1949/1950 News of the World Snooker Tournament

April 2022 News of the World Tournament 1949 10 10 1950 01 21 y Leicester Square Hall London United Kingdom Non-Ranking event £1500 £500 ENG Joe Davis ENG Sidney Smith First 1950/51 The 1949/1950 News of the World Snooker Tournament was a professional snooker tournament sponsored by the News of the World. The tournament was won by Joe Davis with Sidney Smith finishing in second place. It was the first News of the World Tournament, a tournament that ran until 1959. Format The 1949/1950 event was a round-robin snooker tournament and was played from 10 October 1949 to 21 January 1950. All matches were played at Leicester Square Hall in London. There were 8 competitors and a total of 28 matches. The competitors were Joe Davis, Walter Donaldson, George Chenier, Horace Lindrum, Sidney Smith, Peter Mans and Albert Brown. Each match lasted three days and was the best of 37 frames. There was a qualifying competition prior to the main event. This involved 4 players in a round-robin tournament with the winner, Albert Brown, advancing to the main event. 1949 World Snooker Champion Fred Davis did not enter as he objected to the matches being over only three days rather than the normal six.Snooker champion won't play Dundee Evening Telegraph 5 August 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19490805/083/0009 British Newspaper Archive subscription Each player was given a handicap at the start of the tournament. The handicaps were: Davis: -7, Donaldson: 0, Chenier, Lindrum and Smith: 13, Pulman: 14, Mans: 16 and Brown: 19. The player with the higher handicap received a start in each frame, being the difference between the two handicaps. Thus Brown received a 3-point start in his match against Mans. Results The two top-seeded players met in the first match. Joe Davis beat Walter Donaldson, won a tough match; taking a winning 19–16 lead in the final session.Grim snooker struggle won by Joe Davis Aberdeen Journal 13 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491013/046/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription In the second match Albert Brown, receiving a 26-point start each frame, led Joe Davis 18–6 after two days and won comfortably.Joe Davis beaten Aberdeen Journal 17 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491017/065/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Going into his last match Albert Brown seemed the likely winner of the tournament. He and Joe Davis had won 5 matches out of 6 but Brown had an 8 frame lead.Brown should win snooker prize Portsmouth Evening News 7 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000290/19500107/061/0005 British Newspaper Archive subscription This meant that if Brown won his last match 19–18, Davis would need to win his last match 28–9 to win the event. However Brown lost his last match, against Horace Lindrum, which meant that Davis only needed to win his match against George Chenier to win the tournament. In the next match Sidney Smith won 26–11, overtaking Brown in the standings and meaning that Smith would win the tournament if Davis lost.Smith awaits Davis-Chenier result Aberdeen Journal 19 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19500119/066/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Davis took a 19–4 lead against Chenier to guarantee the £500 first prize with Smith in second place and Brown third.Davis wins £500 first prize Aberdeen Journal 21 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19500121/057/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Joe Davis scored the first century of the tournament on 8 November in his match against John Pulman. Pulman potted a red before Davis cleared the table with a break of 130.Davis gains lead Aberdeen Journal 9 November 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491109/069/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Davis scored a break of exactly 100 against Sidney Smith on 3 January.Smith tried pot off the lampshade Aberdeen Journal 4 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19500104/055/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription George Chenier scored a break of 107 on 19 January in his match against Davis.Joe Davis is eight frame in front Aberdeen Journal 20 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19500120/063/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Winner Score Loser DatesJoe Davis 19–18 Walter Donaldson 10–12 OctoberAlbert Brown 25–12 Joe Davis 13–15 OctoberAlbert Brown 22–15 Peter Mans 17–19 OctoberPeter Mans 23–14 George Chenier 20–22 OctoberSidney Smith 27–10 George Chenier 24–26 OctoberSidney Smith 21–16 Horace Lindrum 27–29 OctoberWalter Donaldson 19–18 Peter Mans 31 October–2 NovemberWalter Donaldson 20–17 John Pulman 3–5 NovemberJoe Davis 22–15 John Pulman 7–9 NovemberAlbert Brown 22–15 George Chenier 10–12 NovemberAlbert Brown 20–17 Walter Donaldson 14–16 NovemberSidney Smith 19–18 Peter Mans 17–19 NovemberGeorge Chenier 24–13 John Pulman 21–23 NovemberJohn Pulman 19–18 Albert Brown 24–26 NovemberJoe Davis 25–12 Horace Lindrum 28–30 NovemberHorace Lindrum 21–16 John Pulman 1–3 DecemberAlbert Brown 20–17 Sidney Smith 5–7 DecemberGeorge Chenier 25–12 Walter Donaldson 8–10 DecemberHorace Lindrum 19–18 Walter Donaldson 12–14 DecemberJoe Davis 21–16 Peter Mans 15–17 DecemberHorace Lindrum 24–13 George Chenier 26–28 DecemberPeter Mans 19–18 Horace Lindrum 29–31 DecemberJoe Davis 20–17 Sidney Smith 2–4 JanuarySidney Smith 20–17 John Pulman 5–7 JanuaryJohn Pulman 23–14 Peter Mans 9–11 JanuaryHorace Lindrum 20–17 Albert Brown 12–14 JanuarySidney Smith 26–11 Walter Donaldson 16–18 JanuaryJoe Davis 25–12 George Chenier 19–21 January Table Davis surprises himself Western Daily Press 23 January 1950 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000513/19500123/094/0003 British Newspaper Archive subscription Pos Player Pld MW FW Prize 1 ENG Joe Davis 7 6 144 £500 2 ENG Sidney Smith 7 5 147 £300 3 ENG Albert Brown 7 5 144 £200 4 AUS Horace Lindrum 7 4 130 £150 5 RSA 1928 Peter Mans 7 2 123 £100 6 ENG John Pulman 7 2 120 £75 7 SCO Walter Donaldson 7 2 115 £75 8 CAN 1921 George Chenier 7 2 113 £50 The positions were determined firstly by the number of matches won (MW) and, in the event of a tie, the number of frames won (FW). Albert Brown won an additional £50 for winning the qualifying competition. Qualifying The qualifying tournament was played from 19 September to 8 October 1949. These matches were also played at Leicester Square Hall in London. As in the main event, each match lasted three days and was the best of 37 frames. Albert Brown and Alec Brown each won their first two matches which meant that the final match, between the two, would decide the winner.Brown to meet Brown Aberdeen Journal 3 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491003/075/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Albert Brown won a close match 20–17.Albert Brown wins Aberdeen Journal 10 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491010/050/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Alec had led 13–11 at the start of the final day.Snooker Aberdeen Journal 8 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491008/050/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Conrad Stanbury conceded his match against John Barrie because of illness. Barrie was leading 8–4 at the time. Barrie played a two-day exhibition match against Peter Mans instead.Conrad Stanbury ill Aberdeen Journal 5 October 1949 25 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19491005/068/0004 British Newspaper Archive subscription Winner Score Loser DatesAlbert Brown 22–15 John Barrie 19–21 SeptemberAlec Brown 20–17 John Barrie 22–24 SeptemberAlec Brown 24–13 Conrad Stanbury 26–28 SeptemberAlbert Brown 25–12 Conrad Stanbury 29 September–1 OctoberJohn Barrie w/o–w/d Conrad Stanbury 3–5 OctoberAlbert Brown 20–17 Alec Brown 6–8 October References 2 Category:News of the World Snooker Tournament News of the World Snooker Tournament News of the World Snooker Tournament News of the World Snooker Tournament News of the World Snooker Tournament