Betting and Billiards

Eight hundred spectators attend the evening billiards match between Frank Parker and John W. Coon at the downtown Music Hall.  Billiards is a very popular sport at this time, one that attracts a lot of betting.  The odds are virtually even—while many think Parker the best match player in the country, Coon seems to be at the top of his game.  The lead changes hands several times before the left-handed Coon takes control and triumphs by eighty points.