The 1972 Men of the Midlands was a professional invitational snooker tournament, that took place from 3 January to 20 March 1972. The tournament was won by Alex Higgins, who defeated John Spencer 4–2 in the final.
The competition featured a round-robin group stage, with four players progressing into the semi-finals. Higgins won 4–0 against Ray Reardon in one semi final, and Spencer defeated Graham Miles 4–0 in the other.
Higgins won the first frame of the final, after Spencer missed an easy , and Spencer won the second frame. In the third, Higgins made of 37 and 28 to win. The fourth frame saw both players miss changes to win, with Higgins eventually taking it with a break of 48. Spencer compiled a 58 break in winning the fifth frame, before Higgins won the sixth, with breaks of 24, 20 and 27, to win the match 4–2.
The tournament was sponsored by Mitchells and Butlers, who provided a prize fund of £1,000. Higgins received £300 as winner, and Spencer took £225 as runner-up.
Round-robin The players were divided into two groups, each of four players. DatePlayerScorePlayerVenue 3 January 4–1 Austin British Legion 10 January 4–3 North Walsall Working Men's Club 17 January 4–2 Redditch Liberal Club 20 January 4–0 Standard Triumph Club, Coventry 24 January 4–2 Parkinson Cowan 25 January 4–3 Wilenhall Social, Coventry 31 January 4–1 Hinckley Liberal Club 1 February w.o. Whitmore Reans Conservative Club, Wolverhampton 3 February w.o. Stewarts and Lloyds Club, Corby 7 February 4–1 Saffron Lane Working Men's Club 9 February 4–1 Quarry Bank Labour Club 14 February 4–0 Lower Gornal Miners' Welfare
Playoff
Due to "confusion over dates", Pulman was unable to play his scheduled matches against Miles and Rea. They faced each other in two playoff matches, which Miles won to progress to the semi-finals. DatePlayerScorePlayerVenue unknown 4–1 Whitmore Reans Conservative Club, Wolverhampton unknown 4–3 British Steel, Corby
Knockout results
The match between Spencer and Miles was staged at Longbridge Social Club, and Higgins played Reardon at British Steel, Halesowen. The final was at Smethwick Working Men's Club.
References