1962–63 Television Tournament (snooker)

Individual snooker tournament 1962–63 Television Tournament National Liberal Club London England Billiards Association and Control Council Non-ranking event Jonathan Barron ENG Ron Gross ENG 1964 The 1962–63 Television Tournament was a pro-am invitational snooker tournament, featuring eight players. There were four professional participants, and four amateurs. All four professionals lost in the opening round. The tournament was won by Jonathan Barron, who defeated Ron Gross 4–3 in the final. The event was also referred to as the "ITV tournament" and the "BACC Television Tournament". Schedule and handicaps The intention had been for four professionals to compete against the four semi-finalists from the 1962 English Amateur Championship, but one of the amateurs, Alan Barnett, was unavailable. Geoff Thompson, holder of the world record amateur break, replaced Barnett. The schedule of matches was published in the Billiards Association and Control Council's magazine, The Billiard Player, in August 1962.Television tournament The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council August 1962 15 The players were assigned a handicap as shown in parentheses, receiving the relevant number of points at the start of each frame. The professional players are indicated with an asterisk. All matches were played at the National Liberal Club.Television snooker The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council August 1962 9 The matches were broadcast on ITV.Barron in ITV snooker tournament semi-final Cornish Guardian 10 January 1963 11 Match Date Players 1 20 October 1962 Fred Davis ENG* (receive 0) v Ron Gross ENG (receive 18) 2 10 November 1962 Jackie Rea NIR* (receive 10) v John Price WAL (receive 21) 3 1 December 1962 Rex Williams ENG* (receive 10) v Geoff Thompson ENG (receive 21) 4 22 December 1962 Kingsley Kennerley ENG* (receive 10) v Jonathan Barron ENG (receive 21) Semi-final 1 12 January 1963 Winner of match 1 v Winner of match 3 Semi-final 2 2 February 1963 Winner of match 2 v Winner of match 4 Final 23 February 1963 Winner of Semi-final 1 v Semi-final 2 Results Gross defeated Davis 3–0 in their match, with Davis then winning the two "dead" frames.Gross beats Fred. Davis in B.A. & C.C. Television Tournament The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council November 1962 16 The match between Rea and Price went to a deciding frame, with Price prevailing.B.A. & C.C. Television: Price beats Rea The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council December 1962 7 Williams played poorly as he lost 0–3 and the two dead frames to Thompson.B.A. & C.C. Television Tournament: Geoff. Thompson's easy win over Rex Williams The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council January 1963 10 Barron won 3–1 against Kennerley, and also won the dead frame.Jonathan Barron completed sequence The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council February 1963 10 Snooker historian Clive Everton attributes the losses by all the professional players in the tournament to the lack of opportunities for professionals to participate in competitive events, at a time when the playing standards between professionals and top amateurs were comparable.Everton Clive 1986 The History of Snooker and Billiards Partridge Press Haywards Heath 1852250135 65 In the semi-finals, Gross eliminated Thompson 3–2,Ron Gross in television final The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council February 1963 9 and Barron defeated Price 3–1.Barron (Mevagissey) beats John Price (Tredegar) to enter B.A. & C.C. television final The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council March 1963 10 The final, between Barron and Gross, was a rematch of the 1962 English Amateur Championship final, which Gross had won 11–9.Snooker: Barron and Gross to meet again Cornish Guardian 10 January 1963 11 Gross won the first frame, before Barron took a 3–1 lead and Gross levelled the match at 3–3. Barron won the deciding frame convincingly, to take the title.Snooker: Barron has revenge in ITV final Cornish Guardian 28 February 1963 11 Players in bold denote match winners. Quarter-finalsBest of 5 frames Semi-finalsBest of 5 frames FinalBest of 7 frames 180 Fred Davis ENG 0 Ron Gross ENG 3 Rex Williams ENG 0 Geoff Thompson ENG 3 Jackie Rea NIR 2 John Price WAL 3 Kingsley Kennerley ENG 1 Jonathan Barron ENG 3 Ron Gross ENG 3 Geoff Thompson ENG 2 John Price WAL 1 Jonathan Barron ENG 3 Ron Gross ENG 3 Jonathan Barron ENG 4 Final Scores in bold indicate winning frame scores. Final: Best of 7 frames.National Liberal Club, London, 23 February 1963 Jonathan Barron ENG 4–3 Ron Gross ENG 34–71, 97–26, 91–21, 98–14, 58–64, 30–82, 88–12 References Television Tournament (snooker) Television Tournament (snooker) Television Tournament (snooker) Television Tournament (snooker)