Billiards.

Southland Times, Issue 18840, 5 June 1920, Page 9

Billiards.

(By “Spot.”) At present the prospect of the match for the New South Wales championship is not bright, due, it is said, to the difficulty df securing a suitable location. Both Abotomcy and Smith are reported to be keen for a contest. Billiard accessories and essentials have increased generally since the war and over'" £lO per yard is at present being askvd for cloth. Fancy £SO to cover a table! It is not many’ years since a complete table could be purchased in New Zealand for about £6O or £7O. Now they cost about £2OO. Perhaps it is strange the game ha? not increased in price, but proprietors of saloons are in much the same position as the men who shave their fellows. Raise the shaving price and many men would shave themselves; raise tte price of the game and custom would fail away considerably. Perry Collins, who was defeated by Dave McAudles in the last American amateur championship, turned the tables on his conqueror this year. Both players belong to Chicago and represent the big rival dubs on Michigan Avenue. McAndles belongs to the Athletic and Collins to the Illinois, further down the street and is a club mate ef Norman Ross, the noted swimmer. Collins is e slim, fair haired youth, with great execution. Many’ fancied Falkiner’s chance against Smith in the English championship final, but they did not know Smith’s determination. He gradually drew away during the last four days and finally landed the title by 151)0 points. This is probably the victor's first appearance in a championship game. Smith is said to be of nofr very robust constitution, while Falkiner is usually not at his best when playing for something big. Smith was working as a linotype operator up to an hour or so of playing his first important game—against George Gray in 1912. That victory over the red ball king brought Smith into the limelight straight away*. So he left the keyboard and started to earn a living at billiards. He built op a fine business in the north «f England, where he ran a number of billiard rooms. Newman has been his principal, partner in the few games that he has played in public. The heavy defeats of both Reece and Stevenson in the English championship show how the y’oung brigade have come on (comments ■‘Snooker'' in the Sydney Referee i. Inman was not a competitor, and if he had decided to nominate, defeat was almost a certainty. In fact Reece and Falkim*r have recently* defeated him with a start of 1500 in 10,000 up. Clark McConachy, the New Zealanc champion, having completed his dommiot lour, is now resident in Timaru, where ht will lie located for a time before leaving to try’ his skill further afield. India, I thinly is his first objective.