1938 World Snooker Championship

1938 World Snooker Championship 1938 03 14 1938 04 9 y Thurston's Hall London England BACC Joe Davis ENG (104) Joe Davis ENG Sidney Smith ENG 37–24 1937 1939 The 1938 World Snooker Championship was a snooker tournament held from 14 March to 9 April 1938 at Thurston's Hall in London, England. It was the twelfth edition of the World Snooker Championship. Joe Davis won his twelfth championship title by defeating Sidney Smith by 37 frame frames to 24 in the final, after securing a winning margin at 31–23. The highest break of the tournament was 104, compiled by Davis in the sixth frame of his semi-final match against Willie Smith. It was the only century break during the event. There were ten entrants to the competition, three of whom took part in a qualification event from which Fred Davis emerged to join the other seven players in the main draw. Horace Lindrum, the runner-up in 1936 and 1937 did not participate, due to his disagreement with Billiards Association and Control Council the over the competition terms, including about the type of cloth that would be used on the playing tables. Background The World Snooker Championship is a professional tournament and the official world championship of the game of snooker.Snooker championship Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 11 May 1927 12 March 2019 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270511/425/0020 20 British Newspaper Archive subscription The sport was developed in the late 19th century by British Army soldiers stationed in India.Hayton Eric Dee John 2004 The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History Rose Villa Publications 978-0954854904 1 Professional English billiards player and billiard hall manager Joe Davis noticed the increasing popularity of snooker compared to billiards in the 1920s, and with Birmingham-based billiards equipment manager Bill Camkin, persuaded the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC) to recognise an official professional snooker championship in the 1926–27 season.Everton Clive 23 September 2004 Davis, Joseph [Joe] https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-31013 10.1093/ref:odnb/31013 11 May 2020 subscription https://web.archive.org/web/20190903050418/https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-31013 3 September 2019 live In 1927, the final of the first professional snooker championship was held at Camkin's Hall; Davis won the tournament by beating Tom Dennis in the final.Morrison Ian 1987 The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker Hamlyn Publishing Group London 9780600556046 27–30 The annual competition was not titled the World Championship until the 1935 tournament,Billiards – Professional title Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 3 November 1934 24 November 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19341103/342/0007 7 British Newspaper Archive subscription Canadian's bid for Snooker title Dundee Courier 20 October 1934 20 January 2016 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19341020/167/0009 9 British Newspaper Archive subscription but the 1927 tournament is now referred to as the first World Snooker Championship.Everton Clive 1993 The Embassy Book of World Snooker Bloomsbury London 0747516103 11–13History of snooker – a timeline https://wpbsa.com/about-us/history/ World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association 29 May 2021 Davis had also won the title every year from 1928 to 1937.Everton Clive 1986 The History of Snooker and Billiards Partridge Press Haywards Heath 1852250135 50–52 There were ten entrants. Horace Lindrum, the losing finalist in 1936 and 1937, did not enter for 1938, because he objected to certain conditions, particularly to the cloth used.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mz5AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dVkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3960%2C829186 4 December 1937 18 Snooker – World Professional Title Fred Davis, Herbert Holt and Charles Read were chosen to play in a qualifying event, the winner to join the other seven players in the main event. Holt and Read were drawn against each other for the opportunity to face Davis for a place in the competition proper.The Times 9 December 1937 6 Snooker Pool – The Championship The main event was held from 14 March to 22 April at Thurston's Hall, with the final over 61 frame frames and all other matches over 31 frames. The entry fees of 5 guineas per player were to be used as prize money for the finalists, with the winner receiving 60%.Conditions for the world's professional championship of snooker, 1938 Billiards and Snooker W. G. Clifford November 1937 22–23 Summary Quarter-finals The first match in the competition proper was held from 14 to 16 March, with defending champion Joe Davis playing Sydney Lee. Davis led 7–3 after the first day, making a 93 break in frame 10. Davis won the match by winning the final frame on the second day, taking a 16–4 lead. Davis had made a 98 break in frame 16. The final score was 24–7.The Times 17 March 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship The correspondent for Billiards and Snooker magazine wrote that the quality of Davis's play was far ahead of his contemporaries, and that in the match "his winning-hazard striking and his positional play were a revelation even for him." Starting on 17 March, Willie Smith met Tom Newman in the second match. The score was level at 5–5 after the first day and 10–10 after two days. Smith led 13–12 after the final afternoon session and, winning three of the first four evening frames, took the match 16–13. Newman won the two dead frames so finished at 15–16 at the conclusion on 19 March.The Times 21 March 1938 5 Snooker – World's Professional Championship The match was dominated by tactical play, with few high breaks. A 63 break by Newman was the highest of the match. Qualifier Fred Davis was drawn against Alec Brown in the third match, which started on 22 March. Davis won the first four frames, and led 7–3 after the first day and 14–6 after two days. Brown, experiencing neuritis in his arm and shoulder, then conceded the match.The Times 24 March 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship The last quarter-final, from 24 to 26 March, saw Sidney Smith face Conrad Stanbury. Smith lost the first three frames, but then won the next seven, for a four-frame lead after day one. Smith then claimed all 10 frames on the second day, having taken a decisive 16–3 lead. He extended his winning streak to 22 frames before Stanbury won frame 26. The final score was 27–4, with Smith making a break of 95 in frame 31.The Times 28 March 1938 5 Snooker – The Professional Championship Semi-finals The first semi-final, from 28 to 30 March, was between Joe Davis and Willie Smith. Smith won the first frame despite trailing 65–30 with just the colour ball colours, representing only 27 available points, left. Davis went in-off three times, thus conceding penalty points, and Smith took the frame 69–65. This success was short-lived as Davis took the remaining four frames in the afternoon session. In the evening Davis cleared the table with a 104 break in frame 6 and then had a 96 break in frame 7. Smith took frame 8 but Davis led 8–2 after the first day. Davis increased his lead to 11–4 on the second afternoon. Smith made a 91 break in frame 15, going in-off trying to pot the final black ball. With four more frames in the evening, Davis led 15–5, so was just one frame from victory. He claimed the opening frame of the final day to gain a winning 16–5 lead. The final score was 24–7.The Times 29 March 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 30 March 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 31 March 1938 6 The Professional Championship – J Davis beats W Smith Davis's break of 104 was the highest of the tournament.2004 Embassy World Championship Information http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/res_03_4/03_4worldinfo.htm Global Snooker Centre 7 May 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20041208092511/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/res_03_4/03_4worldinfo.htm 8 December 2004 Sidney Smith and Fred Davis contested the second semi-final, which took place from 31 March to 2 April. Smith secured four of the five frames in the first session, and led 7–3 after the first day. The first frame of day two had been in progress for fifteen minutes before a ball was potted, and was won by Davis. Smith took the following three frames, and Davis compiled a break of 47 in winning the fifteenth frame, leaving him five behind at 5–10. Smith increased his lead by a further frame in the fourth session, finishing 13–7 ahead at the end of the day, having made a 97 break in frame 19. On the final day Davis won three of the afternoon frames but Smith took the first frame in the evening to secure victory at 16–10. The final score was 18–13.The Times 1 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 2 April 1938 5 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 4 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship Final Joe Davis and Sidney Smith met in the final, played over 61 frames from 4 to 9 April. Davis led 6–4 after the first day, winning each of the first two sessions 3–2. The correspondent for The Times remarked that the standard of play in the evening session was "below the usual standard and the breaks were small."The Times 5 April 1938 7 Snooker – The Professional Championship He increased his lead to 9–6 after the next session, and 12–8 after two days.The Times 6 April 1938 7 Snooker – The Professional Championship Smith took four of the five frames in the fifth session, leaving him one frame behind at 12–13, and levelled the match by winning the first frame of the sixth session, but Davis again led over-night with the score at 16–14.The Times 7 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship Davis dominated on the fourth day and led 23–17 by the close. Davis compiled a 93 break in frame 34.The Times 8 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship Davis won the last four frames on the fifth day to lead 30–20, just one frame from victory.The Times 9 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship Smith won the first three frames on the final day but Davis had a 98 clearance in frame 54 to ensure victory at 31–23. Smith won the next before Davis won the six evening frames to finish 37–24 ahead.The Times 11 April 1938 6 Snooker – J Davis wins again It was Davis's twelfth consecutive world snooker championship title. The author of the report in The Times following his victory suggested that Smith had established that he was the third-best player, behind Davis and Lindrum, but that based on the final, "there was no question regarding the superiority of the holder of the championship." Davis and Lindrum arranged a match over 133 frames, starting on 11 April, to be played at Thurston's. The match was handicapped, with Davis, conceding 10 points each frame to Lindrum. Davis won that series 71–62, after Lindrum had been only two frames behind when the score was 61–59.The Times 25 April 1938 4 Snooker – Davis beats Lindrum Schedule +Schedule of matches for the 1938 World Snooker ChampionshipWorld's professional snooker championship at Thurston's Billiards and Snooker W. G. Clifford April 1938 3, 30 World snooker title – Horace Lindrum absent Aberdeen Press and Journal 4 December 1937 4 Match Dates Joe Davis v Sydney Lee 14–16 March 1938 Willie Smith v Tom Newman 17–19 March 1938 Fred Davis v Alec Brown 21–23 March 1938 Sidney Smith v Conrad Stanbury 24–26 March 1938 Joe Davis v Willie Smith 28–30 March 1938 Sidney Smith v Fred Davis 31 March–2 April 1938 Joe Davis v Sidney Smith 4–9 April 1938 Main draw Match results are shown below. Winning players and scores are denoted in bold text.World Championship 1938 http://www.global-snooker.com/professional-snooker-tournaments-archive-world-championship-1938.asp Global Snooker 19 March 2011 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20120222034250/http://www.global-snooker.com/professional-snooker-tournaments-archive-world-championship-1938.asp 22 February 2012Embassy 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 y Quarter-finals31 frames Semi-finals31 frames Final61 frames Joe Davis ENG 24 Sydney Lee ENG 7 Willie Smith ENG 16 Tom Newman ENG 15 Alec Brown ENG w/d withdrew Fred Davis ENG w/o Sidney Smith ENG 27 Conrad Stanbury CAN 1921 4 ENG Joe Davis 24 ENG Willie Smith 7 ENG Fred Davis 13 ENG Sidney Smith 18 ENG Joe Davis 37 ENG Sidney Smith 24 Final Final: 61 frames.Thurston's Hall, London, England, 4–9 April 1938.The Times 5 April 1938 7 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 6 April 1938 7 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 7 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 8 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 9 April 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional ChampionshipThe Times 11 April 1938 6 Snooker – J Davis wins againSnooker – Professional title – Joe Davis increases his lead to ten games Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 9 April 1938 14 December 2015 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19380409/643/0024 British Newspaper Archive subscription Joe Davis 37–24 Sidney Smith Day 1: 69–33, 93–32, 44–68, 39–69, 60–46, 38–67, 73–38, 79–39, 29–73, 89–31Day 2: 57–48, 24–92, 67–30, 24–76, 50–28, 23–73, 20–68, 112–21, 69–43 (69), 79–57Day 3: 57–69 (Davis 55), 25–87, 66–80, 91–30 (67), 20–99, 37–50, 72–46, 66–49, 69–22, 55–62Day 4: 75–53, 89–39, 77–29, 114–15 (93), 15–99 (68), 101–35 (61), 36–81, 50–63, 86–32, 89–34 (57)Day 5: 42–70, 46–67, 87–25, 58–53, 98–17 (56), 54–80, 61–50, 100–33 (77), 88–48, 58–51Day 6: 31–85, 39–55, 24–95, 105–21 (98), 50–73 (55), 72–30, 80–47, 110–8 (54), 81–44, 61–48, 71–33 Davis had won the match at 31–23. dead frame Dead frames were played. Qualifying Tournament The two matches were played at Thurston's Hall immediately before the competition proper. Two players described as "unknowns" by Willie Smith played in the first match from 7 to 9 March; Herbert Holt from Blackpool and Charles Read from Salisbury. Read took an early 4–1 lead but Holt dominated thereafter, winning 16–10, the final score being 21–10.Smith Willie Joe Davis heading for more championships Lancashire Evening Post 11 January 1938 16The Times 10 March 1938 6 Snooker – The Professional Championship From 10 to 12 March, Holt then played Fred Davis to determine the winner of the qualifying event. Davis proved too strong for Holt, leading 9–1 after the first day and taking a winning 16–2 lead on the second day. The final score was 23–8.The Times 14 March 1938 7 Snooker – The Professional Championship no Round 131 frames Final31 frames Herbert Holt ENG 21 Charles Read ENG 10 ENG Fred Davis 23 ENG Herbert Holt 8 Century breaks 104 Joe Davis References 30em 1938 World Championships World Snooker Championships World Snooker Championship World Snooker Championship World Snooker Championship, 1938