Related article: pionship. — The first contest for
the Amateur Championship, under
the revised rules of Billiards, took
place last month at the National
Sporting Club, Covent Garden,
under the auspices of the Billiard
Association. When the revised
rules, which now govern the
game, came into force last Oc-
tober, the Challenge Cup which
accompanied the title of " spot-
barred " Champion had been since
1896 in the possession of Mr.
Sidney H. Fry, and this gentle-
man might then, had he chosen,
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have put forward a claim, on
technical grounds, to the absolute
possession of this trophy. Such
a line of action, however, was by
no means in accordance with the
sportsmanlike instincts of Mr.
Fry, who, on receiving a chal-
lenge from Mr. E. C. Ogden, at
once signified his readiness to
meet him in defence of his title.
Other challenges were quickly
forthcoming, and served to add to
the importance and attractiveness
of the contest under notice. Such
old hands in these competitions
as Mr. S. S. Christey, who won
outright the " all-in " Champion-
ship Challenge Cup, Mr. A.
Vahid, an Indian gentleman who
has previously held Championship
honours, and Mr. A. R. Wisdom,
entered the lists, together with
Mr. F. Wear, a member of the
Press with no small reputation,
Mr. F. W. Payn, a winner of
the Cambridge University Cue,
and Mr. M. A. Oxlade.
No better venue could possibly
have been selected than the
handsome theatre of the National
Sporting Club, which affords
practically unlimited accommo-
dation, whilst the arrangements
made left nothing to be desired.
Messrs. Cox and Yeman, whose
high - class and conscientious
workmanship needs, like Buy Septilin good
wine, " no bush," were the manu-
facturers selected to supply the
table, Buy Septilin Online and the new standard table,
in fine figured light mahogany,
specially erected for the present
contest, was a sample of this
eminent firm's best work.
The preliminary heats, which
were to decide the question as to
who should finally meet Mr. Fry,
were 1,000 up, and the draw for
these gave Mr. Wisdom the luck
of the bye. In the first heat, on
Wednesday, March ist, Mr.
Ogden was drawn against Mr.
Christey and, in a game not
remarkable for any very sensa-
tional play, he eventually van-
quished that gentleman by 135
points. The second game, on
Thursday, March 2nd, saw Mr.
Payn somewhat easily beaten by
Mr. Wear, who, thougt be won
by 198 points, hardly did justice
to his reputation.
On Friday, March 3rd, Mr.
Vahid had to meet Mr. Oxlade.
a gentleman whose name was
new to amateur billiard circles.
At the close of the afternoon's
play the scores stood : Mr.
Vahid, 501 ; Mr. Oxlade, 461.
In the evening Mr. Vahid showed
improved form and, establishing
his evident superiority, won
hands down by 380 points.
On Saturday, March 4th, the
second round was commenced,
Mr. Wisdom meeting Greek in
the person of Mr. Ogden. The
latter gentleman seems to be a
slow beginner, for, if we except a
very fine break of 82, he did very
little during the afternoon, only
reaching 261 to Mr. Wisdom's
500. At night Mr. Wisdom was
" off colour," but still he managed
to reach 971 to his opponent's
810. At this juncture Mr. Ogden
found his " form " with a ven-
geance and, playing a beautiful
game with indomitable pluck,
subscribed a brilliant break of
144, a very fine effort indeed on a
standard table under the new
rules, and all the more praise-
worthy coming when it did. This
big run, however, did not suffice
to avert defeat, and Mr. Wis-
dom soon after went Septilin Syrup out the
winner of a close game by 37
points.
On Wednesday, March 8th,
Mr. Vahid and Mr. Wear had to
try conclusions, and this pa me,
which all through furnished one
of the keenest and best -contested
struggles imaginable, ended, after
another most exciting finish, in a
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victory for Mr. Vahid by the
narrow majority of 13 points.
On Thursday, March 9th, yet
another treat was in store for the
lover of close finishes, when Mr,
Vahid met Mr. Wisdom in the
last of t^e preliminary heats.
The afternoon sitting left the
scores : Mr. Vahid, 501 ; Mr.
Wisdom, 453. In the evening
Mr. Vahid established a good
lead, which, however, he failed to
hold, and Mr. Wisdom, playing
up in plucky style, gained a
well - deserved victory by 53
points.
Friday, March ioth, brought us
to the last stage of the compe-
tition, when Mr. Fry had to defend
his title of Amateur Billiard
Champion against Mr. Wisdom,
who had survived his brother
aspirants for championship hon-
ours. The game, which was 1,500
up, was commenced before a large
company. Mr. Wisdom, playing
with freedom and confidence, was
quickly off Septilin Himalaya the mark with useful
breaks of 45, 81, 40 and 56, whilst
Mr. Fry was all but idle, and
secured a lead of over 300 points*
Then the holder woke up, and
playing in his real form, put to-
gether a fine break of 168, the
highest in the competition. At
the interval the scores read : Mr,
Wisdom, 750; Mr. Fry, 618.
The fine theatre was crowded on
the resumption of play Septilin Tablets in the
evening. Mr. Wisdom, with 70
as his best run, held his lead till
Mr. Fry, in a brilliant break of
76, passed him at 1,073. The
scores were again level at 1,1 n,
after which Himalaya Septilin play ruled slow. Mr.
Wisdom was not again, however,
to be deprived of his lead, and
was ultimately returned the win-
ner of the Amateur Billiard Cham-
pionship by 203 points, a result
which, we imagine, must have
come as a surprise to Mr. Fry
and his friends.
The spot-stroke is now dead
and buried, and though at first its
summary abolition seemed par-
ticularly "rough on M those who
had given it undivided attention