Snooker

[George 1978]

Didn't really see a thread on snooker, so I thought I would start this one.

I think that snooker was such a huge thing in the 1980s, I think that Steve Davis was the true figurehead of the professional players back then until Stephen Hendry took over in the early 1990s.

The professional circuit had such great talent - Thorne, Jimmy White, Thorburn, Griffiths, Joe Johnson, and Dennis Taylor as well - an all-round entertainer. And also Spencer, Reardon, Alex Higgins, and Werbeniuk as well.

I was surprised to watch a match from 1979 on YT and saw that Taylor was without his trademark "upside down" spectacles - did he start wearing them a bit later?

And then you had the Barry Hearne lot with the very 1980s names such as Drago, Knowles, Meo, Mountjoy and the others. All going when incumbents such as Mark Selby were probably still in nappies.

I get nostalgic hearing the phrase "Mercantile Credit Classic" and hearing the 1980s ITV sport theme tune, usually heard after News at Ten when I should have been in bed. Ted Lowe and his commentary was second to none compared to the former players doing that job these days.

Big Break gave the sport a slight boost during the Hendry era of the 1990s, but I always felt that it was "artificial" compared to the actual sport itself.

I even remember getting a "Steve Davis" snooker table for either my birthday or Christmas one year in the mid 1980s, and I used to love to hear the balls clink together when in contact. There were only 10 reds, so no chance of a 147!

Any memories of the blue kissing the pink, and fouling on the brown?

[Richard1978]

Re: Snooker

I remember reading that Denis Taylor wore standard glasses & tried contact lenses before getting his trifocal glasses.

There seemed to be a lot more televised events, I remember one was at the Preston Guild Hall every year.

My Brother had a Steve Davis table made by Pot Black in the mid 1980s.

Whenever Grandstand had a few minutes to fill they would show a lot of clips of shots from a recent competition. One amusing one seemed to feature how many times Bill Werbeniuk had to go to the loo during a match, thanks to drinking so much lager to calm his nerves.

[staffslad]

Re: Snooker

I remember watching Pot Black in the late 70s/early 80s when it was shown on BBC2 on Friday nights. Previous posters have mentioned some great players and one I would like to add is Fred Davis, who used to feature regularly in Pot Black.

I think my most memorable snooker moment was the 1982 World Championship when Alex Higgins beat Ray Reardon. I still remember Higgin's tears when he won, and his wife and baby celebrating with him. What a sad end for probably the most entertaining and exciting player I have ever seen. Alex also smoked like a chimney during his matches--a real no-no today.

Steve Davis dominated the sport in the 80s--remember his character in Spitting Image? Steve 'Interesting' Davis. There were so many characters back in the 80s. Snooker seems a bit bland nowadays and I don't watch it much anymore.

[darren]

Re: Snooker

Yes that alex higgins moment is iconic alex holding his daughter lauren at the end of the match.

She came back to crucible in 2012 on the 30th anniversary of that victory.

She now presents the trophy in the northern ireland open home nations event.

I watched pot black in the early days and my love of the game has never died.

i remember watching pot black in the late 70s/early 80s when it was shown on bbc2 on friday nights. Previous posters have mentioned some great players and one i would like to add is fred davis, who used to feature regularly in pot black.

I think my most memorable snooker moment was the 1982 world championship when alex higgins beat ray reardon. I still remember higgin's tears when he won, and his wife and baby celebrating with him. What a sad end for probably the most entertaining and exciting player i have ever seen. Alex also smoked like a chimney during his matches--a real no-no today.

Steve davis dominated the sport in the 80s--remember his character in spitting image? Steve 'interesting' davis. There were so many characters back in the 80s. Snooker seems a bit bland nowadays and i don't watch it much anymore.

[staffslad]

Re: Snooker

A day or two after the game I was at college on day release and nearly everybody in the class had been glued to their TVs watching Higgins and Reardon--that just wouldn't happen nowadays. Also, we couldn't believe how beautiful his wife was--really stunning. So sad about the poor guy.

Remember Ray Reardon's nickname was Dracula.

I don't think Kirk Stevens has been mentioned yet...think he was Canadian like Thorburn.

I think one of the slowest players was Terry Griffiths. Players like Alex Higgins and Jimmy White must have gotten a bit frustrated when they had to play him.

Yes that alex higgins moment is iconic alex holding his daughter lauren at the end of the match.

She came back to crucible in 2012 on the 30th anniversary of that victory.

She now presents the trophy in the northern ireland open home nations event.

I watched pot black in the early days and my love of the game has never died.

[zabadak]

Re: Snooker

I remember watching Pot Black in the late 70s/early 80s when it was shown on BBC2 on Friday nights. Previous posters have mentioned some great players and one I would like to add is Fred Davis, who used to feature regularly in Pot Black.

I think my most memorable snooker moment was the 1982 World Championship when Alex Higgins beat Ray Reardon. I still remember Higgin's tears when he won, and his wife and baby celebrating with him. What a sad end for probably the most entertaining and exciting player I have ever seen. Alex also smoked like a chimney during his matches--a real no-no today.

Steve Davis dominated the sport in the 80s--remember his character in Spitting Image? Steve 'Interesting' Davis. There were so many characters back in the 80s. Snooker seems a bit bland nowadays and I don't watch it much anymore.

Also Fred's brother, Joe. But Reardon was king when I started watching.

[staffslad]

Re: Snooker

I can only remember seeing Fred Davis. Perhaps Joe was a bit before my time. I see he passed away in 1978 so I probably didn't see him.

Remember aussie Eddie Charlton?

John Virgo doing impressions of other players.

One player's nickname was The Silver Fox but I can't quite remember his name.

[Richard1978]

Re: Snooker

Cliff Thorburn was known as the Grinder because of his slow tight style of play to grind down opponents.

Tony Drago was nickednamed the Maltese Falcon & also liked to play a tight game.

[Twocky61]

Re: Snooker

Not recommended to be watched on a monochrome television lol

[George 1978]

Re: Snooker

It's nice to have Chinese players like Ding Junhui and Liang Wembo on the professional circuit, and its nice that snooker is just as much a national sport over there as it is over here. I don't really remember many Chinese players on TV back in the 1980s when Steve Davis ruled the roost.

In years to come, people will probably think of Ronnie O'Sullivan in the same way that they thought of Alex Higgins before him - there will always be room for eccentrics in the game.

[staffslad]

Re: Snooker

They may have been around in the 80s, but I can't remember seeing any Chinese snooker players back then. Most were from the British Isles, a few from Canada, plus the odd Aussie, South African and so on.

[George 1978]

Re: Snooker

Not recommended to be watched on a monochrome television lol

"I think I'll pot the dark grey".

Or more to the point "for those of you watching in black and white, the blue is next to the yellow". IBAOTN 3 in 1981 has such proof methinks. Never appeared in Colemanballs as far as I am aware.

On a tangent, does anyone remember Steve Davis (or a DJ with the same name as him anyway) doing a stint as a DJ on the radio circa 1989-1990? Commercial radio stations such as Radio Trent used to have it on Saturday evenings for a few weeks.

[darren]

Re: Snooker

SILVER FOX IS DAVID TAYLOR.

EDDIE CHARLTON OR STEADY EDDIE

I can only remember seeing Fred Davis. Perhaps Joe was a bit before my time. I see he passed away in 1978 so I probably didn't see him.

Remember aussie Eddie Charlton?

John Virgo doing impressions of other players.

One player's nickname was The Silver Fox but I can't quite remember his name.

[darren]

Re: Snooker

You also had from australia michael campbell and warren king and canadians kirk stevens ,bill werbiniuk.


Silvino and peter francisco from sth africa and dene o kane from new zealand.
Silvino was banned for 5 yrs for match fixing

cliff thorburn was known as the grinder because of his slow tight style of play to grind down opponents.

Tony drago was nickednamed the maltese falcon & also liked to play a tight game.

[George 1978]

Re: Snooker

I can only remember seeing Fred Davis. Perhaps Joe was a bit before my time. I see he passed away in 1978 so I probably didn't see him.

Remember aussie Eddie Charlton?

John Virgo doing impressions of other players.

One player's nickname was The Silver Fox but I can't quite remember his name.

Fred Davis passed away in the late 1990s.

It's a pity that Jim Davidson had made John Virgo more of a comedy stooge, even though Virgo was great during the Big Break opening gambits and the Trick Shot Specials, doing impressions of Taylor (enormous sunglasses, rather than the "upside down" variety); Griffiths (weird blond wig, and "slow-motion" parody). I am certain that another player (Taylor or Davis perhaps?) tried to take off Virgo by wearing a false "wire wool" beard.