1954/1955 News of the World Snooker Tournament

The 1954/1955 News of the World Snooker Tournament was a professional snooker tournament sponsored by the News of the World. The tournament was won by Jackie Rea who won all of his 8 matches. He finished ahead of Joe Davis who won 6 matches. The News of the World Snooker Tournament ran from 1949/50 to 1959 but this was the last to be held at Leicester Square Hall, which closed soon after the end of the tournament.

Format The 1954/55 event was a round-robin snooker tournament and was played from 6 September 1954 to 15 January 1955. All matches were played at Leicester Square Hall in London. There were 9 competitors and a total of 36 matches. The competitors were Joe Davis, Fred Davis, Walter Donaldson, John Barrie, Albert Brown, Alec Brown, John Pulman, Jackie Rea and qualifier Kingsley Kennerley. Each match lasted three days and was the best of 37 frames.

Each match was separately handicapped. Joe Davis played level with Fred Davis and gave Walter Donaldson and John Pulman 14, Albert Brown 18, Alec Brown 23, John Barrie 24, Jackie Rea and Kingsley Kennerley 25. Fred Davis gave John Pulman 10, Walter Donaldson 12, Albert Brown and John Barrie 14, Alec Brown 16, Jackie Rea 18 and Kingsley Kennerley 21. Walter Donaldson played level with John Pulman and gave Albert Brown and John Barrie 12, Alec Brown 14, Jackie Rea 16 and Kingsley Kennerley 18. John Pulman gave Albert Brown 5, Alec Brown 10, John Barrie 14, Jackie Rea 16 and Kingsley Kennerley 18. Albert Brown played level with Alec Brown and John Barrie and gave Kingsley Kennerley 12 and Jackie Rea 14. John Barrie played level with Alec Brown 0 and Jackie Rea and Kingsley Kennerley 7. Alec Brown gave Jackie Rea 5 and Kingsley Kennerley 12. Jackie Rea gave Kingsley Kennerley 7.

Results Joe Davis made a break of 146 on 7 December, the second day of his match against Albert Brown. He potted a pink after his fourth red. The break equalled Davis's own record break, set on 1 March 1950.

Jackie Rea won all his 8 matches, clinching victory after his 19–18 win against John Barrie on 15 December.

The match between Joe Davis and his brother, Fred was the last competitive match played at Leicester Square Hall before it closed. Joe won the match 19–18 and made a 137 clearance on the final day. The following Saturday, Joe Davis compiled the first officially recognised maximum break in a match against 68-year-old fellow Englishman Willie Smith. The match between Davis and Smith was played as part of a series of events marking the closure of the hall. Winner Score Loser DateJackie Rea 22–15 Kingsley Kennerley 6–8 SeptemberKingsley Kennerley 21–16 Albert Brown 9–11 SeptemberAlbert Brown 25–12 John Barrie 13–15 SeptemberWalter Donaldson 21–16 John Barrie 16–18 SeptemberJackie Rea 22–15 Alec Brown 20–22 SeptemberJackie Rea 23–14 John Pulman 23–25 SeptemberFred Davis 20–17 Alec Brown 27–29 SeptemberFred Davis 19–18 Walter Donaldson 30 September–2 OctoberJoe Davis 22–15 Walter Donaldson 4–6 OctoberJoe Davis 24–13 John Pulman 7–9 OctoberJackie Rea 26–11 Albert Brown 11–13 OctoberFred Davis 19–18 Albert Brown 14–16 OctoberJackie Rea 21–16 Joe Davis 18–20 OctoberKingsley Kennerley 19–18 John Barrie 21–23 OctoberKingsley Kennerley 22–15 John Pulman 25–27 OctoberFred Davis 19–18 John Pulman 28–30 OctoberJoe Davis 19–18 Alec Brown 1–3 NovemberAlec Brown 21–16 John Barrie 4–6 NovemberJackie Rea 21–16 Walter Donaldson 8–10 NovemberWalter Donaldson 23–14 Kingsley Kennerley 11–13 NovemberJohn Pulman 20–17 Albert Brown 15–17 NovemberJohn Barrie 25–12 Joe Davis 18–20 NovemberFred Davis 22–15 John Barrie 22–24 NovemberJackie Rea 20–17 Fred Davis 25–27 NovemberJohn Pulman 21–16 Alec Brown 29 November–1 DecemberJoe Davis 28–9 Kingsley Kennerley 2–4 DecemberJoe Davis 23–14 Albert Brown 6–8 DecemberAlec Brown 20–17 Walter Donaldson 9–11 DecemberJackie Rea 19–18 John Barrie 13–15 DecemberKingsley Kennerley 19–18 Alec Brown 16–18 DecemberJohn Pulman 20–17 John Barrie 27–29 DecemberAlbert Brown 22–15 Walter Donaldson 30 December–1 JanuaryKingsley Kennerley 19–18 Fred Davis 3–5 JanuaryAlbert Brown ?–? Alec Brown 6–8 JanuaryWalter Donaldson 20–17 John Pulman 10–12 JanuaryJoe Davis 19–18 Fred Davis 13–15 January

Table the final standings are shown below. Pos Player Prize 1 Jackie Rea 8 8 174 122 £500 2 Joe Davis 8 6 163 133 £300 3 Fred Davis 8 5 152 144 £200 4 Kingsley Kennerley 8 5 138 158 £150 5 Walter Donaldson 8 3 145 151 £100 6 Albert Brown 8 3 142 154 £75 7 John Pulman 8 3 138 158 £75 8 Alec Brown 8 2 143 153 £50 9 John Barrie 8 1 137 159 £30

The positions were determined firstly by the number of matches won (MW) and, in the event of a tie, the number of frames won (FW). Albert Brown led Alec Brown 15–9 after the second day of their match, after which Alec Brown withdrew due to illness.

Qualifying The qualifying tournament was held from 6 to 15 May 1954. These matches were also played at Leicester Square Hall in London. There were 3 competitors: Kingsley Kennerley, Sydney Lee and Harry Stokes. Like the main event, each match lasted three days and was the best of 37 frames. Kennerley won both his matches to qualify. Stokes beat Lee in the other match.

Broadcasting The BBC showed three short, 30 minute, TV programmes during the matches between Joe Davis and John Pulman on 8 October, between John Pulman and John Barrie on 28 December, and between Walter Donaldson and John Pulman on 12 January. The commentator on each occasion was Sidney Smith.

References