=Second or Diamond Cue Championship of America.= Irving Hall, N. Y. City, April 26 to May 10, 1869. This was a tournament of innovations. It was the first with an entrance-fee from contestants. Instead of in twos, threes, and fives, caroms were counted in threes and sixes. Instead of two short games per session, there was one long one (1200 points). For the first time in national championship contests, a 5½ × 11 (four-pocket) table was used, and the push-shot prohibited. Foster alone beat the winner-in-chief. Average of tournament, six games apiece, 17.35.
W. R. Av. G. A. John Deery, $1,000 5 358 24. 18.66 A. P. Rudolphe, $625 4 170 25. 18.48 Melvin Foster, $475 4 189 23.53 18.41 Peter Snyder, $275 4 207 25. 18.29 Henry Rhines, $125 2 171 16. 16.52 W. Goldthwait 1 129 21.53 16.76 Ed. Daniels 1 219 25. 14.57
The closeness of the single and general averages is still without parallel in a tournament of leading experts. Playing off, Rudolphe beat both Foster and Snyder, and Foster, in defeating Snyder by 1200 to 872, ran 492 and averaged 38.67—records in themselves without being records of the tournament. Could Foster’s extra two games have been added to his tournament six, he would have credited himself with the tournament’s best run, its best single average, and its best general average (20.13).
All matches were for the Diamond Cue and a money-stake of $500 a side.
DEERY VS. FOSTER. Hippotheatron, N. Y. City, September 14, 1869. D., 1500—20—174; Foster, 1229—154.
DEERY VS. C. DION. Mechanics’ Pavilion, San Francisco, January 8, 1870. Deery, 1500—15.31—177; Dion, 1489—156.
DEERY VS. RUDOLPHE. Same hall, March 5, 1870. R., 1500—18.52—279; Deery, 1327—235.
RUDOLPHE VS. C. DION. Hippotheatron, N. Y. City, May 31st. R., 1500—27.27—153; D., 1485—177. Instead of one referee and two umpires, this contest had three joint referees, and an erroneous decision as to count, thoughtlessly given by one without consulting another, the third being absent temporarily, gave Rudolphe the match, $1,000 in stakes, and about $1,750 in clear door-money, the largest ever realized from one night’s play.
RUDOLPHE VS. J. DION. Apollo Hall, N. Y. City, October 7, 1870. R., 1500—28.30—192; D., 1192—180.