WHEN GRAY IS CHAMPION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 10

WHEN GRAY IS CHAMPION.

THE EFFECT ON AUSTRALIAN BILLIARDS. Tho fillip that is invariably given to any sport when a representative achieves world's championship distinction may Iw cliaracteristic of tho king or indoor games before the year is well advanced (says the Sydney Dailv Tol<?°raph") I'onn points to tho triumph of George Gray, £ho losing hazard marvel, over Stevenson ;'n (ho next contests for the honour, Whether his success, should Ikbe the first Australian to capture this honour, mil have the effect on the-sport that liius followed tho annexation of th" blue ribanJs of cricket, sculling, and other pastimes, remains to he seon. ■ The advent of many old-world experts to Australia this season particularly points that way, however.

The one good effect that wonld follow Gray's victory would be the. giving to Australia a long-sought-for opportunity of having a voieo in tlio management of th© game. To-day it is a peculiar state of affairs which admits of two of the foremost performers in tho world having to abide by the very decisions which may wreck their chances of annexing a premiership without having a voico" in tho moulding of the laws so made. It seems pretty certain -that Gray (who has now beaton the Vorld's champion twico in succession in a scries of three games) can always account for any other piaver by a judicious use of the "red loser, "it might bo that playing what is known as the "all-round game ho could keep within reaching distance of the best of them; while with "all in" opportunities ho could out-pace any member of the first flight. Yet Australia has no voice in the government of tho game. At present the Antipodeans have to take things as the billiard chefs like to servo them. I whether unpalatable or otherwise; and the remedy will be at hand if Gray successfully runs the gauntlet of the big tournament and becomes Stevenson's chalUnger. The cablegram a few days jyro told that the Englishman, owing to failing health, had decided to abandon his right to defend the title; and again a few days later that he had decided to go on. Seeing that at the time he was engaged in his second match with Gray, and was leading by a fair number of points when he made tho last statement, wc may hope to see Australia winning tho first real championship very shortly. During his recent visit to Sydney, Stevenson, in conversation with a "Daily Telegraph" reporter, expressed the hope of meotng Gray in the championship final. "Of course," he said, "there can be no game for the honour as a side game, tho challenger must go through the usual course of making good in the tournament." Gray's most formidable opponents up to the final stage undoubtedly wonld be luman, the Twickenham Terrier, and Tom Recce, the gentlemanly Englishman, who was with us last year, and he would be seriously out of form to be compelled'to strike his colours to either. So that, narrowed down, the hopes of the Gray supporters -are well-founded, and wc mav look confidently to having an Australian champion in tho billiard section before the end of tho year. A private letter from London tells that Grav has made rapid improvement with the ivorv balls, and that ho is confident of tho "outcome when tho real trialvof strength comes. >