EABA : The Billiard Monthly : July, 1913

The Billiard Monthly : July, 1913

A Journal of Interest and Value to Amateur Billiard Players

No. 33, July, 1913

Price 1/6 per annum to any part of the world. Single Copies 1d

THE BILLIARD MONTHLY PORTRAIT GALLERY

XXXIII.A. WILLIAMSON

A. WILLIAMSON: Referee and Joint Instructor at Soho Square.

The Billiard Monthly : July, 1913

Gray and Aiken in Australia

VICTORY FOR GRAY

The match of 16,000 up between George Gray and T.
Aiken, the Scottish champion, was concluded at Alcock’s
billiard parlour in May, the result being a victory for George
Gray by 311 points. The feature of the final day’s play
was the consistently good form displayed by Aiken. He
made a desperate effort to overtake the Australian, and at
one stage of the game it looked as if he would effect his
purpose. Gray’s play was patchy, and the Scottish player
took full advantage of the frequent openings to score.

Some idea of the scoring during the evening session may be
gained from the fact that Aiken averaged 51.1 for his 22
visits to the table. Gray essayed breaks on 23 occasions
for an average of only 28.4. Throughout the match, devotees
of the game were treated to fine exhibitions of champion
billiards. Gray showed that he is a master of the
losing hazard shot. He also displayed an all round knowledge
of the game, particularly in top of table play.

Aiken
has a different style altogether. His play on the last
night was convincing proof of his ability as a cueist. He
compiled breaks of 95, 73, 124, 144 and 208, while the Australian’s
best efforts were 115, 91 and 187.

The highest
sessional average was secured by Gray, with 116.7. For
the whole game the averages were:Gray, 39.2; Aiken,
33.8.

The following table gives a clear indication of the
play throughout the match:

GRAY. AIKEN (Rec. 2000).

Points Aver- Points Aver-
Session. Scored. Visits, age. Scored. Visits, age.

	GRAY			AIKEN
Session	Points	Visits	Ave	Points	Visits	Ave

1	586	35	16.7	585	34	17.2
2	593	27	21.9	582	27	21.5
3	596	13	45.1	584	13	44.9
4	876	28	31.3	582	28	20.9
5	683	18	37.9	522	19	27.4
6	666	28	23.6	573	28	20.4
7	667	15	44.6	458	15	30.5
8	582	16	36.3	781	15	52.1
9	749	19	39.4	470	20	23.5
10	669	16	41.8	487	16	30.7
11	664	14	47.4	378	14	27
12	667	21	31.7	672	21	32
13	668	9	74.2	369	9	41
14	665	16	41.5	450	16	25.1
15	669	9	74.3	766	9	85.1
16	667	4	166.7	298	4	74.5
17	664	11	60.3	533	11	48.6
18	667	13	51.3	415	13	31.9
19	669	18	37.2	882	18	43.4
20	665	8	83.1	423	8	52.8
21	668	17	39.3	441	17	25.9
22	665	11	60.4	532	11	48.3
23	667	19	35.1	683	19	35.9
24	666	23	28.4	1,123	22	51.1

Totals	16,000	408	39.2	15,689	407	33.8

Following are the breaks compiled by each player:

Gray: 829 (516 red), 520 (516 red), 467 (453 red), 441
(405 red), 366 (249 red), 369 red, 254, 293, 283, 249, 235,
218 (2), 212, 211, 208, 203, 195, 189 (2), 184, 183, 179, 176,
165, 160, 158, 156, 148, 143, 137, 136, 133 (2), 128, 127, 119,
117, 115 (2), 112, 107, 105.

Aiken: 358. 258, 219, 212, 208, 183, 179, 178, 177, 151,
148, 144, 142, 141, 140, 178, 135, 133 (2), 131, 129, 127, 126,
124, 122. 119, 114, 107 (3), 105, 104 (2), 100 (2).

Lindrum and Gray

Lindrum issued the following challenge to Gray:”I
am willing to play George Gray a level matchof 18,000 up
for choice and to back myself for £500 or any part of that
sum.

“In regard to the challenge that Mr. Harry Gray has
already issued, on behalf of George Gray, in which he proposes
that Gray should receive £3,000, win or lose, and that
he should give me a start of 3,000 in 16,000, I can only say
that the conditions imposed seem to me to be prohibitive.

I do not think, in any circumstance, that we could even
take £3,000 gross. In regard to the proposed start, I would
point out that my record (which I refer to unwillingly)
shows that I have beaten on level terms Inman, the champion
of the world; Stevenson, who relinquished the championship;
and also Reece, amongst other professionals.”

Lindrum Beats Williams

Very large attendances were present at the concluding
session of the match of 16,000 level between Lindrum and
Williams, which was played at Melbourne. Williams has
shown such improved form this season that a good many
people thought that he might win, seeing that Lindrum
avoided the hazard.

In the first of the two final sessions, although the champion
put up breaks of 267, 93, 262, 105, he was leading
very little.

The scores were called:

Lindrum: 15,333

Williams: 15,302

In the evening, Lindrum gradually drew ahead, and kept
ahead, in spite of 286 that Williams made when things were
looking very bad for him. This brought them nearly level,
but Lindrum, playing in very determined style, and giving
one the impression of having had all along a good deal in
reserve, eventually went out with over 200 to spare.

The final scores were:

Lindrum: 16,000

Williams: 15,796

The principal breaks made during the match were as follows:-

Lindrum: 337, 288, 269, 267, 269, 209, 200, 194, 187
(twice), 184, 181, 179 (twice), 176, 174, 173, 165, 164, 160,
154, 147, 144, 142, 141, 139, 134, 133, 131, 130, 129 (twice),
128, 124, 123 (twice), 121, 112, 110, 105 (twice), 104 (twice),
101.

Williams: 298, 256, 235, 226, 225 (twice), 224, 222,
215, 200, 190, 187, 185. 183, 163 (three times), 158, 155,
147, 129, 127 (three times), 126, 123, 122, 117, 116, 114
(twice), 109, 106, 104, 100.

Lindrum had an average of 29.61, and Williams 29.25.

Association of Conservative Clubs

The All-England Championship Shield of the Association
of Conservative Clubs, won by the Swansea Club, has been
presented to the successful billiardists, viz., Messrs. A.
Paton, Tom Davies, and Fred Lockley. The championship
shield was won by the Swansea Club team at Battersea
against the Shoreditch Club. Each member of the team
was presented with a medal to commemorate the event.