CHAMPION BILLIARD MATCH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 410, 25 February 1870, Page 4 (Supplement)

CHAMPION BILLIARD MATCH.

A contest for the champion billiard cup, and £IOO a side, recently took place at St. James's Hall, London. A private box was reserved for his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who, accompanied by several members of his suite, saw the greater portion of the play. At half-past eight the two players, Roberts and Cooke, were introduced, and were received with loud applause. Roberts has practically been the champion for 21 years; Cooke is a young man scarcely exceeding that term of life. Roberts got the string at the start, and, making cautious play, ran up to 25 as against two which were intermediately made by Cook. From this Roberts led up to 54, making 21 in ono break. Cooke followed with excellent play, and had taken the first of what might have been a series of spot strokes when he unfortunately hit one of the balls accidentally, and gave place to his rival. On again taking play, the younger man handled the cue more cautiously, and by a number of splendid cannons, and mora ordinary strokes, rapidly ran up the score to 100 a3 against Go. From this the game went on more slowly, and with less of brilliant play than might have been expected, though the interest never flagged. At Cooke's 200 Roberts had 169, but at 210 Roberts had run up to 246. Cooke followed with a break for 36, and with little more fluctuation the game went on to 300 for Cooke against 259 for Roberts. At Cooke's 405 Roberts had 350. Roberts holed red, and made an all round oannon in a manner that obtained for him hearty applause. He then by careful play made steady advances on Cooke, until, when the latter stood at 495, Roberts had 497 to hia credit. Cooke in his next break got to 517. Roberts, including a splendid all round cannon, followed up to 516, and then, amid loud cheers, made 517 alls. Cooke succeeded in a cannon round the table from off the red, and made so good use of his time that at 581 Roberts had made no more than 520. Cooke, in making up this score, included a break of 46. Adding to the total just mentioned, he ran up the score to 625 against 521 for Roberts, at which stage of the game play was suspended for a quarter of an hour. Play was resumed at 11.20. After Roberts had made 17, Cooke followed with 29, and from 705 (Roberts 600) Cooke made a fine break of 80, to which he added 18, Roberta following with 20. At this point Roberts was 628, Cooke 815. Roberts made 20, Cooke 22, Roberts 26, and Cooke 17. Two ponies to one was laid on Cooke when Roberts was exactly 100 behind. When Roberts got within 80 Cooke went away with 63. Then the veteran picked np wonderfully, and hia principal breaks thereaf ter'being 39, 31, 39, thus taking the lead again—Roberts 1,041, Cooke 1,037. After this, Cooke again went ahead, his breaks being 31 and others of less note. From 1,132 (Roberts 1,083) the game was all oneway (although Roberts had ono more stroke ho failed to improve his position), Cooke winning the game (by a splendid unfinisked break of 68) by 117 points, at twenty minutes to two. The victory was greeted with vociferous rounds of cheers, which lasted for Borne minutes. The Prince of Wales and Lord Carrington left at twelve.