hawkins, George Morris, and R. E. Whitney (tied), C. Eden, Weller, Gould, and Mack. After losing his first game to Eden, Mack forfeited his remaining six by withdrawing.