3-028-774 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Billiard-match for the Championship, at St. James's Hall, 1870. 'The important billiard-match played on Friday week, at St. James's Hall, Piccadilly, between Mr. John Roberts, who has been esteemed the champion of this game during the last twenty years, and young Mr. William Cook, attracted nearly 1500 spectators in the course of the evening...Mr. J. Bennett, of St. James's Hall, was referee. The table was placed in the hall, and seats were provided for nearly 1000 persons. Shortly before the time fixed for playing the hall became crowded, and never has such a number of persons been seen at a billiard-match...The play proceeded, and no very great breaks were made on either side, the play not being so good as is usually seen in important matches, owing probably to the size of the pockets...Cook gradually went ahead, and his last break was 68, Roberts being 1083. The winner was received with tremendous cheering, but the match hardly proved the certainty the betting, which was 2 to 1 on him, seemed to foreshadow. The game was 1200 up'. From "Illustrated London News", 1870.