"IN OFF THE RED!"

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 668, 19 November 1909, Page 8

"IN OFF THE RED!"

CHAMPION BILLIARDIST OF THE '•;^v:.'■■■'• ••;': ; '"';. ; v»'qntp.-; _■//.- - .."■•; '■. ■ GEOBGE GRAY .INTERVIEWED. ": Master Geprgo Gray, the* champion billiardplayer 'of.'the ■ world, is-' at. J preseht- in ton. The. world has excited itself at different times, over;..the-.performances of men "like; Steyanson, and the great :John7 Roberts, but this ■ 18-year-bld' , lad - has beatenV them' all at their -own ■ gaineV ■ Up till a < few months ago Stevenson "held-'the. record for' -the -biggest break ever made on- a .billiard table^-soa—but; on August''2s-last, whenrployingVat Alcpck's Billiard Parlour' in -Melbourne, young Gray set a-'rolling, and before they had- finished he-had-notched-836 points,- of whichiß3l:were "off the red." vThp'performance was at first greeted with iindreduliry ; until it became-known that the 'record'brea)i'was:iuade. on'a standard; table', under' 'conditions -' laid '■ ■ down by ;■■ the Billiards Association of Groat Britain' and ■ Ireland. : To prove his- form,' George Gray; the : next day, made! another break of 80tt—a •double; performance l .which':has": never/'beon' anything , like; equalled. , .On .top. , of.this- is;the fact;thatthese'records*were made by a.mere lad...- /:■'■ A'•representative of" I'm DpsaNTON "looked into the , Hbtel'Bristol yesterday afternoon, and: was'■• -fortunate , V in- catching-' George Gi'ay and , - his."sparfing ''partner," Fred Irindrum (oham-, pion of, Australia);"in-:their 'room; ■ The chainpibn's' father,"i-Mr.'- narry Gray,.was-also present. ; Ybdiig: ■' Gray had. ..been-' practising ■■• for-' about four' Photos,': commencing. 'at'. 6 :a.m.-He'-'.is-a Icleani-cut, , tall,, fair-haired! youth:' '■'&'■ learnt:billiards • through' ■ ah' accident—an' accident-which' m ? &vsa.\ A- compound fracture just abbve the left -wrist done jumping about in the 'park , :at^Brisbarie-five- years:ago this Christmas. '-It was a-pretty; bad' break,'; and,Dr.'Burn; , ;who'.'attended, wanted to'put it in"'plaster of Paris, but father, said he-would' look, after , :, me in the billiard-room, and'there I httd-:to stay—nnder^his-eye.' . :■„■ ~:,■•:■ "As: the'bones began to knit I moved about more and more,'did little jobs and marked;the: games. ' Then I used to fool about-with' a cue with'my good Hand in .'slack times; arid when dad.wasn't looking'l-used to sneak the other' hand ; out "'of the sling, and' , have :a -poke , at the balls.. Gradually; I Iwgan to/ get a hold of 'the' game," , and when , my'arm got fit to use dad took, mein hand, and taught me properly.' ' '■ 'Tor-twelve solid-months:he only:allowed me, to , play with'two balls; , just: at ■'angles with 1 thestrengthtobring.thered'into ppsition.lsup l -: Sosed I improved'all;right,'forrrbeganto mateecent breaks. ■■-.' Then. .dad. ; promises. me 'a -, cue for the I,' had'' made ;it' lots' of "times;;playing. by but 'somehow''X couldn*t"m'ana'geit:;inra':.game.' Then one:day when 'dad was ! 'at : .Stanthorpe:'l-i made : the iOp."; : -I-was'so pleased,rlhat'-'r-sent'him; a vivire,'- and' he '■ wired'back'-giving 'me leave, 'fo-or'der-r-th'evct'e".'; After -that ( I'-could-rattle:--up breiks-pretty.easily', and-once;at' TbowoOmba I. put'on, 411 ;(including!;l37; losingihazards). ■ "As ft (people';wbnld'not l believe it;-those-presenc-'signied'aytestimbnial to -the'effect that they'were .there arid.saw'it.done.' .-.-'■; '.:';■"-■ ■"Ih'-1907.:'I':went-! , down , "'.to.: Sydney- :'My" first, match'there-was .onooin--B-hioh Frank Smith , - conceded -mevlOOOuni.-'a. 6000-point •.game. ■> ■Eβ ; beat ; me'.by.l7.'..':Then ; l ine't'Beddoe,-and giving me? the -samelhandicap 'I'lost by 169. :My ;first. long game , 'was with-Ered .Lindnim, in: Queen's: Hallv-'Pitt:]Street,- .Sydney,, when, he... gaye'.me'idOOO -'in'a'game i0f.14,000. -I won by * 4643.' In ; Melbourne-Tie gave men 2000 in 16,000, an'd -Fred wbn r :by.- 3046. -''After that we.never: met for fiveXbr -six months.. '.Then.'we-- met -at-Billiards,-'Ltd.,vPydney,:Fred;giving i me , .23oo,-in: a ; 16,000-poiht'gaine.'.I;won'-by 3953 points. The , , last'big' game--we played; was:.in' •Melbourne,- ; when Fred gave' me 1600 in 16.000, and I-had the luck 'to' win-;by 4126 , .', It pas 'in that game-that'rput:'np;the-'two;Boo.breaks." ".■- . : -■•-;

■; '■«,;];: rAJiother 'jCKampiq.n..,, ■;.-, .;' . .'■■.. / !■■*. who,. 'has Mα. rival?oiK the green* cloth,'in: -Australia, (barring vliis .friend: George,. whb" declines jto "play ihim'-ifofXthe '.is iqmte. a -yonth, having itwentiy>nrst:birth-"-day.fon' Febiuary. 6.; last.'.: jLjuiarum-si father. was• the, ; licenses'*:of: the'-.vDonnyljrook ■ ■ Hotel,_ "Dohnybrriolc- , '(not' in 'Ireland, '.butKβ : -; country.* town.in- "Western .Australia). V; He commenced, to,'find ; a fascination in/the 'rolling balls.'.when; but twelyb;years. ; of:.agei,-He'jtbofc to_ tlie'game; seriously. , almostvimmediatelyi; ibecoming:,graduallyjl; but ■■' surely,', more .proficient: each year, age,' when he .accepted ■a: challongq' to"''play Bert; TeaJErt.e for' .the I cham-: pionship /of, -.'Western V:.'Axistralia!..and"ar. stake, of i"£so. Ijindrum' : w6n;;by.- 58ii■points, '.ending; up' with -a v250/'nrifinishedi^break. , : After ,that." ' he '■■: toured" 'Wesfeni'.-. Australia, : -South'- Anstra-; Hα, Victoria, and-New South, Wales with,Mel-J ?ijo^pin,an^;;in l match;3jtli;ttat* ."player, he received GOOO;handicap m.a game of 18,000, and wdnby r 777, points;;.in the .second, Inman conceded,')ooo'in: a garno of 10,000 points/ which he: w0n. ; '1)y". : 2584.'.".' > 'lii v ' l a"ftßtKer'.-lO,ooo'. game Inman,gaveVaway;.:3ooo?poinja/;atd,'Lindrum ■• won- by:-;l7opi:. ; "Tnc' ; last-.gamp he 'played, with 'Inraan;': the'''latter-; gave'.him'.2ooo- in ; -a' 9000-point game; ' and,; :thotigh',, li?man , scored. 2300.-points- the:jfirst/day, ,"tindruin : . wpn':by 800 points.-"^ , '■'■'.'.■'. ■ ■■''' !■).".: ,' ■;.->.."■.-:■ '.•■''•;••,'•'" 1 r -. 1 ■Mr. Harry Gray, w_ho with Mr.. Fred. ■ Lindrnm; sen.', r is ,managing ; ; thp'-.tour',of ; liant young.-!billiardis.ts,',, states; .that,"; when George, put up his worlcl's.record, he/received ,£100; and a'/newocue-from'-Alcbck's, from -the. Crj;stallate• Ball:; Company. . They have. been advised * thatv'the- Billiard Association of Great, Britain 'are'forwarding- the gold .medal'foritho.,biggest .-Break on 'record. -/ .'.. ■;* '■■(•; .cV*/ {fNixt*Week'^Game;';':: : :-;' ; -.';*; v > , 'The' two! champions* are 'to "meet in .'Good'win's Hall, Cu\}& :Street,lnext, week,; commenc-' .ing at.-S^'p'.M'ion-.Monday,'.when.-Lindrum v -will concede ■ Gray;,soo, in a game, of''Booo' .points.' : Playing -twoy. sessions , daily—afternoon'., "and .'is'\' expected' ~,td . last.;';the; "week/ Tho , ,lengthi of 'a".session, will.'bb'. defined' r .by- ; th'tf;' ; i>layeV"who. first? reaches divisional: points—which are in the caso' of ■I l i'ndrnin;.' , 66s, ; .i,'and^Gray ; .63O. ■' .There wilj also be exhibitions;'of. fancy'. shots each afternoon and >evening':-. jAlcocks. , are.; fitting'.iipr a .maR-, nificent; Standard ,£300 : table ■ in- Goodwin's Buildings, - and■:.' are to provide tables in all the! principal-centres during the: tour. ..-■■.