Amateur Championship: Sir A. Conan Doyle v. Mr G. S. Willins

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Amateur Championship: Sir A. Conan Doyle v. Mr G. S. Willins is an article published in The Sportsman on 8 february 1913.


Amateur Championship

The Sportsman (8 february 1913, p. 6)

SIR A. CONAN DOYLE v. MR G. S. WILLINS.

Nothing more interesting in amateur billiards, and nothing more calculated to put life into the amateur game, has occured is recent years than the entry of the eminent author. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in the Amateur Championship of England. Distinguished in literature, and an authority on and practical exponent of sport, Sir Arthur is essentially a man in whom we all take greater interest than the ordinary competitors in the hardy annual amateur event, and it was not surprising to find Orme's saloon in Soho-square quite full when yesterday he appeared to play his heat against Mr C. W. S. Willins, a gentleman some years his junior, but who was at an advantage in having made two previous appearances in the competition, he having last season defeated Mr S. L. Mann, and been beaten by Mr "A. Shaw."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as the score at the adjournment shows, was on the afternoon's play superior to Mr Willins, and by that time had assumed what appeared to be a winning advantage, but his position was more due to his rival's shortcomings than strikingly good play on his own part. Allowances, however, have always to be made for amateurs appearing in public billiards for the first time, and doubtless on a future occasion he will give a better account of himself. Sir Arthur is a painstaking and steady cueist, possessed, as he proved by long range and thin shots, of a good eye for the game. He is soundest with his losers but weak on winning hazards. There is, however, decided method in his play, insomuch as he knows and plays the game as if he intended getting to the bottom of it and finding out all that there is to know about it. There is a great deal more caution in his game than is generally displayed by amateurs, and possibly yesterday afternoon had he taken more risks he might have scored more freely. As it was he went to the table exactly 100 times for his 500 points, which gave him an average of five, and at the interval he led Mr Willins by 121. Contrary to the usual custom the distinguished author failed to improve as the game progressed. He started promisingly and appeared likely to run right away, but Mr Willins, who opened shakily, came on, and playing a fairly free game drew nearer. The run of the game will be best understood by the calling of the scores, which were as follows: 114-38, 206-86, 300—245, 401-332, and 500-379.

In playing the first 250 up, Sir Arthur made breaks of 24, 18 (thrice), 22, 15, and 23, to Mr Willins's 18, 27, and 17. Subsequently the latter improved and made 43, 17, and 10 (twice), to the leader's 15, 20, 22, 31, and 16. Thus Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's best was 31, Mr Willins's being 43. Taken altogether the form was below that generally seen in the event, and unless both gentlemen were off their game it is difficult to think that either will go far in the competition. At the same time it is to be hoped that Sir Arthur will persevere with billiards and support the competition which this year has gained considerably by his presence. The interval scores were:

SIR A. CONAN DOYLE ... 500
MR G. S. WILLINS ... 379

During the first hour the progress ruled quiet. Conan Doyle made 27, chiefly by losing hazards, but for some time after 10 and 12 were his best items. Willins accounted for an all-round 33, as well as 10 and 12. Subsequently the leader added 22, and at this point was exactly 99 in front. His next subscription of note was carefully played 24, to which Willins replied with 17, 18, and 10. He also added 32, and began to lessen the gap very materially. He was playing with more confidence and gaining better touch. Another useful item of 20 took him to within 23 of Conan Doyle. The last-named, playing some clever shots, subscribed 14, 12, 20.

Willins made further breaks of 15, 18, 17, and 15 subsequently, but Doyle, with 24 and 26, kept a reasonable distance ahead, and won by 60 points, the final scores being:

SIR A. CONAN DOYLE ... 1000
MR WILLINS ... 940