1954 World Professional Match-play Championship

May 2023 1954 World Professional Match-play Championship 1953 10 5 1954 03 6 y yes Houldsworth Hall Manchester England Walter Donaldson (121) Fred Davis ENG Walter Donaldson SCO 45–26 1953 1955 The 1954 World Professional Match-play Championship was a professional snooker tournament held from 5 October 1953 to 6 March 1954 across various locations in the British Isles. The final was held at Houldsworth Hall in Manchester, England. Fred Davis won his sixth World Snooker Championship title by defeating Walter Donaldson by 45 frame frames to 26 in the final after securing a winning lead at 36–15. Donaldson compiled a break of 121, the highest of the tournament, on the last day of the final. There were nine entrants. Rex Williams and Harry Stokes were scheduled to play a preliminary match, with the winner joining the other seven players in the main draw, but Williams retired from the match due to illness. Defending champion Davis defeated Stokes and then John Pulman, to face Donaldson for the eighth consecutive world final. Donaldson had eliminated Kingsley Kennerley and Alec Brown to reach the final. During the final, Donaldson announced his retirement from future world championship events. 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 978-0-9548549-0-4 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 978-0-600-55604-6 27–30 The annual competition was not titled the World Championship until 1935,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 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 0-7475-1610-3 11–13History of snooker – a timeline https://wpbsa.com/about-us/history/ World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association 29 May 2021 7 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210107025119/https://wpbsa.com/about-us/history/ live Davis also won the title each year until 1940, when the contest was cancelled during World War II, and again when the championship resumed in 1946, accumulating a total of 15 titles before retiring from the event.Everton Clive 1986 The History of Snooker and Billiards Partridge Press Haywards Heath 1-85225-013-5 50–63 In 1952, the World Professional Match-play Championship was created following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the BACC.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 In response to player complaints that the BACC was taking too large a percentage of income from the tournament, the BACC claimed that the championship "has always been, and in theory is to be, regarded as an affair of honour and a test of merit", and that "every effort is made to arrange terms advantageous to the professionals competing in the championship, compatible with securing an equitable return for the promoters of it, the B.A.& C.C."The B.A.& C.C. and the world's professional snooker championship The Billiard Player Billiards Association and Control Council November 1951 4–8Everton Clive Neil Robertson set to rewrite history as first genuine Australian world champion https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-neil-robertson-shaun-murphy The Guardian 21 May 2012 London 30 April 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120227054301/http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-neil-robertson-shaun-murphy 27 February 2012 live The PBPA members established an alternative competition which became known as the World Professional Match-play Championship,Williams Luke Gadsby Paul 2005 Masters of the Baize Edinburgh Mainstream 1-84018-872-3 47 now recognised as world championships.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 2011 Fred Davis had won the world championship in 1948, 1949 and 1951, and the two previous editions of the World Professional Match-play Championship, in 1952 and 1953.Hayton Eric Dee John 2004 The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History Rose Villa Publications Lowestoft 978-0-9548549-0-4 143–144 There were nine entrants for the 1954 World Professional Match-play Championship, with Rex Williams and Harry Stokes scheduled to play a qualifying match, the winner of which would join the other seven players in the main draw.Big match at Leeds in January Halifax Evening Courier 31 October 1953 2 Main competition matches were over 61 frames, except the final which was over 71 frames. The match was planned to take place from 5 to 7 October 1953. Williams led 3–2 after the first session.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_EpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XoYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5892%2C3361409 6 October 1953 2 World Snooker 30 November 2017 10 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_EpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XoYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5892%2C3361409 live He was then ill and the match was abandoned, to be rearranged for a later date.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eBA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=2023%2C3555021 7 October 1953 9 Snooker 30 November 2017 10 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eBA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=2023%2C3555021 live The match was, however, later cancelled and Stokes advanced to the main draw.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hRA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=3563%2C5456294 27 October 1953 4 Title match cancelled 30 November 2017 10 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hRA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=3563%2C5456294 live Summary The first round matches were played over 61 frames. Alec Brown and John Barrie met in the first quarter-final match at the Feathers Hotel in Ealing, London, from 9 to 12 November 1953. Brown took a 10–8 lead after the first day and led 18–12 after two days and 26–22 after three days. The highest break of the match was 83, compiled by Brown.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jEdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5203%2C819155 Other Snooker The Glasgow Herald 2 10 November 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014212957/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jEdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5203%2C819155 livehttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5166%2C1110944 Other Snooker The Glasgow Herald 9 12 November 1953 30 November 2017 30 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160430040143/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5166,1110944 live Brown won with a final score of 35–26.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j0dAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4205%2C1181928 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 5 13 November 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014212958/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j0dAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4205%2C1181928 live From 16 to 20 November, Fred Davis played Harry Stokes in the second quarter-final in Middlesbrough. Davis had a 9–3 lead after the first day,Fred Davis gains lead Bradford Observer 17 November 1953 7 and increased this to 18–6 on the second day.Fred Davis's big lead in world snooker Bradford Observer 18 November 1953 7 He led 29–7 after three days, having compiled a break of 109 in the day's second frame. Davis took a winning 38–10 lead after four days and eventually won 45–15.The Glasgow Herald https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lEdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5110%2C1948247 19 November 1953 9 Snooker 30 November 2017 18 May 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160518102511/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lEdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5110,1948247 livehttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2086954 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 2 21 November 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014212958/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2086954 liveFred Davis makes 163rd century Birmingham Daily Gazette 19 November 1953 8https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6709%2C857283 Snooker and Billiards The Glasgow Herald 4 8 March 1954 30 November 2017 19 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200819185511/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6709%2C857283 live Walter Donaldson and Kingsley Kennerley faced each other in the third quarter-final in Jersey from 1 to 5 December. Donaldson led 30–18 after four days, needing just one more frame on the final day, and eventually won 36–25.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=okdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2022%2C3637445 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 10 5 December 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014212959/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=okdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2022%2C3637445 live John Pulman and Jackie Rea met in Belfast from 7 to 11 December, at the RAOB hall in Belfast, in the last quarter-final. It was closest of the four quarter-finals and was level at 24 frames at the start of the final day.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p0dAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4341%2C4148265 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 4 11 December 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014212959/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p0dAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4341%2C4148265 live Rea won four of the six frames on the final afternoon but Pulman won five of the first six frames in the evening to win 31–29.The Times 12 December 1953 4 World Championship Both semi-finals were played from 18 to 23 January 1954, over 61 frames. Fred Davis and John Pulman met in Bolton. Pulman led 20–16 after three days but Davis won 9 of the 12 frames on the fourth day to lead 25–23.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XUxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GIsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3034%2C2012306 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 2 23 January 1954 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014213000/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XUxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GIsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3034%2C2012306 live Davis won 7 of the 13 frames on the final day to win 32–29.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XkxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GIsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4426%2C2199212 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 9 25 January 1954 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014213000/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XkxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GIsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4426%2C2199212 live Donaldson and Alec Brown played their semi-final at Carlton Barracks in Leeds. At the end of the afternoon session on the second day, Brown led 10–5.The Times 20 January 1954 9 World Championship Donaldson then dominated and led 29–21 after day five, including a break of 108. The final score was 36–25. Fred Davis and Walter Donaldson met in their eighth successive final, which was held from 1 to 6 March at Houldsworth Hall, Manchester over 71 frames.World Snooker Championship The Times 2 March 1954 5 Davis took a 5–1 lead in the first session, and won the second session by the same margin to finish the first day 10–2 ahead. The pair each won three frames in the third session, and Davis claimed four of the six evening frames for a ten-frame lead at 17–7,World Snooker Title The Times 3 March 1954 3 extending this to a 14 frame advantage, 25–11, the following day.World Snooker Title The Times 4 March 1954 11 Donaldson reduced his arrears slightly by winning four of the six frames in the early session on 4 March, but trailed 15–33 by the day's close.World Snooker Title The Times 5 March 1954 3 Davis secured the victory by winning the first three frames on the fifth day to lead 36–15.The Times 6 March 1954 4 F. Davis Retains World Snooker ChampionshipDavis retains snooker title http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26595197 8 May 2013 The Argus 8 March 1954 29 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201129143730/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26595197 live The final score was 45–26, with Donaldson making a break of 121, the highest of the tournament, on the final day.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6709%2C857283 Snooker and Billiards The Glasgow Herald 4 8 March 1954 30 November 2017 19 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200819185511/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6709%2C857283 live2004 Embassy World Championship Information http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/res_03_4/03_4worldinfo.htm Global Snooker Centre 9 May 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20041208092511/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/res_03_4/03_4worldinfo.htm 8 December 2004 It was the most one-sided of their finals. Even before losing the match, Donaldson said that he would not enter the world championship again, saying he could not give enough time to the practice he felt was necessary.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JVtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1577%2C591821 Snooker and Billiards The Glasgow Herald 4 5 March 1954 30 November 2017 30 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210430221918/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JVtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5IsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1577,591821 live Schedule Match Dates Venue, City Ref. Reference Harry Stokes v Rex Williams 5–7 October 1953 Edinburgh, Scotland Alec Brown v John Barrie 9–12 November 1953 Feathers Hotel, Ealing, London, EnglandAlec Brown qualifies for semi-final Middlesex County Times 14 November 1953 13 Fred Davis v Harry Stokes 16–20 November 1953 Middlesbrough, Englandhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2086954 Snooker The Glasgow Herald 2 21 November 1953 30 November 2017 14 October 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014213000/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lkdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2086954 live Walter Donaldson v Kingsley Kennerley 1–5 December 1953 Jersey John Pulman v Jackie Rea 7–11 December 1953 RAOB Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland Fred Davis v John Pulman 18–23 January 1954 Bolton, England Walter Donaldson v Alec Brown 18–23 January 1954 Carlton Barracks, Leeds, England Fred Davis v Walter Donaldson 1–6 March 1954 Houldsworth Hall, Manchester, England Main draw The results for the tournament are shown below. Players in bold are match winners.Embassy 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 2012Downer Chris Crucible Almanac 2019 Bournemouth Self-published Preliminary round: Harry Stokes SCO 2-3 Rex Williams ENG; Williams then withdrew from the match due to illness.Green table tidings The Billiard Player November 1953 14 Quarter-finals61 frames Semi-finals61 frames Final71 frames 160 Fred Davis ENG 45 Harry Stokes SCO 15 John Pulman ENG 31 Jackie Rea NIR 29 Walter Donaldson SCO 36 Kingsley Kennerley ENG 25 Alec Brown ENG 35 John Barrie ENG 26 ENG Fred Davis 32 ENG John Pulman 29 SCO Walter Donaldson 36 ENG Alec Brown 25 ENG Fred Davis 45 SCO Walter Donaldson 26 References 30em 1954 1954 World Professional Match-play Championship World Professional Match-play Championship World Professional Match-play Championship Category:International sports competitions in Manchester