Billiards.
Two Local Champions.
The Sheffield Finalists.

Herbert Townsley, of Goldthorpe (picture) and Norman Yates, of Thurnscoe the two local billiards champions, have surprised the district by reaching the final round of the Sheffield Amateur Championship competition.

Yates is also in the running for the Snooker championship.

Both players have won most of the premier competitions in this district; Yates is the holder of the Dearne Valley championship, Townsley of the Mexborough Championship. Apart from exhibition games they have never met except in one of the early rounds of the Barnsley championship competition when Yates won. Townsley is perhaps the better all-round player—he is clever in Positional play; but Yates is smart on losing hazards.

Both players are fine records. Townsley won the Barnsley championship in 1923 and the prize for the biggest break (centre). In 1926 he won the Dearne Valley Championship and again made the biggest break (105). He is a native of Charlestown, near Wakefield, and commenced playing in his teens while at Cudworth. He won his first handicap when the youngster on a 6 foot table. While at Cudworth he won many handicaps and made a record break for the district (21). He went to Goldthorpe about eight years ago and won the first handicap he entered there, and from the owe 200 mark in a game of 150 up!

In the Sheffield competition Townsley had made many big breaks. In the second round he made 118, and in the semi-final 111. He also made breaks of 83, 74 and 61.

Yates has one of the Barnsley championship twice, in 1921 and 1924, the second time he entered he also won the prize for the biggest break (97). In one final tie he beat J Graham and in the other Fred Bartels, both well-known Barnsley players. Last year he won the Dearne Valley championship and carried off all prizes that for the second biggest break. His highest break in the competition was 97.