1947 World Snooker Championship

1947 World Snooker Championship
Tournament information
Dates20 January – 25 October 1947 (1947-01-20 – 1947-10-25)
Final venueLeicester Square Hall
Final cityLondon
CountryEngland
OrganisationBilliards Association and Control Council
Highest break Fred Davis (ENG) (135)
Final
Champion Walter Donaldson (SCO)
Runner-up Fred Davis (ENG)
Score82–63
← 1946
1948 →

The 1947 World Snooker Championship was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 20 January to 25 October 1947. The final was held at the Leicester Square Hall in London, England, from 13 to 25 October. The semi-finals were completed in March, but the final was delayed due to building works at the venue, which had been bombed in October 1940. Walter Donaldson won the title by defeating Fred Davis by 82 frames to 63 in the final, although he reached the winning margin earlier, at 73–49. Davis made the highest break of the tournament with a 135 clearance in frame 86 of the final.

The 1947 event was the first to be played since the retirement of Joe Davis who had won all 15 of the previous Championships since it was inaugurated in 1927. Davis had announced in October 1946 that he would no longer play in the competition. A qualifying competition for thirteen entrants at Burroughes Hall in London from 2 January to 8 February 1947 was won by Albert Brown, who then joined seven other players in the main competition. The quarter-finals and semi-finals took place from 20 January to 15 March at various venues in England.

Background

[edit]

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 the 1935 tournament,[5][6] but the 1927 tournament is now referred to as the first World Snooker Championship.[7][8] Davis had also won the title every year from 1928 to 1940, after which the tournament was not held again until 1946 due to World War II.[9] The World Championship was the first to be played since the retirement from the competition of Joe Davis who had won all 15 of the previous Championships.[10] He had announced in October 1946 that he would no longer play in the World Championship.[11]

Format

[edit]

The closing date for entries for the 1947 championship was 23 November 1946.[12] The entry fee was five guineas per player, with five per cent of gate receipts to be paid to the BACC. This was reduced to two guineas, and the same percentage of gate receipts, after representations to the BACC by the Professional Billiard Players Association.[13] Twenty players entered; thirteen of them were placed in "Section B", which was to produce one qualifier to join the other seven players in "Section A", the main competition.[13] The "Section B" matches were held at Burroughes Hall in London from 2 January to 8 February 1947, all played across 35 frames.[14] The quarter finals and semi finals were played at different venues in England, across 71 frames, except for two of the quarter-finals which were across 73 frames.[15][16] The final was played over 145 frames from 13 to 25 October 1947 at Leicester Square Hall.[17]

Dates and venues of matches

[edit]
Match Dates Venue, city Ref.
Fred Davis v Clark McConachy 20–25 January 1947 Clifton Hotel, Blackpool [18]
Sidney Smith v Alec Brown 27 January–1 February 1947 Burroughes Hall, Newcastle [15]
Horace Lindrum v Albert Brown 10–15 February 1947 Burroughes Hall, London [19][20]
Walter Donaldson v Stanley Newman 10–15 February 1947 Palais de Danse, Wellington, Shropshire [15][19][20]
Fred Davis v Sidney Smith 17–22 February 1947 Houldsworth Hall, Manchester [15][21]
Walter Donaldson v Horace Lindrum 10–15 March 1947 St George's Hall, Liverpool [15][22][23]
Walter Donaldson v Fred Davis 13–18, 20–25 October 1947 Leicester Square Hall, London [17]

Tournament summary

[edit]

Quarter-finals and semi-finals

[edit]

Fred Davis took a 6–0 lead in the first session of his match against Clark McConachy.[24] McConachy only won the 15th frame during the first three sessions, and Davis led 17–1 as they started the fourth session, during which McConachy took the 22nd fame. Davis finished the second day 22–2 ahead.[25] Each player won three frames in the fifth session; McConachy recorded an 85 break, the highest of the match to that point.[26] Davis secured his progress to the next round at 37–7, with two days of the match still remaining. During the dead frames, McConachy compiled a break of 132;[27] the final score was 53–20 to Davis.[16] Sidney Smith achieved a 106 break in the fifth session against Alec Brown; by taking five of that sessions six frames, Smith led 23–7, and he increased his advantage to 27–9 during the following session.[28] After reaching a winning margin at 37–22, Smith won 44–29 following dead frames.[29]: 223 

After Horace Lindrum built a 5–1 lead in their first session, Albert Brown won four successive frames in the next session and finished the first day at 5–7.[19] Brown took the lead by adding the first three frames of the third session, but was four frames behind at 10–14 by the close of the second day's play.[30] The eventual score was 39–34 to Lindrum.[20] Donaldson practised intensively in preparation for the Championship, using a billiard table in a neighbour's attic.[31] He won both of the first two sessions by a 4–2 margin against Stanley Newman,[19] and despite losing both sessions on the third day, was 21–15 ahead afterwards.[29]: 60  From 25–19 ahead, he took the next eight frames,[29]: 60  and went on to win 46–25.[32]

In the first semi-final, Davis held a 9–3 lead against Smith. During the sixth session, Davis made a century break, which was followed in the next frame by an 83 break from Smith. Davis won 39–32 after securing a win at 36–28.[21][29]: 223  Donaldson whitewashed Lindrum 6–0 in their first session. In the next session, each player won three frames.[22] On day three, Donaldson moved ten frames ahead at 20–10, but Lindrum reduced the margin to six frames, at 20–15, by the end of the day.[33] Going into the last day, Donaldson was 32–28 up;[34] he secured a place in the final at 36–30.[23] With dead frames, the final score was 39–32.[32]

Final

[edit]
A silver cup-shaped trophy with a trumpet base, a Greek shepherdess finial on top, and two deco square-section handles at the sides with green sponsor ribbons tied to them; the trophy is sitting on a green cylindrical plinth
The World Snooker Championship Trophy was presented to Walter Donaldson by John C. Bissett of the Billiards Association and Control Council.

The final, at Leicester Square Hall, was postponed for several weeks due to building works.[35] The hall, previously known as Thurston's Hall, had been bombed during The Blitz, in October 1940,[36][37] and only re-opened on 3 October 1947.[38][37] Meanwhile, Donaldson continued practising.[35] The match was played over 145 frames. Donaldson led Davis 4–2 and 7–5 after the initial two sessions.[39] Later, from 19–35 behind, Davis won six consecutive frames to reduce his deficit to ten frames at 35–25.[40] Donaldson secured victory at 73–49 and finished the match at 82–63.[31][41] Donaldson's tactics during the championship involved compiling breaks of around 30 to 50 points, and playing safety rather than attempting difficult pots.[31] Davis became frustrated with the lack of scoring chances Donaldson left for him, and missed a number of difficult pot attempts, thus allowing Donaldson opportunities to score and win frames.[31] Donaldson won the title by defeating Davis 82–63,[42] although he already reached the winning margin at 73–49.[43] The championship trophy was presented by John C. Bissett, chairman of the BACC.[44] After the final, Donaldson celebrated at the Albany Club, where he had won the 1946 Albany Club Professional Snooker Tournament the previous year.[44]

Davis made the highest break of the tournament with a 135 clearance in frame 86 of the final, just one short of the championship record.[45] Donaldson's break of 98 against Newman in the 20th frame of the quarter-final was his highest at the championship.[29]: 60  There were three century breaks during the final, all by Davis.[31] Joe Davis commented after the match that, "Donaldson's long potting at present is the equal of anything seen in snooker history"; his brother Fred Davis said "[Donaldson] is playing the best snooker I have ever seen".[44] In his book Talking Snooker, first published in 1979, Fred Davis reflected that he had probably been "perhaps overconfident" and also had not expected Donaldson's standard to have improved so much as a result of his many hours of practice.[46] This was the first of eight consecutive finals, from 1947 to 1954, featuring the two players.[31]

Two wins by Joe Davis in challenge matches against Donaldson after the 1947 championship reinforced the public perception that the 15-time champion Davis was still the best player.[31]

Main draw

[edit]

The results for the main draw are shown below. Match winners are denoted in bold.[16][47]

Quarter-finals
71/73 frames 		Semi-finals
71 frames 		Final
145 frames
         
 Fred Davis (ENG) 53
 Clark McConachy (NZL) 20
England Fred Davis 39
England Sidney Smith 32
 Sidney Smith (ENG) 43
 Alec Brown (ENG) 28
England Fred Davis 63
Scotland Walter Donaldson 82
 Walter Donaldson (SCO) 46
 Stanley Newman (ENG) 25
Scotland Walter Donaldson 39
Australia Horace Lindrum 32
 Horace Lindrum (AUS) 39
 Albert Brown (ENG) 34

Final

[edit]
Final: 145 frames.

Leicester Square Hall, London, 13–18, 20–25 October 1947.[17]

Walter Donaldson
 Scotland 		82–63 Fred Davis
 England
Day 1: 42–88, 65–49, 77–29, 23–91, 65–51, 70–21, 26–72, 62–43, 13–113, 66–60, 40–86, 85–36
Day 2: 88–31, 84–22, 33–50, 71–32, 49–71, 65–35, 63–65, 80–36, 73–56, 32–86, 87–48, 34–96
Day 3: 73–44, 95–14, 64–50, 89–31, 79–23, 28–63, 70–38, 59–40, 30–55, 62–47, 28–82 (55), 38–86
Day 4: 80–20, 52–82, 83–43, 13–144 (73), 65–36, 69–24, 99–24 (97), 100–24, 112–5, 78–45, 47–77, 62–61
Day 5: 65–53, 12–112, 84–33, 77–24, 83–37, 25–94, 31–84, 50–71, 56–82, 37–64, 22–89, 32–80
Day 6: 85–18, 72–45, 21–88, 60–46, 94–38, 70–39, 72–31, 90–11, 87–28, 46–70, 29–79, 74–51
Day 7: 63–41, 116–8, 96–24, 8–111 (103), 65–59, 68–61, 16–106, 26–85, 19–119 (107), 56–69, 89–42, 97–12
Day 8: 53–44, 0–139 (135), 97–32, 51–63, 67–37, 39–96, 57–36, 90–28, 32–75, 103–6, 65–73, 22–103
Day 9: 40–67, 67–55, 30–94, 72–59, 82–21, 20–86, 95–51, 119–31, 51–93, 14–94, 55–64, 12–120
Day 10: 51–56, 111–20, 95–31, 88–23, 91–6, 86–36, 28–80, 57–55, 73–53, 24–86, 65–55, 101–26
Day 11: 68–66, 95–48, 77–38, 66–67, 68–23, 76–50, 72–53, 74–40, 44–82, 43–79, 4–114, 31–78
Day 12: (one frame score is unknown) 55–65, 18–92, 77–47, 23–96, 26–75, 93–21, 18–93, 26–84, 6–112, 46–82, 104–33, 96–20
"Dead" frames were played. Donaldson won the match at 73–49.

Qualifying

[edit]

Herbert Holt had withdrawn from the qualifying in early December.[48] The first match, between John Pulman and Albert Brown was a repeat of the final of the 1946 English Amateur Championship which Pulman had won. Brown led 14–9 after two days and took a winning 18–9 lead on the final day.[49] Herbert Francis led Willie Leigh 14–10 after two days. Leigh levelled the score at 15–15 after the final afternoon session and eventually won 19–16.[50] Sydney Lee beat Jim Lees 19–16 in the third match.[51] In the last first-round match Kingsley Kennerley won easily against Conrad Stanbury, taking an 18–4 lead on the second evening.[52]

Willie Leigh won all six frames of the first session, and all but frame nine in the second session, to establish an 11–1 lead against Sydney Lee.[27] On the second day, he confirmed a win by taking the 19th frame with a break of 63, for a winning margin of 17–2.[53] Kennerley reached a decisive margin of victory at 18–10 against Mann.[28] In the semi-finals, Albert Brown secured his place in the last frame of the second day of his match against Barrie, at 18–6,[54] and Kennerley prevailed 18–9 against Leigh.[55] Brown won the contest of the Birmingham-based players at 18–10, which meant he was scheduled to play Lindrum in the quarter-finals of the main competition.[56]

Qualifying results

[edit]

Results of the qualifying competition were as follows:[57][15]

Round 1
35 frames 		Round 2
35 frames 		Round 3
35 frames 		Round 4
35 frames
 Albert Brown (ENG) 21
 John Pulman (ENG) 14 England Albert Brown 28
 Eric Newman (ENG) w/o England Eric Newman 7
 Herbert Holt (ENG) w/d England Albert Brown 24
England John Barrie 11
England John Barrie 25
England Fred Lawrence 10
England Albert Brown 21
 Kingsley Kennerley (ENG) 23 England Kingsley Kennerley 14
 Conrad Stanbury (CAN) 12 England Kingsley Kennerley 23
England Alec Mann 12
England Kingsley Kennerley 21
 Jim Lees (ENG) 16 England Willie Leigh 14
 Sydney Lee (ENG) 19 England Sydney Lee 10
 Willie Leigh (ENG) 19 England Willie Leigh 25
 Herbert Francis (ENG) 16

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Rose Villa Publications. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-9548549-0-4.
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  4. ^ Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group. pp. 27–30. ISBN 978-0-600-55604-6.
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  12. ^ "Sports in brief". The Times. 9 November 1946. p. 8.
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  20. ^ a b c "Brown fights hard but Lindrum wins". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 17 February 1947. p. 4.
  21. ^ a b "Fred Davis in final". Dundee Courier. 24 February 1947. p. 4.
  22. ^ a b "Donaldson makes good start". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 11 March 1947. p. 3.
  23. ^ a b "Frank Edwards' billiards win". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 17 March 1947. p. 4.
  24. ^ "Fred Davis leads McConachy". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 21 January 1947. p. 4.
  25. ^ "Brown's 20–4 snooker win". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 22 January 1947. p. 5.
  26. ^ "High speed snooker". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 23 January 1947. p. 4.
  27. ^ a b "McConachy's snooker quest fails". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 24 January 1947. p. 4.
  28. ^ a b "Kennerley enters snooker semi-final". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 30 January 1947. p. 3.
  29. ^ a b c d e Kobylecky, John (2019). The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018. Kobyhadrian Books. ISBN 978-0-9931433-1-1.
  30. ^ "Brown four frames in arrears". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 12 February 1947. p. 4.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Luke; Gadsby, Paul (2005). "Walter Donaldson". Masters of the Baize. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. pp. 27–32. ISBN 978-1-84018-872-1.
  32. ^ a b Everton, Clive (1985). Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-0-85112-448-3.
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  34. ^ "Lindrum improves snooker position". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 15 March 1947. p. 4.
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  43. ^ "New snooker champion". The Mercury. 27 October 1947. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
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  45. ^ "Professional Snooker – Big break by F Davis". The Times. 22 October 1947. p. 2.
  46. ^ Davis, Fred (1983). Talking Snooker (2nd ed.). London: A & C Black. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-0-7136-2409-0.
  47. ^ Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-9548549-0-4.
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  49. ^ "Professional Snooker". The Times. 6 January 1947. p. 2.
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  51. ^ "Professional Snooker". The Times. 13 January 1947. p. 8.
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  53. ^ "Willie Leigh's snooker win". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 25 January 1947. p. 4.
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  55. ^ "All-Birmingham snooker final". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 6 February 1947. p. 4.
  56. ^ "'Davis' week of snooker at Birmingham". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 10 February 1947. p. 5.
  57. ^ "World's Professional Snooker Championship". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. February 1947. p. 5.
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