World Professional Match-play Championship
Tournament information
Dates9 January – 10 March 1956 (1956-01-09 – 1956-03-10)
Final venueTower Circus
Final cityBlackpool
CountryEngland
OrganisationProfessional Billiards Players' Association
Highest break Rex Williams (ENG) (141)
Final
Champion Fred Davis (ENG)
Runner-up John Pulman (ENG)
Score38–35
← 1955
1957 →
1956 World Professional Match-play Championship is located in the United Kingdom
Belfast
Belfast
Birmingham
Birmingham
Blackpool
Blackpool
Venues

The 1956 World Professional Match-play Championship was a snooker tournament that took place from 9 January to 10 March 1956 with the final being held at the Tower Circus in Blackpool, England from 5 to 10 March. Fred Davis won his eighth and last world snooker title by defeating John Pulman by 38 frames to 35 in the final. Pulman led 31–29 going into the last day of the final on 10 March, but Davis won 8 of the first 10 frames on that day to take a winning lead of 37–33. The event, organised by the Professional Billiards Players' Association, is now recognised as an edition of the World Snooker Championship.

There were four participants. Rex Williams made the highest break of the tournament with 141, a championship record, in frame 48 of his semi-final match against Fred Davis in Aston. Pulman defeated Jackie Rea in the other semi-final, which was held in Belfast.

Background

The World Snooker Championship is a professional tournament and the official world championship of the game of snooker.[1] The sport was developed in the late 19th century by British Army soldiers stationed in India.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] The annual competition was not titled the World Championship until 1935,[5] but the 1927 tournament is now referred to as the first World Snooker Championship.[6][7] 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.[8]

In 1952, the World Professional Match-play Championship was created following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the BACC.[9] 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."[10][11] The PBPA members established an alternative competition which became known as the World Professional Match-play Championship,[12] now recognised as world championships.[13] There were four entrants for the 1956 World Professional Match-play Championship: John Pulman, Jackie Rea, Rex Williams, and Fred Davis, who had won the world championship in 1948, 1949 and 1951, and the four previous editions of the World Professional Match-play Championship, each year from 1952 to 1955.[14] Joe Davis and Walter Donaldson played in the 1955/1956 News of the World Snooker Tournament, that took place from October 1955 to February 1956, but did not enter the Match-play Championship.[14][15]

Summary

Semi-finals

John Pulman and Jackie Rea played in the first semi-final, at the R.A.O.B. Club, Belfast, from 9 to 13 January 1956.[16] Pulman won the first three frames, making a 55 break in the second frame and a 70 in the third frame.[16] He finished the first session 4–2 ahead, and led 7–5 at the end of the first day.[17] Each player won three frames in the second day's afternoon session. Rea added the first of the evening, before Pulman took four consecutive frames to lead 14–9, compiling a break of 87 in the process. Rea made a break of 89 in winning the 24th frame.[18] Pulman extended his lead to six frames by winning the first two of the third day, and was still six ahead at 18–12 by the session's conclusion, and his lead over the evening to eight frames, at 22–14.[19] On the fourth day, Pulman won seven of the twelve frames to lead 29–19, including four of the six in the afternoon session. The correspondent for the Northern Whig commented that "the snooker was not of very good quality ... Pulman impressed as the more consistent player of the two. Rea being far too impetuous at times and breaking down when he should have scored from good positions."[20] Pulman secured victory at 31–25 after winning the second and third frames on the final day, and finished 36–25 ahead after dead frames were played.[21]

The Holte Hotel (pictured in 2008) was the venue for the semi-final between Fred Davis and Rex Williams.

The second semi-final, between Fred Davis and Rex Williams, was staged from 23 to 27 January at the Holte Hotel, Aston. Williams took the first frame, and, after Davis had won the second, moved into a 3–1 lead. A break of 90 from Davis reduced the deficit to one frame, and the match was level when Davis added the sixth frame. In the second session, Davis compiled a break of 102 in the seventh frame of the match, and won the following five frames for a 9–3 lead at the end of the first day.[22][23] The players each won three frames on the second afternoon, and also on the second evening, leaving Davis 15–9 ahead. The day's highest break was a 54 made by Davis in frame fifteen, but Williams won that frame by 82 points to 54.[24] Davis opened up an 11-frame lead by taking the first five frames on day three, and extended this to twelve at 24–12 by the end of the day, having made a 104 break in the evening session.[25] His lead was increased to 14 frames by adding the first two frames of the fourth day, before Williams reduced the gap to ten frames at 19–29, compiling a 141 break in the 48th frame.[26][27] This stood as the highest break ever recorded in a version of the world snooker championship, until it was bettered by one point by Williams in 1965.[28] On the last day, Williams took four of the first five frames, but Davis achieved a winning margin at 31–23. Following the dead frames played, the score was 35–26.[29]

Final

The final was over 73 frames, and was played from 5 to 10 March at the Tower Circus, Blackpool. Davis won the opening frame and took a 4–2 lead during the afternoon session, making a break of 96 in the fourth frame.[30] Pulman, who compiled a break of 85 in the ninth frame, led 7–5 after the opening day.[30][31] After the second afternoon session, the players were level at 9–9, Davis having compiled a 104 break in the 18th frame.[32] Davis won the first frame on the second evening, but Pulman then claimed five consecutive frames to lead 14–10 after the second day.[32][33] Davis reduced his deficit to two frames at 19–17 after the third day, during which he made his second century break of the final, a 102, in the afternoon session.[34]

Pulman won four of the six frames on the fourth afternoon, to lead 23–19. In the evening, Davis took the first three frames and the fifth frame, leaving Pulman 25–23 ahead.[35][36] The following day, the scores were level at both 25–25 and 27–27. Pulman constructed a 104 break in the fourth frame of the afternoon. He won four of the six evening frames, to take a 31–29 lead into the last day.[37][38] On the sixth day, Davis won five of the six frames in the afternoon session to lead 34–32. He then added three of the first four frames in the evening to achieve a winning margin at 37–33. After dead frames, the final score was 38–35.[39][40]

According to authors Luke Williams and Paul Gadsby, "It was, Pulman admitted, the bitterest disappointment of his career."[41] Snooker commentor Ted Lowe wrote in 1984 that Pulman "looked like a winner ... when leading 31–29 at the start of the final day but experience told and Fred ended up champion".[42] In 2012, snooker historian Clive Everton claimed that Pulman "in retrospect believed that it had done him no good to spend two hours in bed with the daughter of a snooker dignitary just prior to the resumption of play [on the last day]".[43] It was the last of eight world snooker titles won by Davis, who chose not to enter the 1957 World Professional Match-play Championship.[8][44]

Schedule

Schedule of matches for the 1956 World Professional Match-play Championship
Match Dates Venue, city Ref
John Pulman v Jackie Rea9–13 January 1956R.A.O.B. Club, Belfast[16][45]
Fred Davis v Rex Williams23–27 January 1956Holte Hotel, Aston[22][46]
Fred Davis v John Pulman5–10 March 1956Tower Circus, Blackpool[39]

Main draw

Match results are shown below. Winning players and scores are denoted in bold text.[47][48][49]

Semi-finals
61 frames 		Final
73 frames
 Fred Davis (ENG) 35
 Rex Williams (ENG) 26 England Fred Davis 38
 John Pulman (ENG) 36 England John Pulman 35
 Jackie Rea (NIR) 25

Final

Available details about the final are below.

Final: Best-of-73 frames
5–10 March 1956 at the Tower Circus, Blackpool.[13]
Numbers in bold represent winning scores and numbers in brackets represent breaks.
Fred Davis
England		 38–35 John Pulman
England
5 March (first day)[30]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Davis
1352546102 (96)8870366135611343
Pulman
16369336051725985 (85)6410081
Frames (Davis first) 1–0 1–1 1–2 2–2 3–2 4–2 4–3 5–3 5–4 5–5 5–6 5–7
6 March (second day)[32][50]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Davis
70 ?
(104)		743927585453
Pulman
71 ?486983626466
Frames (Davis first) 8–8 8–9 9–9 10–9 10–10 10–11 10–12 10–13 10–14
7 March (third day)[51][52]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Davis
6133130786198178289831736
Pulman
805411433526683239438365
Frames (Davis first) 10–15 10–16 11–16 12–16 13–16 14–16 14–17 15–17 16–17 17–17 17–18 17–19
8 March (fourth day)[53]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Davis
25859651546926794197433
Pulman
714028979686265520796672
Frames (Davis first) 17–20 18–20 19–20 19–21 19–22 19–23 20–23 21–23 22–23 22–24 23–24 23–25
9 March (fifth day)[37]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Davis
838182213982151748715387
Pulman
313690106519638566357337
Frames (Davis first) 24–25 25–25 25–26 25–27 26–27 27–27 27–28 27–29 27–30 28–30 28–31 29–31
10 March (sixth day)[54]
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Davis
Pulman
Frames (Davis first) 34–32 37–33 38–35
Fred Davis wins the 1956 World Professional Match-play Championship

References

  1. ↑ "Snooker championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 11 May 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ↑ Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Rose Villa Publications. p. 1. ISBN 978-0954854904.
  3. ↑ Everton, Clive (23 September 2004). "Davis, Joseph [Joe]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ↑ Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group. pp. 27–30. ISBN 9780600556046.
  5. ↑ "Billiards – Professional title". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 3 November 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 24 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ Everton, Clive (1993). The Embassy Book of World Snooker. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 11–13. ISBN 0747516103.
  7. ↑ "History of snooker – a timeline". World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  8. 1 2 Everton, Clive (1986). The History of Snooker and Billiards. Haywards Heath: Partridge Press. pp. 50–63. ISBN 1852250135.
  9. ↑ "World Snooker Title". The Glasgow Herald. 19 February 1952. p. 2. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "The B.A.& C.C. and the world's professional snooker championship". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. November 1951. pp. 4–8.
  11. ↑ Everton, Clive (30 April 2009). "Neil Robertson set to rewrite history as first genuine Australian world champion". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  12. ↑ Williams, Luke; Gadsby, Paul (2005). Masters of the Baize. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 47. ISBN 1840188723.
  13. 1 2 Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  14. 1 2 Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. pp. 143–144. ISBN 978-0954854904.
  15. ↑ "Professional snooker". The Billiard Player. Billiard Association and Control Council. December 1955. p. 6.
  16. 1 2 3 "Slow start in big Belfast snooker test". Belfast Telegraph. 9 January 1956. p. 10.
  17. ↑ "Snooker: Pulman goes ahead". Birmingham Daily Post. 10 January 1956. p. 10.
  18. ↑ "Pulman leads Rea 14–10". Belfast News-Letter. 11 January 1956. p. 7.
  19. ↑ "Pulman leads Rea 22–14". Belfast News-Letter. 12 January 1956. p. 7.
  20. ↑ Omar (13 January 1956). "Pulman within sight of victory". Northern Whig. p. 6.
  21. ↑ "Pulman beats Rea by 11 frames". Belfast News-Letter. 14 January 1956. p. 7.
  22. 1 2 "Williams soon loses his lead". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 24 January 1956. p. 6.
  23. ↑ "Fred Davis makes 102 break". Northern Whig. 24 January 1956. p. 6.
  24. ↑ "Williams in step with Fred Davis". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 25 January 1956. p. 6.
  25. ↑ "Century run at Aston by Fred Davis". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 26 January 1956. p. 6.
  26. ↑ "Davis' lead reduced". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 27 January 1956. p. 6.
  27. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 27 January 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  28. ↑ "2004 Embassy World Championship Information". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 8 December 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  29. ↑ "Williams beaten by F. Davis". Birmingham Daily Post. 28 January 1956. p. 14.
  30. 1 2 3 "Pulman in lead". Lancashire Evening Post. 6 March 1956. p. 10.
  31. ↑ "Billiards & snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 6 March 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  32. 1 2 3 "Five frames in row for Pulman". Lancashire Evening Post. 7 March 1956. p. 8.
  33. ↑ "Professionals". The Times. 7 March 1956. p. 16.
  34. ↑ "Snooker and billiards". The Glasgow Herald. 8 March 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  35. ↑ "Good recovery by Davis after poor start". Northern Whig. 9 March 1956. p. 8.
  36. ↑ "Snooker & billiards". The Glasgow Herald. 9 March 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  37. 1 2 "Pulman two ahead with 13 to go". Lancashire Evening Post. 10 March 1956. p. 6.
  38. ↑ "Snooker & billiards". The Glasgow Herald. 10 March 1956. p. 7. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  39. 1 2 "Played on Saturday". The Glasgow Herald. 12 March 1956. p. 11. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  40. ↑ "Snooker champion". The Times. 12 March 1956. p. 16.
  41. ↑ Williams, Luke; Gadsby, Paul (2005). Masters of the Baize. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 54. ISBN 1840188723.
  42. ↑ Lowe, Ted (1984). Between frames. London: A & C Black. pp. 104–105. ISBN 0713624469.
  43. ↑ Everton, Clive (2012). Black farce and cue ball wizards. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 34. ISBN 9781780575681.
  44. ↑ "Tributes to cue king Fred Davis". BBC Sport. 16 April 1998. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  45. ↑ "Played last night". The Glasgow Herald. 13 January 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  46. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 28 January 1956. p. 7. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  47. ↑ "World Championship 1956". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  48. ↑ "Embassy World Championship". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  49. ↑ Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 144. ISBN 0-9548549-0-X.
  50. ↑ Kobylecky, John (2019). The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018. Kobyhadrian Books. p. 45. ISBN 978-0993143311.
  51. ↑ "Late news: World snooker". Lancashire Evening Post. 7 March 1956. p. 1.
  52. ↑ "Fred Davis cuts opponent's lead". Lancashire Evening Post. 8 March 1956. p. 10.
  53. ↑ "Pulman leads in snooker tussle". Lancashire Evening Post. 9 March 1956. p. 12.
  54. ↑ "Eighth title for Fred Davis". Belfast News-Letter. 12 March 1956. p. 8.
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