1976 World Professional Match-play Championship

World Professional Match-play Championship 1976 11 28 1976 12 11 y Nunawading Basketball Centre Melbourne Australia Non-ranking event A$30,000 A$6,500 Paddy Morgan AUS, 104 Eddie Charlton AUS Ray Reardon WAL 31–24 1957 Last The 1976 World Professional Match-play Championship was a professional invitational snooker tournament held from 28 November to 11 December 1976 at the Nunawading Basketball Centre in Burwood East, Melbourne, Australia. Eddie Charlton, the event's promoter, won the title by defeating Ray Reardon by 31 frame frames to 24 in the final. The Championship was sanctioned by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, with the event's title causing confusion with the World Snooker Championship in some media reports. The tournament was not repeated. A World Professional Match-play Championship for professional snooker was staged each year from 1952 to 1957, having been created following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the Billiards Association and Control Council. The PBPA members established a competition, which became known as the World Professional Match-play Championship, as an alternative to the World Snooker Championship. Although at first these were not deemed to be world championships, they were later recognised as editions of the World Snooker Championship. After 1957, the event was discontinued due to a decline in the popularity of snooker. The World Championship was re-instituted on a challenge basis from 1964 to 1968, and as a knock-out format tournament from 1969. The 1976 tournament, which is not recognised as an edition of the World Snooker Championship, featured sixteen invited players. Alex Higgins was the only one of the top four seeds not to reach the semi-finals. Higgins was defeated 6–13 by Paddy Morgan, who then lost in the deciding frame of his semi-final match against Charlton. Reardon played Graham Miles in the other semi-final, which he won 19–16 after recovering from five frames behind. Background A World Professional Match-play Championship for professional snooker was staged each year from 1952 to 1957, having been created following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the Billiards Association and Control Council.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C48MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C3977587 19 February 1952 2 World Snooker Title 18 September 2020 12 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160312050745/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C48MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C3977587 live The PBPA members established a competition, which became known as the World Professional Match-play Championship, as an alternative to the World Snooker Championship.Williams Luke Gadsby Paul 2005 Masters of the Baize Edinburgh Mainstream 1840188723 47 Although at first these were not deemed to be world championships, they were later recognised as editions of the World Snooker Championship. After 1957, the event was discontinued due to a decline in the popularity of snooker.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.blueyonder.co.uk Chris Turner's Snooker Archive 24 February 2011 After this, 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 World Professional Match-play Championship Pulman featuring in the first match.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.blueyonder.co.uk Chris Turner's Snooker Archive 9 February 2011Morrison Ian 1989 Snooker: records, facts and champions Guinness Superlatives Ltd 0851123643 8Hale Janice 1991 Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1991–92 Aylesbury Queen Anne Press 0356197476 294–295 Pulman retained the title in several challenges from 1964 to 1968. From 1969, the World Snooker Championship we re-established by the Imperial Tobacco Company as a knock-out format tournament,Everton Clive 2012 Black farce and cue ball wizards Mainstream Edinburgh 9781780575681 42 using their "Players No. 6" brand.Players No. 6 sponsor world championship Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council November 1968 13 In 1976, Eddie Charlton gained the recognition of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) for a World Professional Match-play Championship to be held in Australia, promoted by him.Morrison Ian 1987 The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker – revised edition Twickenham Hamlyn Publishing Group 9780600556046 102–103 The tournament was staged from 28 November to 11 December 1976, at the Nunawading Basketball Centre in Burwood East, Melbourne, Australia, with 16 invited players participating, as an event distinct from the World Championship.Humphries Rod Inside sport The Sydney Morning Herald 10 November 1976 21 John Spencer declined to participate as he was dissatisfied with how the 1975 World Snooker Championship had been conducted by Charlton's promotions company.Everton Clive Is World Matchplay only a carbon copy? Snooker Scene September 1976 5 Clive Everton, editor of Snooker Scene magazine, criticised the WPBSA's decision to approve a tournament with a name that could be confused with the World Snooker Championship, and the decision to include lower-ranked Australian players rather than higher ranked players. Ray Reardon was the top seed, with Alex Higgins second.Cue Giants step into new arena The Age 17 November 1976 36 On two further occasions after 1976, the WPBSA sanctioned the staging of the tournament, but it did not take place on either of them due to problems with organising the event.Everton Clive 1985 Snooker: The Records Guinness Superlatives Ltd Enfield 9780851124483 59–60 The tournament is recognised in Ian Morrison's Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker (1987) as part of the same series as the World Professional Match-play Championship, whilst snooker statistician Chris Turner views them, and the later World Matchplay events as distinct from each other despite the similar titles. Prize money Prize money was awarded as follows: First round losers: A$1,000 Quarter-finals: A$1,750 Semi-Finals: A$2,500 Runner-up: A$3,500 Winner: A$6,500 Total: A$30,000 Summary The first round matches commenced on 25 November, and were contested over 25 frames, finishing on 2 December.Snooker title The Age 25 November 1976 33 Three of the Australian professionals were comprehensively defeated, with Reardon eliminating Ron Mares 13–1 (21–4 after dead frames), Charlton defeating Lou Condo by the same margin (and 17–1 after dead frames), and Higgins whitewashing Dennis Wheelwright 13–0 (16–9 after dead frames).Visitors win pro snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 2 December 1976 21Charlton in last eight of snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 2 December 1976 17 Perrie Mans achieved a winning margin at 13–6 against John Dunning, and the pair split to remaining dead frames for a final scoreline of 16–9. Graham Miles defeated Jim Meadowcroft 13–5, increasing his margin to 18–7 after dead frames. Dennis Taylor led Paddy Morgan, the Australian national English billiards champion, 4–2 and 9–6, before Morgan won three consecutive frames to equalise at level at 9–9. Taylor took the following two frame frames to lead 12–10, but Morgan qualified for the quarter-finals by completing another three-frame run. Cliff Thorburn, facing Gary Owen, had difficulties with the joint of his two-piece cue stick. Owen led 4–2 and 12–6 before securing a win at 13–6. Williams led Bill Werbeniuk 11–7, before Werbeniuk won six successive frames for a 13–11 victory. The quarter-final round was held from 3 to 4 December, with matches played over 25 frames.Snooker – Saturday's results – world tourney The Orlando Sentinel 5 December 1976 2F Having led Owen 11–7, Reardon won 13–9, and added the three dead frames to finish at 16–9. Charlton defeated Mans 13–8 after they had been level at 7–7, and won all the dead frames for 17–8.Canadian out in snooker The Vancouver Sun 4 December 1976 36 Miles defeated Werbeniuk 13–11 after they had been tied at 11–11. They did not play the scheduled dead frame. Morgan made a break of 104, consisting of thirteen red ball reds and black ball blacks, as he built a 12–6 lead against Higgins, and then won 13–6, with each of the pair winning three dead frames to leave the final score 16–9.Snooker break of 104 The Sydney Morning Herald 4 December 1976 21 Higgins was the only one of the top four seeds not to reach the semi-finals. The semi-finals took place from 5 to 7 December, with both matches across 37 frames.Snooker players reach semifinals The Gettysburg Times 4 December 1976 6 Morgan led Charlton 16–14 at the start of their final session, and increased this to 17–14 before Charlton won the next three frames to equalise. Morgan then regained a lead at 18–17, but Charlton took the following two frames to progress to the final after the deciding frame, 19–18.Morgan leads in snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 7 December 1976 13 Reardon and Miles were level at 15–15, before Reardon won 19–16. Miles had been leading 10–5, but lost eight of the following nine frames. The final was played from 8 to 11 December over 61 frames. Charlton established a 5–1 lead during the first session, after winning each of the first five frames.5–1 lead in snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 8 December 1976 21 and later led 10–8 and 13–11.Scores level in snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 10 December 1976 13 From 15 to 15, Charlton added four of the six frames from each of the next two session, for 23–19.Charlton 23–19 in snooker The Sydney Morning Herald 11 December 1976 21 From two frames ahead, 25–23, at the start of the penultimate session, Charlton took five of the session's six frames,Charlton ahead The Sydney Morning Herald 12 December 1976 77 to increase his advantage to 30–24 going into the last session. Charlton won the title 31–24 by clearing the colours after Reardon had failed an attempt to pot the black ball.World title to Charlton The Sydney Morning Herald 13 December 1976 15http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131801242 Sports results. The Canberra Times 14 December 1976 20 January 2016 15 National Library of AustraliaThe Age https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gk8QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4422%2C3661936 13 December 1976 24 Charlton 'frames' Spencer 9 March 2016 12 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160312113346/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gk8QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4422%2C3661936 live Reardon congratulated Charlton after the match, saying that he was a worthy winner, whereas Reardon himself had "played like a loser", adding "In fact I didn't really deserve to get to the final at all. I was almost relieved to lose and I was certainly glad when it was over." After winning the title, Charlton was erroneously reported as being "world champion" by Grandstand, World of Sport and several newspapers.Everton Clive Exclusive! Exclusive! Snooker Scene January 1977 3 The highest break of the tournament was 104, made by Morgan.92 Main draw Results for the tournament are shown below. Numbers in parentheses indicate seedings.Charlton downs Reardon Snooker Scene February 1977 5Werbeniuk scores upset The Ottawa Journal 2 Dec 1976 30Sports briefs Alamogordo Daily 8 December 1976 2 180 Last 16Best of 25 frames Quarter-finalsBest of 25 frames Semi-finalsBest of 37 frames FinalBest of 61 frames 1 Ray Reardon WAL 13 Ron Mares AUS 1 8 Gary Owen WAL 13 Cliff Thorburn CAN 6 5 Rex Williams ENG 11 Bill Werbeniuk CAN 13 4 Graham Miles ENG 13 Jim Meadowcroft ENG 5 3 Eddie Charlton AUS 13 Lou Condo AUS 1 6 Perrie Mans RSA 1928 13 John Dunning ENG 6 7 Dennis Taylor NIR 12 Paddy Morgan AUS 13 2 Alex Higgins NIR 13 Dennis Wheelwright AUS 0 1 WAL Ray Reardon 13 8 WAL Gary Owen 9 CAN Bill Werbeniuk 11 4 ENG Graham Miles 13 3 AUS Eddie Charlton 13 6 RSA 1928 Perrie Mans 8 AUS Paddy Morgan 13 2 NIR Alex Higgins 6 1 WAL Ray Reardon 19 4 ENG Graham Miles 16 3 AUS Eddie Charlton 19 AUS Paddy Morgan 18 1 WAL Ray Reardon 24 3 AUS Eddie Charlton 31 References 1976 World Professional Match-play Championship World Professional Match-play Championship Category:Sports competitions in Melbourne Category:Snooker competitions in Australia Category:1970s in sport in Melbourne Category:November 1976 sports events in Australia Category:December 1976 sports events in Australia