The Game in Australia

The Billiard Times. May, 1914

By Our Resident Correspondent

Sydney, April 8th, 1914.

Our preparations for another campaign on the board of green cloth have been satisfactorily completed. With us the active season is much shorter than with you, extending, as it does, little beyond four months—from mid-April to mid-August. Yet we manage to crowd a greater variety of big competitive events into our four months than you in the old country do in nine. At least we cater more extensively for the amateur than does either your Billiards Control Club or your Billiard Association. By “we” I mean the local governing associations who keep the billiards flag flying in five of the six States comprising the Commonwealth, to wit, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. Across in the remaining State— Tasmania—the game is beginning to thrive, so that we shall probably soon have a local Association established, with headquarters in Hobart. So I need not emphasise how very aggressively the grand old game of billiards continues to flourish thousands upon thousands of miles away from the hub of the world.

The various State amateur championships will be decided during the months of June and July in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, the capitals of the various States I have already enumerated, and promise to provide unusually interesting contests. Then on or about August 10th will commence in Sydney the championship of Australia, which compares with your British championship. All the State champions will then compete for the more comprehensive title now held by G. B. Shailer, who is a policeman in this city, and who is the proud possessor of the world’s amateur record break of 262.

Then the various States will also decide the usual Snooker Pool championships—a game that is very popular out here, especially in my own State of New South Wales—in the course of the short season, and the time is not far distant when this event will be raised to the came dignified position at present held by billiards. Second only in importance to the State Championship is a competition known as the Metropolitan Championship of New South Wales. This is a sort of graduating event for the bigger State competition, and is unique in one respect, inasmuch as it is not possible for one player to win it twice. All “Metropolitan” champions are barred from entering again, and their only chance of further honours is to compete in the State Championship. There are several instances of a Metropolitan winner one year being the State champion of the next, recent dual victories being G. B. Shailer and the youngster, E. Fay, who was a State champion at 21.

In addition to these important amateur events we have in New South Wales an Institute championship fought out on the team principle, and in connection with which a handsome challenge shield and valuable gold medals are presented for both billiards and snooker. In this event breaks from 50 to 100 are quite common, and the competition of invariable keenness. Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland, if not living quite so strenuous a billiard life as we do in New South Wales, are also showing the benefit derived from the great missionary work of your great professionals: John Roberts Senr. And Junr., Kilkenny, Evans, Stevenson, Inman, Reece, Harverson, and others. In Sydney and Melbourne billiard rooms have sprung up like mushrooms, and yet the cry is for more; all of which is a striking tribute to the popularity of the game in this corner of the world. Curiously enough, while the amateurs are well organised and catered for in the most enterprising manner imaginable, the governing bodies out here do not show the least disposition to handle anything in the nature of a professional championship or any other professional event. This is a mistake, for to my mind governing authorities are, or at least should be, the guardians of the pastime in all its aspects. There have been championship contests here, but these have not carried the official stamp that is their due. I am hopeful that in the very near future the N.S.W. Billiard Association will do something in this direction, and so increase their sphere of usefulness and good works.

The recent amalgamation of the two biggest billiard table making firms in Australia— Messrs. Herron and Smith and Messrs. Alcock—has not been in operation long enough to determine what effect it is likely to have on the game as a recreation and as a spectacle. Properly directed its influence for good is promising. For the present each firm maintains its old identity as far as style and title is concerned.

The third visit of Tommy Reece is anticipated here with interest and pleasure. The Lancastrian is very popular throughout the Australian billiards world by reason of his attractive style inside, and his joviality outside the billiard room. The principal part of Tommy’s programme here will be three matches each of 18,000 up level with our gifted champion, Fred Lindrum, junr. These are a sure draw, and must insure Reece against any financial loss during his trip. It is the Oldham expert’s third trip “down under” in three years, and that of itself speaks volumes.

Lindrum, who has been farming for a few months past, is getting himself into good nick for the Englishman, and expects at least to win the rubber, if not all three games.

A younger member of the Lindrum family—the 15-year-old Walter—promises to be even a greater player than brother Fred. He has already exceeded the 300 mark on more than one occasion by all-round play. Young Walter also plays the red ball very well, but is, very wisely in nay opinion, devoting most of his attention to the “three-ball” game. Walter is a left-handed player, and possesses an attractive style, and as he seems to be wedded to the game is bound to get to the top of the tree. Good judges here already consider the youngster the second best player in the whole of Australasia.

Frank Smith, jun., the Snooker champion, and a very fine billiard player to boot, is at present combining pleasure with business in New Zealand. He is accompanied by George Bell, last year’s runner up in the N.S.W. amateur Snooker championship, and the husband of Miss Eddy, one of Australia’s finest lady billiard players.

The news of George Gray’s defeat in your championship has been received here with something akin to consternation. At present it is viewed in the light of an unforeseen occurrence, and the English newspapers, with full details of the play, are awaited with eagerness.