1985 World Snooker Championship final

Snooker match, held April 1985 July 2020 July 2020 +Statistics prior to the final:StatisticSteve DavisDennis Taylorcenter|alt=photo|x200px Pictured in 2010center|alt=photo|x200px Pictured in 2004Nationality English Northern IrishBest FinishWinner (1981, 1983 and 1984)Runner-up (1979)World ranking 1 11Referee John Williams The 1985 World Snooker Championship final, also known as the black-ball final, was played on the weekend of 27–28 April 1985 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. The final of the 1985 World Snooker Championship was between defending world champion Steve Davis and 1979 runner-up Dennis Taylor. It was Davis's fourth appearance in a final and Taylor's second. The best-of-35-frame match was split into four sessions. Davis won every frame in the first session to lead 7–0 and extended his lead to 9–1 in the second session but led 9–7 overnight and 13–11 after the third sessions. Until the match was over, Taylor was never ahead in frames but had tied the contest three times at 11–11, 15–15 and 17–17. The deciding frame culminated in a number of shots on the final black ball. After both players had failed to pot it several times, Taylor potted the black to win his only world championship. Media outlets reported this as a major shock: Davis had been widely predicted to win the match, having lifted three of the previous four world championship titles. The final took place during the eighth year of the BBC's daily coverage of the championship and reached a climax in the early hours of Monday 29 April. It was viewed by 18.5 million people in the United Kingdom, which 2024 y remains a record viewing figure for BBC2, and 2024 y is still the record for a post-midnight audience for any British television channel. The total match time of 14 hours and 50 minutes is the longest ever recorded for a best-of-35-frames match. It is the only final at this venue to contain no century breaks. The final is one of the most famous matches in snooker history and part of the reason for the surge in the sport's popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Two hour-long BBC documentaries, When Snooker Ruled the World from 2002 and Davis v Taylor: The '85 Black Ball Final made in 2010, commemorated the event. The final frame was released in full on home video as "The Greatest Snooker Final of All Time". The post-match single-word responses to David Vine from Davis would later be used as a basis for a recurring caricature of him in the television show Spitting Image. Background The World Snooker Championship is a professional snooker tournament first held in 1927 and becoming an annual event in 1969.History of the World Snooker Championship http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/BetfredcomWorldChampionshipTournamentsArticle/0,,13165~2306123,00.html worldsnooker.com World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association 30 April 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110315202302/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/BetfredcomWorldChampionshipTournamentsArticle/0%2C%2C13165~2306123%2C00.html 15 March 2011 liveEmbassy World Championship http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071753/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 24 January 2013 Snooker Scene 9 May 2012 The 1985 World Snooker Championship final was the culmination of the last world ranking event of the 1984–85 snooker season. The tournament featured a 32-participant main draw, with 16 seeded players and 16 players from a pre-tournament qualification competition. Matches at the event were played over a series of frames, the final being the best-of-35 frames over four sessions. The final was broadcast on the BBC for the eighth year in a row, with the winner receiving £60,000 (UK 60,000 1985 -3 eq £), the highest prize for a snooker event to that date. Road to the final 1985 World Snooker Championship Steve Davis, ranked as the world number one, overcame Neal Foulds 10–8 in the opening round in what was Davis's closest match until the final. He then played David Taylor in the second round, holding at least a three-frame lead throughout much of the match, and eventually won 13–4 after winning seven frames out of eight. Davis trailed for the first time at the event in the quarter-finals, as he played Terry Griffiths. Griffiths won the first four frames, but Davis won the next four to tie the match 4–4. With the scores even, Davis won six of the next eight to lead 10–6 after the second session and eventually won 13–6. In the semi-final, Davis required just three of the four scheduled sessions to overcome Ray Reardon 16–5. Dennis Taylor, ranked 11, led Silvino Francisco 8–1 in the opening session, and won the match 10–2. In the second round, Taylor played Eddie Charlton where he won 13–6.Embassy World Championship http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071753/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 24 January 2013 Snooker Scene 6 March 2012 Taylor played Cliff Thorburn in the quarter-finals, in a match full of slow play. He led 10–5 after an over nine-hour second session, but won the first three frames in the final session to win 13–5. In the semi-final Taylor lost the first two frames against Tony Knowles, but won 16 of the next 19 to win 16–5, the same scoreline as Davis. + Previous round scoresRoundSteve DavisDennis Taylor Opponent Result Opponent ResultFirst roundNeal Foulds England10–8Silvino Francisco South Africa 198210–2Second roundDavid Taylor England13–4Eddie Charlton Australia13–6Quarter-finalsTerry Griffiths Wales13–6Cliff Thorburn Canada13–6Semi-finalsRay Reardon Wales16–5Tony Knowles England16–5 Match report The final was played on 27–28 April 1985 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. Davis went into the tournament as the defending champion. The two players had met twelve months earlier in the semi-finals of the 1984 World Championship, Davis winning 16–9, having only lost once to Taylor in nine matches.9781840188721 Masters of the Baize Williams Luke Gadsby Paul 2005 Mainstream Davis was competing in his fourth world championship final, having reached the final and won in 1981, 1983 and 1984. Taylor was contesting his second final, having lost to Terry Griffiths 16–24 in 1979. Davis had never lost a prior ranking event final.9780851123646 Snooker Records, Facts and Champions Thompson, Ian 1989 Gullane Children's Books Taylor started the 1985 final with a break of 50 but lost that frame as Davis gained a firm advantage by whitewash whitewashing his opponent in the first session. Davis also won the first frame of the second session to lead 8–0. Taylor won the ninth frame on the pink after Davis missed a pot on the green. Davis led 9–1 but lost the last six frames of the session, as Taylor produced the highest break of the final, a 98, to trail 7–9 overnight. Davis won two of the first three frames on the second day, to lead 11–8, before Taylor tied the match at 11–11. Davis took both of the next two frames on the black to lead 13–11. Taylor won four of the next six and again drew level at 15–15. Davis won the next two frames to regain the lead at 17–15. Taylor then won the 33rd frame, followed by a 57 break in frame 34,March 2026 to level the match at 17–17 and force a deciding frame. The final frame The 35th frame was the last of the final, and lasted 68 minutes. Davis led 62–44, with only the last four colour ball coloured balls on the table, worth 22 points. Taylor potted the brown ball from much of the length of the table and then the blue ball with a slowly played cut along the bottom cushion into the green pocket. He then sank a difficult pink ball into the same pocket from the opposite cushion. This left Taylor trailing 59–62 with only the black ball, worth seven points, remaining. Taylor attempted a double into the left middle pocket. He missed, but the ball rebounded to a safety safe position at the top of the table. Davis then played a safety shot, putting the black near the middle of the baulk cushion and leaving the cue ball near the right-hand cushion, a little above the corner pocket. In response, Taylor again attempted to double the black ball, this time into the top-left corner pocket. The black missed but eventually landed above the left middle pocket to a safe position. Davis's next attempt double-kiss double-kissed and left Taylor with a middle-distance pot to the green pocket. Taylor missed the pot, which commentator Jim Meadowcroft described as "the biggest shot of his life".1985 World Snooker Championship – Steve Davis v Dennis Taylor Black Ball Final World Snooker Tour YouTube 11 April 2016 14 January 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZSky37NGno&ab_channel=WorldSnookerTour This left Davis a thin cut shot into the top-left corner. He over-cut the black, missed the shot and left the black in a reasonably-straightforward pottable position into the same pocket. Taylor made his way to the table and potted the black to win the match. The final finished at 12:23 a.m. on 29 April 1985. After potting the ball, Taylor held his cue stick above his head and waggled his finger in celebration. He said in a 2009 interview that the gesture was aimed at his "good mate" Trevor East, whom he had told he would win.Great Sporting Moments: Dennis Taylor defeats Steve Davis 18–17 at the Crucible The Independent London 12 July 2009 4 September 2019 https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/great-sporting-moments-dennis-taylor-defeats-steve-davis-18-17-at-the-crucible-1741225.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/great-sporting-moments-dennis-taylor-defeats-steve-davis-18-17-at-the-crucible-1741225.html 1 May 2022 subscription live In a post-match interview with David Vine, Davis commented that the loss was "all there in black and white", and Taylor commented that the match was the greatest that he had been involved in. Taylor noted the importance of defeating Thorburn, whom he described as the "hardest player in the world", and Davis, whom he described as the "best player in the world". Taylor commented that as he had defeated Davis, he was "the best this year". Match statistics The scores for the match are shown below. Scores in parentheses denote player breaks, while frames won are denoted by bold text and Frame winner. Final: (Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 27 & 28 April. Referee: John Williams Steve Davis (1) 17–18 Dennis Taylor (11) PlayersSession 1: 7–0Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Davis88frame winner93frame winner (87)49frame winner65frame winner95frame winner (55)85frame winner (66)83frame winner (58) N/A N/A N/A N/A Taylor50 (50)02381620 N/A N/A N/A N/A PlayersSession 2: 2–7 (9–7)Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Davis121frame winner (64, 57)4976frame winner (57)4827191048 N/A N/A Taylor059frame winner2763frame winner75frame winner (61)99frame winner (98)71frame winner (70)100frame winner (56)77frame winner N/A N/A PlayersSession 3: 4–4 (13–11)Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Davis2572frame winner66frame winner452164frame winner58frame winner N/A N/A N/A Taylor68frame winner (53)435880frame winner73frame winner (57)80frame winner (55)5646 N/A N/A N/A PlayersSession 4: 4–7 (17–18)Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Davis86frame winner (86)4378frame winner (66)2942966frame winner81frame winner472462 Taylor1382frame winner (61)1784frame winner (70)72frame winner (57)83frame winner (79)6075frame winner71frame winner (57)66frame winner87Highest break980Century breaks01250+ breaks10NIR Dennis Taylor wins the 1985 Embassy World Snooker Championshipframe winner = Winner of frame Legacy The final is one of the most famous snooker matches of all time.Crucible champions: Part one of Nick Metcalfe's look at World Snooker Championship winners Metcalf, Nick sportinglife.com 21 July 2020 18 January 2021 https://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/news/crucible-champions-part-one/179242 The match holds several records. The final is the longest match ever held over the length of 35 frames at 14 hours and 50 minutes. The concluding moments of the final were watched by 18.5 million viewers, which as of 2026 is the most ever in the United Kingdom for a broadcast after midnight and for any BBC2 programme. Taylor lost in the opening round at the following year's event, and Davis lost again in the final to Joe Johnson 12–18. He won the next three championships between 1987 and 1989, winning the event six times in total. Davis and Taylor met on one further occasion, in the quarter-final of the 1991 World Snooker Championship, Davis winning comfortably 13–7. Taylor never reached the final again, but did win the Masters in 1987, again producing a comeback, this time against Alex Higgins. thumb|Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor at the Crucible Theatre during an event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the final Taylor's mother had died in September 1984, the year prior, so he had dedicated his win at the 1984 Grand Prix in October to her.Snooker Scene Snooker Scene's 50 Classic Matches Hendon, David 26 October 2015 His win at the world championship he also dedicated to his mother's life.I've not done bad from a wee lad from Coalisland The Belfast Telegraph 7 February 2017 Beacon, Stephen On his return to Northern Ireland, Taylor received a victory parade in a Land Rover across his home town of Coalisland in front of 10,000 people. He was loaned mayoral robes on the day of the parade, and was accompanied by his wife and three children. He later signed a five-year contract with promoter Barry Hearn as his manager. The media described Davis as a "bad loser" for his silence and one-word responses to questions from David Vine at a press conference following the event. This was later used as the basis for a recurring caricature of Steve Davis on the television show Spitting Image. Some months after the 1985 World Championship, a special programme was recorded in which both players watched the entire final frame and discussed it shot by shot. For the penultimate shot, where Davis missed the cut into the corner pocket, he stated "I was saying to myself, don't hit it thick" and "that's how you bottle it, by hitting it thick." He summarised: "although I missed the black, it wasn't that shot which lost the match. There were other shots earlier in the frame." In particular, Davis mentions how close he was to being able to pot a pink which he suggested changed the course of the match. The programme was later released on DVD as The Greatest Snooker Final of All Time by Retro Videos. The black-ball finish was voted the ninth greatest sporting moment of all time in a 2002 Channel 4 poll. During the 2010 World Championship, Taylor and Davis 're-created' the final frame of the 1985 final. Performed in a distinctly irreverent manner, the "rerun" was noticeable for the fact that in attempting to replicate the missed shots on the final black, they instead ended up potting it on all but one attempt. The one attempt on the black they missed was the shot Taylor potted in the 1985 match to win the championship. BBC Two aired a one-hour documentary on the final, Davis v Taylor: The '85 Black Ball Final, presented by Colin Murray, after the conclusion of the coverage of the 2010 final. In 2025, the two players toured the UK, again "re-enacting" the last frame of the final.Broadbent Rick Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor recreate snooker's JFK moment, 40 years on The Times 31 January 2025 https://www.thetimes.com/sport/snooker/article/steve-davis-and-dennis-taylor-recreate-snookers-jfk-moment-40-years-on-mkv3x82kx https://archive.today/20250131141954/https://www.thetimes.com/sport/snooker/article/steve-davis-and-dennis-taylor-recreate-snookers-jfk-moment-40-years-on-mkv3x82kx#selection-1393.0-1393.72 31 January 2025 References 2 Snooker championship Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 11 May 1927 12 March 2019 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270511/425/0020 British Newspaper Archive subscription Everton, Clive Clive Everton 1986 Benson and Hedges Snooker Year Aylesbury Pelham Books 0863691668 9 Third Hale Janice 1988 Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88 Aylesbury Queen Anne Press 260–261 0-356-14690-1 Hale Janice 1988 Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88 Aylesbury Queen Anne Press 6–8 0-356-14690-1 BBC sports host David Vine dies BBC Sport 23 January 2009 8 September 2020 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/7824275.stm 18 January 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090118230403/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/7824275.stm live Everton Clive 1985 Guinness Snooker – The Records Guinness Superlatives Ltd 86–87 0851124488 Interesting: My Autobiography Davis, Steve 9 April 2015 Random House 4 September 2019 https://books.google.com/books?id=VwTIBQAAQBAJ&q=dennis+taylor+autobiography 9781473502482 10 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210110174537/https://books.google.com/books?id=VwTIBQAAQBAJ&q=dennis+taylor+autobiography live Parrott fashions overnight lead Everton, Clive The Guardian London 23 April 1985 26 Embassy World Championship Snooker Scene Everton's News Agency Birmingham June 1985 15–17 Davis in mood to break prize barrier Everton, Clive The Guardian London 24 April 1985 26 Victory Taylor-ed for Davis Everton, Clive The Guardian London 27 April 1985 14 The Crucible's Greatest Matches: Forty Years of Snooker's World Championship in Sheffield 2017 https://books.google.com/books?id=A3aXDgAAQBAJ&q=dennis+taylor+eddie+charlton+1985&pg=PT36 978-1-78531-284-7 Nunns Hector Pitch Publishing June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes Crucible Diary Snooker Scene 20 June 1985 Hale, Janice Francisco now the fallen star Everton, Clive The Guardian London 16 April 1985 26 Cue for a throng Pithers, Malcolm The Guardian London 16 April 1985 21 Crucible Diary Snooker Scene Everton's News Agency Birmingham 20 June 1985 19 1984: Davis outshines White BBC Sport 18 April 2003 13 July 2020 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953919.stm https://web.archive.org/web/20030924004951/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953919.stm 24 September 2003 live Friskin Sydney Davis undermines White's confidence The Times 16 7 May 1984 Hale Janice 6 May 1984 White wakes up the Crucible The Observer 35 Then and Now: Terry Griffiths http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04022010/58/terry-griffiths.html Eurosport UK 10 June 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121007052303/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04022010/58/terry-griffiths.html 7 October 2012 dead April 29 down the years: The greatest Crucible final http://www.espn.co.uk/onthisday/sport/story/135.html ESPN 23 May 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20131201013949/http://www.espn.co.uk/onthisday/sport/story/135.html 1 December 2013 Taylor's Desert Island frame Snooker Scene Everton's News Agency Birmingham June 1985 20–21 Phillips-Knight Rob Taylor snatches the 'black-ball final' ESPN 20 July 2020 http://en.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/19916.html https://web.archive.org/web/20200402023051/http://en.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/19916.html 2 April 2020 live The '85 Black Ball Final: Final Frame BBC iPlayer 8 September 2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03gxy98/snooker-world-championship-the-85-final-the-85-black-ball-final-final-frame Embassy World Championship http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071753/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36 24 January 2013 Snooker Scene Everton's News Agency Birmingham 6 March 2012 Downer Chris Crucible Almanac 2012 20–21 Downer Chris Crucible Almanac 2012 143 Snooker news – All-time top 10 : What are the greatest Crucible finals? O'Sullivan, Trump, Davis Eurosport 21 April 2020 10 January 2021 https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2019-2020/snooker-news-all-time-top-10-what-are-the-greatest-crucible-finals-o-sullivan-trump-davis_sto7730798/story.shtml Despite record viewing figures of 18.5m on BBC2 for snooker's most famous match 10 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210110174435/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2019-2020/snooker-news-all-time-top-10-what-are-the-greatest-crucible-finals-o-sullivan-trump-davis_sto7730798/story.shtml live best snooker world championship finals World Snooker 12 April 2018 10 January 2021 https://wst.tv/10-great-crucible-finals/ 5 March 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200305030313/https://wst.tv/10-great-crucible-finals/ dead 1985: The black ball final https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953933.stm BBC Sport 4 May 2011 18 April 2003 live https://web.archive.org/web/20130928235825/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953933.stm 28 September 2013 Turner Chris World Professional Championship http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html https://web.archive.org/web/20130416080933/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html 16 April 2013 cajt.pwp.Greatestueyonder.co.uk Chris Turner's Snooker Archive 24 February 2011 Snooker ace's triumph The Times London 7 May 1985 1 The Times Digital Archive http://tinyurl.gale.com/tinyurl/Bdt5D1 6 September 2019 subscription 10 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210110174437/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=TTDA&u=wes_ttda&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCS17272999&asid=1610427600000~5e7295a2 live October 2006 The Greatest Snooker Final of All Time DVD Retro Videos B000EU1M4Y Taylor still on song as he relives past glory https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/2358159/Taylor-still-on-song-as-he-relives-past-glory.html The Daily Telegraph 4 May 2011 London Robert Philip 14 April 2005 https://web.archive.org/web/20121110120718/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/2358159/Taylor-still-on-song-as-he-relives-past-glory.html 10 November 2012 Davis smoothly into last eight Everton, Clive The Guardian London 19 April 1985 24 1979: Griffiths creates miracle BBC Sport 18 April 2003 13 July 2020 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953771.stm 8 April 2004 https://web.archive.org/web/20040408121009/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953771.stm live https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953941.stm 1986: Johnson stuns snooker world 18 April 2003 BBC Sport 28 March 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20040502075930/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953941.stm 2 May 2004 live Downer Chris Crucible Almanac 2012 32–33 The Masters http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=60 https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071627/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=60 24 January 2013 Snooker Scene Everton's News Agency Birmingham 8 August 2012 Friskin, Sydney Snooker The Times London 7 May 1985 26 The Times Digital Archive http://tinyurl.gale.com/tinyurl/Bdt3v6 6 September 2019 subscription 10 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210110174603/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=TTDA&u=wes_ttda&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCS437227687&asid=1610427600000~b95bbc4a live http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/sporting_moments/results.html 100 Greatest Sporting Moments – Results Channel 4 16 April 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20100118063332/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/sporting_moments/results.html 18 January 2010 dead https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/8587581.stm Steve Davis & Dennis Taylor stage rematch of 1985 final BBC Sport 30 April 2010 29 April 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100328170651/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/8587581.stm 28 March 2010 live Davis v Taylor: The '85 Black Ball Final http://uk-tv-guide.com/programme-details/BBC+2+London/1+May+2011/17%3A00/Davis+v+Taylor%3A+The+'85+Black+Ball+Final/Sport/ https://archive.today/20130205083455/http://uk-tv-guide.com/programme-details/BBC+2+London/1+May+2011/17:00/Davis+v+Taylor:+The+'85+Black+Ball+Final/Sport/ dead 5 February 2013 UK TV Guide 4 May 2011 External links 1985 World Snooker Championship – Steve Davis v Dennis Taylor Black Ball Final on YouTube (World Snooker Tour edit, 44 minutes) The '85 Black Ball Final on BBC iPlayer Category:1985 in English sport Category:1985 in Northern Ireland sport World Championship, final Category:1980s in Sheffield Category:Sports competitions in Sheffield Category:Sports finals Category:April 1985 sports events in the United Kingdom 1985, final