Report of a billiard match between two well-known players
Brighton Gazette, Saturday 30 March 1907
The Billiard Association are going to meet next week to try and put a stop to this “anchor” business. Presumably they mean to cut the table—(not “table”—”cable,” fathead! That’s a sort of pun). We understand that their action has been brought about owing to the following report of a billiard match between two well-known players, which appeared in the
“BRIGHTON GAZETTE,”
29th March, 2001.
At the L.C.C. Subterranean People’s Palace and Billiard Saloon, the first round of the Billiard Championship was concluded yesterday. It will be remembered that this competition started on the 1st April, 1907, so that the first round has been completed in the record time of ninety-four years. Unfortunately, only three of the original entrants are now living, and as it is understood that Reece will not play the next round owing to his advancing age, it looks like a walk-over for Mr Snooker-Robinson, as Mr Pool-Brown is understood to have settled down in Australia, whence he went for a change during the ninth year of his match with Reece and the third year of Mr Reece’s break of 9,897,567,765, with which, it will be remembered, the veteran player ran out, after having occupied the table continuously for over sixty-five years.
It has been suggested that in future matches there shall be provision made so that the games may be continued by the heirs, executors, or assigns of players who fail to win the toe, or die before they get to the table. This would be obviously fairer than the present arrangement, as we know of two gentlemen who went up from Brighton thirty-five years ago to play their handicap, and, so far, have not touched a cue or, it is stated, being in strict training, a drink; apart from the fact that it is sometimes inconvenient to be away from business for so long, and it is understood that the wives of the players are beginning to kick—in fact, several have kicked out altogether. Some amelioration of the existing conditions may be found in the adoption of the rule passed by the Brighton Carlton Club in 1911, when it was decided to let both players in a match proceed with their breaks simultaneously, one at the top end of the table and one at the other.