BIILIARDS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2666, 23 November 1909, Page 6

BIILIARDS

CHAAIPIOX BIL.LIARDIST OF THE

WORLD

Master George Gray, the champion billiard player of the world, is at present in Wellington. The world has excited itself at different times over the performances of men like Stevenson, and the great John Roberts, but this 18-year-old lad has beaten them all at their own game. Up till a few months ago Stevenson held the record for the biggest break ever made on a billiard table—Bo2 —but on August 25 last, when playing at Alcock’s Billiard Parlor in Alelbourne,. young Gray set the balls a-rolling, and before they had finished he had notched. 836 points, of which-831 wore “off the red.” The performance was at first greeted with incredulity until it became known . that the record break was made on a standard table under conditions laid down by the Billiards Association of Great Britain and Ireland. To prove his. form, George Gray, the next day, made another break of 800—a double .performance which lias never been anything like equalled. On topiof this is the fact that these.records -were madp by a mere lad. • . A representative of “The Dominion” looked into the Hotel Bristol yesterday afternoon,, and was fortunate in catching. George Gray and his “sparring (partner,” Fred Lindrunv (champion of Australia), in their room. - The champion’s father, Air Harry Gray, was also present. A r oung Gray had been practising for about four hours, commencing at 6 a.m. He is a clean-cut. -tall, fairhaired youth. “I learnt billiards through air accident —an accident which broke my arm.' A compound fracture just above the left wrist done jumping about in thepark at Brisbane 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 bil-liard-room,-; and there I had to stay—; Under his eye. . -“As the bones begqn to knit I moved ; about more and mote, did - little jobs and marked the games. Then I used to fool about .with a,.cue witli my good hand in slack times, \ and when dad wasn’t looking I used to sneak the ot-, her hand out ’bf the. sling,’and have apoke at the balls: Gradually I. began :to get a hold' of the game, 1 and when my arm got fit to use dad . took me in hand, and taught me ?'”* “For twelve solid months Tie oiily allowed me to play with two trails; .just at angles, and with the strength’..Jo, bring the fed’into position. I suppose I improved all right, for I began to make decent breaks. Then dad promised me a cue for the first 100- I could make in a game. I had made-ft'lots of times playing by myself, but somehow I couldn’t manage it in a- game. Then one day when dad was at' Sta'rithorpe I made the 100. I was so pleased that I sent him a wire, and he wired back' giving me leave, to order the cue. After that I could -rattle up,: :• breaks [pretty easily, and -once : at Toowoomba I put on 411 (including -137 losing ■ ha- j zards). As it was' thbught people would not believe;it, those! .present?signed atestimonial to the effect that they were there and saw it.done. ■■ ‘•ln 1907 I went down to Sydney. My first match, there was; one in which Frank Smith conceded,,me 1000 in. a 6000-point game. He .beat me-by. 17. Then I met Beddoe, ,-and giving me the same handicap I lost by 169. Aly-first-long game was with Fred Lindrum, iiri the Queen’s Hall, Pitt -Street, Sydney, when lie gave me 4000 in a game of- 1 14,000. I won by 4643. In Alelbourne he gave me 2000 in 16,000, and Fred, won by 3046. After that we never met for five or six months’. ' Then wo metat Billiards, Ltd., Sydney, Fred giving me 2300 in a 16,000-point game. 1; won by 3953 points.' The last big game; we played was in Alelbourne, when. Fred gave me 1600 in 16,000, and IJad the luck to win by 4126.’ It was in that game that I put up the .two 800 breaks.” .

ANOTHER CHAAIPION. Another champion is Fred. Lindrum, who has no rival on the green cloth in Australia, '(barring his friend George, who declines to play him for the championship). He is quite a youth, having achieved his twenty-first birthday on February 6 last. Lindrum’s father was the licensee of the Donnybrook Donnybrook (not in Ireland, but a country town in AVestern Australia). He commenced to find a. fascination in tlie rolling balls when but twelve years of age. He took to the game seriously almost immediately, becoming gradually, but surely, more proficient each year, until he was 17 years of ago, when he accepted a challenge to play Bert. Teague for the championship of Western Australia and a stake of £SO. Lindrum won by 584 points, ending up wtih a 250 unfinished break. After that lie / toured AVestern Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and New South AA r ales with Alelbourne Inman. In the first match with that player, ho received 6000 handicap in a game of 18,000, and won by 777 points; in the second, Inman conceded 4000 in a game of 10,000 points, which he won by 2584. In another 10,000 game Inman gave away 3000 points, and Lindrum won by 1700. The last game he played with Inman tlie latter gave him 2000 in a 9000-point game, and though Inman scored 2300 points the first day, Lindrum won by 800 points. N Air Harry Gray, who with Air Fred. Lindrum, sen., is managing the tour of the brilliant young billiardists, states that when George put up his world s record, he received £IOO, and a new cuo from Alcock’s, and £IOO from the Crystallate Ball Company. They have been advised that the Billiard Association of Great Britain are forwarding the gold medal for the biggest break on riecord. THIS AVEEK’S GAAIE. The two champions are to meet in Goodwin’s Hqll, Cuba Street, this week, when Lindrum will concede Gray 500 in a game of 8000 points. Playing two sessions daily—afternoon and evening—the game is expected to last the week. The length ot a session will be defined by the player who first reaches tlio divisional points—which are in the case of Lindrum, 660, and Gray 630. There will also he exhibitions of fancy shots each afternoon and evening. Alcocks are fitting up a magnificent Standard £3OO table in Goodwin’s Buildings, and are to .provide/ tables in all the principal centres during the tour.