The game seems to be more in vogue than ever, and
doubtless heavy sums are lost and won at it. Billiard matches
have during the last three years become quite one of the winter
exhibitions, and particularly this season have the public shown
their taste for the game. Perhaps the extraordinary performances
of some of the first-class cueists have stirred up the shades of
Kentfield's days, his homely game of cannons off list cushions
and gently-played strength strokes; or by chance those that
favour Marden's style, his losing hazards and forcing half balls,
have revived once more, and we yearn with wonder to see the great
spot strokes of the present age, when as many red hazards can be
scored in one break as were made in olden times in an evening's
play. At the present time Roberts, sen., may claim the honour in
the billiard world of having brought the spot stroke to light: he
has made no less than 104 consecutive hazards in one break, and
up to the present winter that wonderful performance stood
unparalleled. Cook, however, very recently in an exhibition
match with J. Bennett, scored the spot hazard no less than 119
times, making 388 off the balls, the biggest break on record.
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