Pictures Worth 1000 Words - Hoppe v Schaefer

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
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In May 1908 the "All-Star Balkline Tournament" was held in Chicago at Orchestra Hall as usual. But this was no ordinary match. This time it was to feature a legendary battle between Jacob Schaefer Sr. and a fresh-faced newbie named Willie Hoppe. It was literally the old-school versus the new school - the passing of the torch - the ending of Schaefer's reign and the beginning of Hoppe's.

Only two short years later, Jake Schaefer Sr. died.

The photo below memorializes not only the event itself, but who we were at the time, what we were doing, what we looked liked and what the entire billiard industry was paying attention to.
( there is a reason for the white letters on the image, see below)

1908_Chicago_Match_Schaefer_Hoppe.JPG


TO SEE THIS IMAGE "FULL SIZE" CLICK HERE

The very same Orchestra Hall today:

OrchestraHall_Chicago.jpg



Letter A:
Closeup of 'Willie' and 'Jake' set to lag. The boy seen behind Jake is probably his son, Jake Jr.

1908_Hoppe_v_Schaefer.jpg



Letter B:
In the balcony, Jake's father in-law (with whom he was very close) John Kammerer, with his four daughters.
Gotta love that hat.
1908_Kammerer_and_daughters.JPG


Portrait of Kammerer:
1916_Feb_Kammerer_Bill_Mag-306x206.jpg



Letter C
The co-inventor of modern cue chalk, William Spinks.
Sitting next to someone who is clearly asleep!
1908_W_Spinks_at_Hoppe_match.JPG


Portrait of Spinks:
1923_Jan_Spinks-147x228.jpg




Letter D
Pro players with front row privileges. Do you recognize who?
1908_DeOro_watching_Hoppe_match.JPG




Letter E:
This is my favorite...it cracks me up!
What do you think is going on here?

1908_hiding_women.JPG


BUSTED!


What else can you see?
 
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goldcrown4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'll be spending more browsing time in the History thread... not sure how I missed it all these months. :embarrassed2:
 

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'll be spending more browsing time in the History thread... not sure how I missed it all these months. :embarrassed2:

...so you missed the thread which explains that we require all newcomers to bring homemade chocolate chip cookies for Mr. Bond :D

or beer.
 

goldcrown4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Beer is good food... and certainly healthier than cookies Mr. Bond. :cool:
... and I'm not all that far away (~3 hrs???). Maybe next time I brew my "Sir Dugan's Dopplebock Kreik" recipe, I'll bring some samples your way, and you can give me a tour of the museum.
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Far left George Slosson ? It doesn't look loke any of the other photos of him I have but he's my best guess.
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
does he not look like De Oro?

Not really. The mustache is a clue but a lot of them wore that style, none of my pics shows de Oro with those "droopy" eyes.
If it is him he was having a bad hair day.
Second guy Ora Morningstar ? Last guy Harry Cline?
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I think the guy asleep next to Spinks is Lanson Perkins.

Aha....now that Mr Bond has brought Perkins' name to my attention, I'll be recognizing
it more often.
I recall that Hoppe glared at him at the 50 mark in a run.
....not sure it was this match....
 

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
Gold Member
Silver Member
Speaking of Perkins...hey PT did you read that thread about his involvement in the Tombstone/Wyatt Earp saga?? Good stuff man.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=256470

I got curious about him again just recently so i did some more digging ...found out that he died in Chicago ( got his death cert) and his body was sent to Beloit where his family was from. Side note: apparently he was close friends with w.p.Mussey ( owner of world famous Musseys hall in Chicago)where he was the house pro for many years.

I located the cemetery he is in, and his grave location, but sadly he has no stone :(
 
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