1965 Television Tournament (snooker)

BA&CC Television Tournament National Liberal Club United Kingdom Billiards Association & Control Council Single elimination Pat Houlihan ENG Eric Stickler ENG 4–1 1964 The 1965 Television Tournament was an invitational amateur snooker tournament.Telesport Daily Mirror 20 March 1965 13 Apart from one of the semi-finals, it was held at the National Liberal Club in London, UK, as a series of matches starting on 5 December 1963 and with the final held on 3 April 1965. The competition was organised by the Billiards Association & Control Council and shown on ITV in the United Kingdom. Jonathan Barron had won the invitational pro-am 1962–63 Television Tournament by defeating 4–3 Ron Gross 4–3 in the final,Snooker: Barron has revenge in ITV final Cornish Guardian 28 February 1963 11 and also its successor, the 1964 Television Tournament, that time with a 4–3 defeat of Mario Berni in the final.Snooker: ITV title retained by Barron Cornish Guardian 28 May 1964 11 Barron was not among the eight participants in 1965. The 1965 final was played on 3 April at the National Liberal Club, between Pat Houlihan and Eric Stickler. Houlihan won 4–1 to take the title. Summary The first round and semi-finals were played as best-of-five frames matches. The first match, on 5 December 1964, saw Houlihan eliminate John Spencer 4–2; it was the first time that either player had been in a televised match. The highest break of the encounter was Spencer's 60 in the fifth frame.Williams 2023 1142Pat Houlihan's TV victory Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council February 1965 10 Berni defeated Dennis Robertson 4–1, and made the match's highest break on 66 in frame three; television commentary was provided by Ted Lowe.On going to press Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council February 1965 11 In the first frame of his contest against Mark Wildman, Marcus Chapman made the match's highest break, 35, but he lost 4–1 overall.BA&CC Television (ITV) Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council February 1965 9 Eric Stickler eliminated Ron Gross. Rusholme Conservative Club, Manchester was the venue for the semi-final between Houlihan and Berni on 13 February; it was the only match in the tournament not played at the National Liberal Club. Houlihan won 4–0.BA&CC Television (ITV): Pat Houlihan's comfortable win over Mario Berni Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council March 1965 12 The match referee, Fred Mayall, commented that he thought Berni was "under his usual form". Billiards Association & Control Council Chairman Harold Philips agreed, but felt that Houlihan was "playing better than ever before". In the other semi-final, Stickler defeated Wildman 4–1.Televised knock-out amateur invitation comp. ITV The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council April 1965 8 Just over two weeks before the Television Tournament final, Houlihan had won the English Amateur Championship, after an 11–3 victory against Spencer in the final.Williams 2023 1352, 1403 In many British newspapers, this received more coverage than the professional World Snooker Championship title match between John Pulman and Fred Davis held at the same time.Williams 2023 1366 Houlihan won the Television title by defeating Stickler 4–1 in the final.Williams 2023 1403The 1964–65 season Billiards and Snooker Billiards Association and Control Council May 1965 3–5 It was his 17th consecutive competitive match win, in a sequence dating back to 1964.Williams 2023 1403 Draw Quarter-finalsBest of 7 frames Semi-finalsBest of 7 frames FinalBest of 7 frames 180 John Spencer ENG 2 Pat Houlihan ENG 4 Mario Berni WAL 4 Dennis Robertson ENG 1 Mark Wildman ENG 4 Marcus Chapman ENG 1 Eric Stickler ENG 4 Ron Gross ENG Score unknown Pat Houlihan ENG 4 Mario Berni WAL 0 Mark Wildman ENG 1 Eric Stickler ENG 4 Pat Houlihan ENG 4 Eric Stickler ENG 1 Notes References Book Williams Luke G. The Natural: The Story of Patsy Houlihan, the best snooker player you never saw Pitch Chichester Kindle 2023 9781801505680 Television Tournament (snooker) Television Tournament (snooker)