A LEG-PULLER AT BILLIARDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 July 1927, Page 10

A LEG-PULLER AT BILLIARDS

TOM REESE TELLS HOW HE “SPOOFED" CLARK MCCONACHY Tom Reese, the English b,llu M player, who jumped into fameT?’ year as an exponent of the "pe„ dul ™ S cannon, has been telling the sto ■ his career in London "Sporting Lif»°Reese s reminiscences reveal him „ player with unbounded confide n « * himself, as well as being an i ng leg-puller. In the following Reese tells the story of one jokes at the expense of Clark v Conachy, the well-known New 7-,, player. ‘■'aland “A few years ago.'' savs received a Royal Command to nWiJ 1 fore the King, an event of which 1 **' the more honoured to have hag 101 privilege because it has been extend" to no other English professional this time a New Zealander Mm, Clark McConachy, who had big reputation "down under" as an* 4 ponent of the red ball theorv just arrived in this country. ' w lie once started travelling on the •••,? red route,” he was a dangerous » ponent capable of making his fi Ve p six hundred break, but, outside thi branch of the game he was harSS in the first flight of players. y VERY SPECIAL OCCASION It may have been because the of Wales was touring: in New Zealand at the time that McConachv was sel ected as my opponent on this V erC special occasion. As the billiards root,; ac Buckingham Palace was not bS enough to accommodate all hi"Majesty’s guests, the game was nlavJ at the Marlborough Club, and thither we repaired, both of us a little ner' vous. While we were waiting in the ante room, I thought to myself: ‘Tve got to win this game, whatever happen* —and although I felt confident that I was the better stayer over a lonr course, the chances of a big red-baT break in a short game made me somewhat apprehensive. I don’t think I looked nervous, but poor McConachy seemed to be on pins and needles. I couldn’t resist saying to him in a casual sort of way:— ° “You know, I don’t think the King is very keen on this red ball business. He likes to see a more varied game.' GAME IN POCKET McConachy seemed much by this idea, and when we were summoned to the billiards room I knew I had the game in my pocket. It was a rather overwhelming moment. King George sat in a big chair close to the table, ard all rtiund the room were his guests in evening dress, a hundred and fifty of the elite of England, including Prince George and Prince Henry. Nevertheless, once 1. started to play any nervousness I felt disappeared. McConachy was trying nursery canmons and top-of-the-table experiments. and. of course, I simply* slaughtered him. m The King followed every stroke of the game very closely, and, after the match was over, I was asked to do a number of fancy and trick siots. At his Majesty’s request I had to do several of them again and again, and he seemed very pleased. When I had finished the Kir g chatted with me for some twenty mirutes. He asked me all about my early days, and how I had started at billiards.

“I have played biiyards nearly all my life,” his Majesty told me. “My father taught me, but this is the first time I have ever seen a professional play.' I have been thoroughly delighted.” PROFESSIONAL GOLF SCORES AT GLENEAGLES 8 1/ C’lble. — Press Association. — Copyright LONDON, Thursday. In the match for the £I,OOO professional prize at the Gleneagles golf tournament the 32 players who qualified include Melhorn, America, with a score of 140; C. A. Whitcombe, 145: Kirkwood and E. R. Whitcombe, 147: Ockenden, 149. Kirkwood has withdrawn owing to an appointment to play in an exhibition match for charity.—A. and h-2-* Sun.

GOLF IN FRANCE AMATEUR TITLE TO SCOTT By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyri§' lli PARIS, WednesdayThe Hon. Michael Scott won 0# amateur golf championship of which he also won in 1912 and 19-" A. and N.Z.

OTAGO REFEREES REGISTER PROTEST SHIELD MATCH INCIDENT Press Association. OAMARU, Thursday At a meeting of I:he No . rt J. C)t X 0 Si. ferees’ Association to-night, lowing resolution was carried: this association takes strong ex R to the action of the Hawke s f Wairarapa Rugby Unions in support the referee, Mr. H. J- ** zie in the action he took again ahiel: ! players in the recent Ranfurly i match.” Early Bird Successful.— The A'Kjt land Rugby League has been gr % the use of the new playing Pine Street at the rear of the. “ era School. It was a case of tne bird catching the worm. Municipal Golf Ll nks? 7^nllU^ may soon have its municipal gou a The Parks Committee is . report for the City Council i* tion with this proposal.