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www.SnookerArchive.co.uk Chris Turner's SNOOKER ARCHIVE HOME FROM THE ARCHIVES TOURNAMENTS WORLD RANKINGS MAXIMUM BREAKS LEADING CENTURY MAKERS TOP MONEY EARNERS RANKING TITLE WINNERS SNOOKER RECORDS AWARDS LINKS HELP View My Collection of SNOOKER PROGRAMMES World Professional Championship World Ranking Event A brief history of the World Professional Championship   Although snooker had been around since at least the 1870s, the rules were not officially set down until 1919 by the Billiards Association and Control Council Club—later Council (BA & CC). Billiards was the dominant cue game and it was not until the early 1920s that regional professional tournaments began to be promoted. Many players of the day could see potential in the game and urged the BA & CC to organise an open event. In the end it was Bill Camkin, a Birmingham billiard hall proprietor, who was instrumental in getting the idea off the ground. He was a friend of Joe Davis who had been playing snooker in his family billiard hall for many years. Together Bill and Joe put forward their proposals for a professional snooker championship to the BA & CC and the idea was accepted. The first event would end with a final at Camkin’s club in Birmingham in 1927.   Ten players took part and the first match began in November 1926 between Melbourne Inman and Tom Newman. Joe beat Tom Dennis in the final 20-11 and collected the prize of £6.10s and a trophy which he bought himself. In the following year, the event was played as a challenge with Joe, as champion, exempt until the other contenders had played an elimination tournament to find a challenger. Entries dropped until only two took part in 1931 but then a few overseas players joined in including Horace Lindrum, nephew of the great billiards champion, Walter who was just about the only player who could give Joe a reasonable challenge. Nevertheless Joe remained unbeaten up to the suspension of the event due to the war, in 1940. The closest match he had was when his younger brother, Fred met him in the final in 1940 for the only time and it went to a decider with Joe squeezing home 37-36.   Joe made the first championship century, 110, in 1935 and raised the record to 136 in the 1946 final in which he neat Lindrum over no less than 145 frames. He then decided to retire from the event after fifteen straight wins. Fred and Scotland’s Walter Donaldson shared the next few titles before a dispute with the governing body led to all the top players setting up their own event, the Professional Matchplay championship, in 1952 which was regarded by most as the world title. The BA & CC meanwhile went ahead with a meaningless ‘official’ championship between Lindrum and Clark McConachie, both by now well past their best. Fred won all the Matchplay championships until he pulled out in 1957 when John Pulman took the title but there was by then little interest in the game and the championship was suspended for seven years.   With the agreement of the BA & CC, Rex Williams revived the championship on a challenge basis in 1964. Pulman survived seven challenges and then, in 1969, by which time several new professionals had come into the game, with sponsorship from Players No. 6, the championship was played on a knockout basis. Unlike today however the matches were spread over the whole season and the final itself over some 70 frames took many days.   The ‘1971’ event, actually played in November 1970 in Australia, used a round robin format but other that that it has remained as a knockout ever since. Australia hosted the final again in 1975 but back home in 1976 began the long run of Embassy sponsorship and the following year the championship found a new home at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Things have changed very little since then other than the number of players in the final stages going up from 16 to 24 and then to 32 as it is today and in 1980 the final was reduced to the best of 35 frames.   The biggest changes have come in the standard of break building. Centuries were still quite rare in the 1970s but in 2002 there were no less than 68 at the Crucible alone. Six maximums have been seen and it is now unlikely than a break of less than 140 will stand a chance of the high break prize.   Over the years there have been many special moments and Ray Reardon, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry have each dominated one of the last three decades. No one will forget Dennis Taylor beating Steve Davis on the final black well after midnight or the tears as Alex Higgins won his second title in 1982. Jimmy White will always have a special place in people’s hearts for the dignity with which he bore six final defeats, five of them in succession, as will Fred Davis who reached the semi-final in 1978 at the age of 64. The will be many more such moments I am sure.    The curtain came down on thirty years of Embassy sponsorship in 2005 when Shaun Murphy, the world number 48, became the lowest ranked player ever to win the title. In 2006 888.com became the new sponsors. The final did not finish until 00.53 am as Peter Ebdon tried in vain to recover an eight frame deficit with which he started the final session. Scotland’s Graeme Dott prevailed for an 18-14 victory. Another late finish in 2007 saw John Higgins regain the title after nine years.   In 2008, for the first time ever, there were two maximum breaks at the Crucible. The first gave Ronnie O’Sullivan his third at this famous venue and Ali Carter made his first ever the following day. Fittingly it was these two players who contested the final with Ronnie collecting his third world crown. John Higgins added his third in 2009, 11 years after his first, the longest span between firrst and last titles at the Crucible. In 2010, Neil Robertson became the firts Australian to win the title and only the third from outside the UK.   Roll Of Honour              Year Venue Sponsor Winner Runner Up Score 1st Prize 1927 Camkin's Hall, Birmingham none Joe Davis Tom Dennis 20-11 £6.10s 1928 Camkin's Hall, Birmingham none Joe Davis Fred Lawrence 16-13 n/a 1929 Lounge Hall, Nottingham none Joe Davis Tom Dennis 19-14 n/a 1930 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Tom Dennis 25-12 n/a 1931 Lounge Hall, Nottingham none Joe Davis Tom Dennis 25-21 n/a 1932 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Clark McConachy 30-19 n/a 1933 Joe Davis Centre, Chesterfield none Joe Davis Willie Smith 25-18 n/a 1934 Lounge Hall, Nottingham none Joe Davis Tom Newman 25-23 n/a 1935 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Willie Smith 25-20 n/a 1936 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Horace Lindrum 34-27 n/a 1937 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Horace Lindrum 32-29 n/a 1938 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Sidney Smith 37-24 n/a 1939 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Sidney Smith 43-30 n/a 1940 Thurston's Hall, London none Joe Davis Fred Davis 37-36 n/a 1941-5 not held none none none none none 1946 Horticultural Hall, London none Joe Davis Horace Lindrum 78-67 n/a 1947 Leicester Square Hall, London none Walter Donaldson Fred Davis 82-63 n/a 1948 Leicester Square Hall, London none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 84-61 n/a 1949 Leicester Square Hall, London none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 80-65 n/a 1950 Tower Circus, Blackpool none Walter Donaldson Fred Davis 51-46 n/a 1951 Tower Circus, Blackpool none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 58-39 n/a 1952¶ Houldsworth Hall, Manchester none Horace Lindrum Clark McConachy 94-49 n/a 1977 PROFESSIONAL MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP 1952 Tower Circus, Blackpool none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 38-35 n/a 1953 Leicester Square Hall, London none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 37-34 n/a 1954 Houldsworth Hall, Manchester none Fred Davis Walter Donaldson 39-21 n/a 1955 Tower Circus, Blackpool none Fred Davis John Pulman 37-34 n/a 1956 Tower Circus, Blackpool none Fred Davis John Pulman 38-35 n/a 1957 Jersey none John Pulman Jackie Rea 39-34 n/a 1958-63 No Championship n/a n/a n/a n/a nn/a/a 1964-8 Decided by Challenge  1964 Bourroughes Hall, London none John Pulman Fred Davis 19-16 n/a 1964 Bourroughes Hall, London none John Pulman Rex Williams 40-33 n/a 1965 Bourroughes Hall, London none John Pulman Fred Davis 37-36 n/a 1965 South Africa none John Pulman Rex Williams 25-22 n/a 1965 South Africa none John Pulman Freddie van Rensberg 39-12 n/a 1966 St. George's Hall, Liverpool none John Pulman Fred Davis 5-2* n/a 1968 Co-operative Hall, Bolton none John Pulman Eddie Charlton 39-34 n/a Reverted to Knockout Format 1969 Victoria Hall, London Player's No.6 John Spencer Gary Owen 37-24 £1,300 1970 Victoria Hall, London Player's No.6 Ray Reardon John Pulman 37-33 £1,225 1971¹ Sydney, Australia none John Spencer Warren Simpson 37-29 £2,333 1972 Selly Park British Legion, Birmingham Park Drive Alex Higgins John Spencer 37-31 £400 1973 City Exhibition Hall, Manchester Park Drive Ray Reardon Eddie Charlton 38-32 £1,500 1974 Belle Vue, Manchester Park Drive Ray Reardon Graham Miles 22-12 £2,000 1975 Melbourne, Australia none Ray Reardon Eddie Charlton 38-30 £4,000 1976 Wythenshawe Forum/ Middlesborough Embassy Ray Reardon Alex Higgins 27-16 £6,000 1977 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy John Spencer Cliff Thorburn 25-21 £6,000 1978 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Ray Reardon Perrie Mans 25-18 £7,500 1979 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Terry Griffiths Dennis Taylor 24-16 £10,000 1980 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Cliff Thorburn Alex Higgins 18-16 £15,000 1981 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis Doug Mountjoy 18-12 £20,000 1982 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Alex Higgins Ray Reardon 18-15 £25,000 1983 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis Cliff Thorburn 18-6 £30,000 1984 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis Jimmy White 18-16 £44,000 1985 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Dennis Taylor Steve Davis 18-17 £60,000 1986 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Joe Johnson Steve Davis 18-12 £70,000 1987 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis Joe Johnson 18-14 £80,000 1988 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis Terry Griffiths 18-11 £85,000 1989 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Steve Davis John Parrott 18-3 £105,000 1990 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Jimmy White 18-12 £120,000 1991 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy John Parrott Jimmy White 18-11 £135,000 1992 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Jimmy White 18-14 £150,000 1993 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Jimmy White 18-5 £175,000 1994 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Jimmy White 18-17 £180,000 1995 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Nigel Bond 18-9 £190,000 1996 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Peter Ebdon 18-12 £200,000 1997 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Ken Doherty Stephen Hendry 18-12 £210,000 1998 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy John Higgins Ken Doherty 18-12 £220,000 1999 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Stephen Hendry Mark J. Williams 18-11 £230,000 2000 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Mark J. Williams Matthew Stevens 18-16 £240,000 2001 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Ronnie O'Sullivan John Higgins 18-14 £250,000 2002 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Peter Ebdon Stephen Hendry 18-17 £260,000 2003 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Mark J. Williams Ken Doherty 18-16 £270,000 2004 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Ronnie O'Sullivan Graeme Dott 18-8 £250,000 2005 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Embassy Shaun Murphy Matthew Stevens 18-16 £250,000 2006 Crucible Theatre Sheffield 888.com Graeme Dott Peter Ebdon 18-14 £200,000 2007 Crucible Theatre Sheffield 888.com John Higgins Mark Selby 18-13 £220,000 2008 Crucible Theatre Sheffield 888.com Ronnie O'Sullivan Allister Carter 18-8 £250,000 2009 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Betfred.com John Higgins Shaun Murphy 18-9 £250,000 2010 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Betfred.com Neil Robertson Graeme Dott 18-13 £250,000 2011 Crucible Theatre Sheffield Betfred.com John Higgins Judd Trump 18-15 £250,000 ¶ Not generally recognised     ¹Held November 1970                                                                                  *Series of seven matches Maximum Breaks Final Stage Cliff Thorburn 1983 Last 16 v. Terry Griffiths Jimmy White 1992 Last 32 v. Tony Drago Stephen Hendry 1995 Semi Final v. Jimmy White Ronnie O'Sullivan 1997 Last 32 v. Mick Price Ronnie O'Sullivan 2003 Last 32 v. Marco Fu Mark J. Williams 2005 Last 32 v. Robert Milkins Ronnie O'Sullivan 2008 Last 16 v. Mark J. Williams Allister Carter 2008 Quarter Final v. Peter Ebdon Stephen Hendry 2009 Quarter Final v. Shaun Murphy Qualifying Rounds Robert Milkins 2006 Last 48 v Mark Selby back to top © Chris Turner 2008