1970 World Snooker Championship

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Player's No.6 World Snooker Championship
Tournament information
Dates6–11 April 1970 (1970-04-06 – 1970-04-11)
Final venue
Final cityLondon
CountryEngland
OrganisationBilliards Association and Control Council
Winner's share£1,225[1]
Highest break Ray Reardon (WAL) (118)
Final
Champion Ray Reardon (WAL)
Runner-up John Pulman (ENG)
Score37–33
← 1969
1971 →

The 1970 World Snooker Championship (also known as the Player's No.6 World Snooker Championship for sponsorship reasons) was a snooker tournament that took place in 1970. Like the previous year the final was held at the in London,[2] from 6 to 11 April 1970.[3] For the second and last time the event was sponsored by Player's No.6.

Ray Reardon won in the final 37–33 against John Pulman. This year was the first of Reardon's six world titles; he held the title for only seven months until the next championship in Australia during November 1970.[4] Reardon also made the highest break of the tournament with 118.[5]

Background[]

The World Snooker Championship is a professional tournament and the official world championship of the game of snooker.[6] The sport was developed in the late 19th century by British Army soldiers stationed in India.[7] Professional English billiards player and billiard hall manager Joe Davis noticed the increasing popularity of snooker compared to billiards in the 1920s, and with Birmingham-based billiards equipment manager Bill Camkin, persuaded the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC) to recognise an official professional snooker championship in the 1926–27 season.[8] In 1927, the final of the first professional snooker championship was held at Camkin's Hall; Davis won the tournament by beating Tom Dennis in the final.[9] The annual competition was not titled the World Championship until 1935,[10] but the 1927 tournament is now referred to as the first World Snooker Championship.[11][12]

In 1952, the, following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the BACC about the distribution of income from the world championship, the PBPA members established an alternative competition known as the World Professional Match-play Championship, the editions of which are now recognised as world championships, whilst only Horace Lindrum and Clark McConachy entered for the BACC's 1952 World Snooker Championship.[13][14] The World Professional Match-play Championship continued until 1957, after which there were no world championship matches until professional Rex Williams gained agreement from the BACC that the world championship would be staged on a challenge basis, with defending champion Pulman featuring in the first match.[14][15][16] Pulman retained the title in several challenges from 1964 to 1968.[14] Pulman had been touring snooker clubs as promotional work for the tobacco brand John Player, and the company had sponsored his 1968 match against Eddie Charlton. The good attendances for the championship match led to John Player deciding to sponsor the 1969 World Snooker Championship as a knock-out format tournament,[17] using their "Players No. 6" brand.[18] The 1969 championship is regarded as the first of the modern snooker era, and was won by John Spencer, who defeated Gary Owen 37–24 in the final.[19][20]

The 1970 Championship was sponsored by John Player, the second and last time that they were the world championship sponsors.[21] The eight players who participated in the 1969 championship all entered again, joined by David Taylor, who had turned professional after winning the 1968 World Amateur Snooker Championship.[22]

Tournament summary[]

First round[]

In the first round match, Taylor played Bernard Bennett at the Yew Tree Labour Club, West Bromwich, from 15 to 17 October.[23] Bennett won the first two frames, and the players were level at 3-3 before the first day finished with Bennett 4-3 up. He added the eighth frame, with Taylor then taking four consecutive frames. After Bennett won the 13th frame, Taylor made a break of 52 and led 8–6. Taylor ensured qualificatino fod the next round be securing a winning margin at 11–8, with the score 12-9 after dead frames.[24]

Quarter-finals[]

Owen met Rex Williams at West Bromwich Community Centre from 1 to 6 December 1969,[23] and won all six frames in their first session. He won the seventh frame too, before Williams registered his first frame win. With Williams missing many attempts to pot balls, Owen took a winning lead at 31–11, and finished 46-15 ahead.[25]

Spencer played Jackie Rea at the Co-Op Hall, Bolton, from 8 to 12 December,[26] and won 31–15.

Reardon and Fred Davis contested their semi-final from 15 to 19 December at Longport W.M.C., Bolton.[26] with Reardon prevailing 31–26.

The last quarter-final, between Pulman and Tayor, was held from 12 to 16 January 1970, at Grimsby and Cleethorpes Transport Recreation Club.[26] Pulman won 31–20.

Semi-finals[]

Spencer and Reardon played their semi-final from 16 to 21 February at the Co-Op Hall, Bolton.[27] Reardon defeated Spencer 37–33.

The second semi-final took place at Priory Social Club, Middlesbrough from 23 to 28 February, between Pulman and Owen.[27] Pulman won 37–12.

Final[]

The final was held at Victoria Hall, Bloomsbury Square, London, from 6 to 11 April.[27] Reardon led 4-2 after the first session, and 8-4 after the second. On the next day, Reardon won four of the six afternoon session frames, and Pulman took four of the six evening frames, including the last three of the session, leaving Reardon 14-10 ahead.[28][29] Reardon later extended his lead to 27–14, but Pulman narrowed the deficit to a single frame at 33–34. Reardon eventually won 37–34.[30]

Reardon revieved prize money of £1,125 and Pulman took £975.[30] Pulman said after the match that Reardon had deserved to win, and acclaimed Reardon's long potting. Pulman also stated that he felt that his own consistency in matches had been diminished due to a lack of match practice, leading to lapses in concentration.[30]

Main draw[]

Sources:[2][31]

First round (Best of 21 frames)

 David Taylor (ENG) 11–8  Bernard Bennett (ENG)

 
Quarter-finals
Best of 61 frames		Semi-finals
Best of 73 frames		Final
Best of 73 frames
 
          
 
 
 
 
 John Spencer (ENG)31
 
 
 
 Jackie Rea (NIR)15
 
 John Spencer (ENG)33
 
 
 
 Ray Reardon (WAL)37
 
 Ray Reardon (WAL)31
 
 
 
 Fred Davis (ENG)26
 
 Ray Reardon (WAL) 37
 
 
 
 John Pulman (ENG)33
 
 Gary Owen (WAL)31
 
 
 
 Rex Williams (ENG)11
 
 Gary Owen (WAL)12
 
 
 
 John Pulman (ENG)37
 
 John Pulman (ENG)31
 
 
 David Taylor (ENG)20
 

References[]

  1. ^ Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b "World Championship 1970". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  3. ^ Turner, Chris. "On this Week: First world title for Reardon". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  4. ^ "World Championship 1971". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  5. ^ "2004 Embassy World Championship Information". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 8 December 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Snooker championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 11 May 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Rose Villa Publications. p. 1. ISBN 978-0954854904.
  8. ^ Everton, Clive (23 September 2004). "Davis, Joseph [Joe]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  9. ^ Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group. pp. 27–30. ISBN 9780600556046.
  10. ^ "Billiards – Professional title". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 3 November 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 24 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Everton, Clive (1993). The Embassy Book of World Snooker. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 11–13. ISBN 0747516103.
  12. ^ "History of snooker – a timeline". World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  13. ^ Williams, Luke; Gadsby, Paul (2005). Masters of the Baize. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 47. ISBN 1840188723.
  14. ^ a b c Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  15. ^ Morrison, Ian (1989). Snooker: records, facts and champions. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 8. ISBN 0851123643.
  16. ^ Hale, Janice (1991). Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1991–92. Aylesbury: Queen Anne Press. pp. 294–295. ISBN 0356197476.
  17. ^ Everton, Clive (2012). Black farce and cue ball wizards. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 42. ISBN 9781780575681.
  18. ^ "Players No. 6 sponsor world championship". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. November 1968. p. 13.
  19. ^ "John Higgins eyes more crucible titles". The Daily Telegraph. London. 5 May 2009. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2020. the modern era, which began in 1969 when the World Championship became a knockout event.
    Pitt, Nick (20 April 2014). "Snooker: Pocket man O'Sullivan eager to chalk up another title: The champion is in irresistible form as he starts his defence at the Crucible". The Sunday Times. p. 13. in the modern era since 1969
    Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-0954854904. the world championship ... took on the modern day look during the 1968–69 season
  20. ^ "World Championship 1969". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  21. ^ Everton, Clive (1986). The History of Snooker and Billiards. Haywards Heath: Partridge Press. ISBN 9781852250133.
  22. ^ Everton, Clive (1985). Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 56. ISBN 9780851124483.
  23. ^ a b "December quarter-finals". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. October 1969. p. 7.
  24. ^ "Taylor struggles past Bennett". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. December 1969. p. 24.
  25. ^ "Gary Owen 46 Rex Williams 15". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. January 1970. p. 8.
  26. ^ a b c "Dates and places". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. December 1969. p. 23.
  27. ^ a b c "Dates and places". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. January 1970. p. 15.
  28. ^ Lian, Andrew; Little, Frank; Robinson, Keith (May 1970). "Blow by blow". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. pp. 5-.
  29. ^ "Snooker: Pulman hits back". Birmingham Daily Post. 8 April 1970. p. 31.
  30. ^ a b c Everton, Clive (May 1970). "Ray Reardon wins world professional snooker title". Billiards and Snooker. Billiards Association and Control Council. pp. 3–5.
  31. ^ "Embassy World Championship". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
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