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Show HOPPE HAS IMfflSE CUP FOI ffiT The eyes of the billiard world will be focused this week on New York, where six of the leading balkline experts of the world will compete in the big 18.2 handicap tournament at the concert hall of the New York theater. Champion William F. Hoppe is on scratch, having to play 500 points, the other contestants and their handicaps being: George Sutton, Chicago, 400; George F. Slosson, New York, 35; Koji If am aria, Japan, 375; Joseph Mayer, Philadelphia, 325; Welker Cochran, Chicago, Chi-cago, 300. Tbe field is as diversified as it is possible to make it. In age it ranges from Cochran, who was 19 last month, to Slosson, the dean of active balkline professionals, who was 61 last March. Sutton and Slosson have been before the public, many years, while Yarnada, Mayer and Cochran are members of the younger school of experts. t Mayer's presence in the field gives additional interest, in-terest, as he won the amateur championship cham-pionship last season and then joined the professional ranks. Champion Hoppe, although not a veteran vet-eran in years, having celebrated his 28th birthday on October 11, lias been before the public since ho was 11 years of ape and at 19 won the world 's 18.1 championship from the great French master, Maurice Yignaux. Since that time he has established himself firmly as the leading player of the world, holding at the presont time the 14.1, Is.l and 18.2 championships. This week- Hoppe will be put to supreme su-preme test, and there are many who believe be-lieve he will emerge with flying colors. Matched against the champion on even terms, the other professionals seldom have been, able to play up to their standard, and now that the other experts ex-perts are to be given a 6taxt it will be interesting to note how they perform. When Hoppe on November 1 ran out a 400-poiut game at Hartford, Conn., at 14.2 from the spot, he displayed form that probably would have netted him 50 or 100 more points in the handicap for this week's tournament, but the ratings already had been made. The fact of the matter is, Hoppe has not been pushed in the majority of his matches, and that again presents a psychological psy-chological study. If with their handicaps handi-caps the other 'men crowd him, will he be able to do as well or will ho be able to show a lot of reserve power? George Sutton, the Chicago veteran, is undoubtedly the next best player to Hoppe, but in recent matches his form has been in and out. His games in the Champion Billiard Players1 league last season did him a lot- of good, as he had to plav under variepated conditions and forinerlv be has been satisfied to practice prac-tice on 'his own table, and the big performances per-formances he made there were seldom forthcoming on the championship tables. Slosson 's performance is problematical. problemati-cal. When he last played in Chicago he was handicapped by sickness, hut his long experience should make him a formidable for-midable opponent. The diminutive Japanese player has a three-point victory over Hoppe to his credit, and as Hoppe will have to concede con-cede turn 125 points, it should be a fine, match when they meet. Joe Mayer has just returned from a long visit to the Pacafic coast, when he plaved some fine billiards, running out one" game with, a count of 174. The Philadelphia plaver has a lot of. confidence confi-dence in his ability and should be able to make an excellent showing. Welker Cochran showed himself to be a better cueist than Mayer when they -plaved an exhibition series, but Mayer defeated him in a match game for money. The Chicago youngster, although al-though he plaved finely in the Champion Cham-pion Billiard Players' league, has not had a great deal of big tournameut experience ex-perience and his performance this week will depend on his ability to stand the strain. If he should get a good start he is expected to make an excellent showing, but the nerve that is horn of experience takes some time to acquire. The Brunswick-Balke-Collender company com-pany hos donated $2500 toward the prize list and as each contestant lias paid an entrance fee of $150, the tournament tour-nament is one of the best from a financial finan-cial viewpoint the experts have had for some time. First pn.e will be $1000 the others ranging down to $300, which will go to the player finishing in last position. |