1953 World Professional Match-play Championship

World Professional Match-play Championship
Tournament information
Dates 10 November 1952–28 March 1953
Final venue Leicester Square Hall
Final city London
Country England
Highest break England John Pulman (133)
Final
Champion England Fred Davis
Runner-up Scotland Walter Donaldson
Score 37–34
← 1952
1954 →

The 1953 World Professional Match-play Championship was a professional snooker tournament with the final held at the Leicester Square Hall in London, England.[1]

Fred Davis won his fifth World title by defeating Walter Donaldson 37–34 in the 71-frame final.[1] The highest break of 133 was made by John Pulman.[2]

Schedule

Source:[3]

Match Dates Venue, City
Albert Brown v Alec Brown 10–15 November 1952 Central Billiards Hall, Slough
Fred Davis v John Barrie 8–12 December 1952 Mechanics Institute, Derby
John Pulman v Jackie Rea 8–12 December 1952 RAOB Hall, Belfast
Walter Donaldson v Kingsley Kennerley 15–20 December 1952 Bolton
Fred Davis v John Pulman 16–20 February 1953 Wrekin Hall, Wellington, Shropshire
Walter Donaldson v Albert Brown 9–14 March 1953 St George's Hall, Liverpool
Fred Davis v Walter Donaldson 23–28 March 1953 Leicester Square Hall, London

Detail

Albert Brown and Alec Brown met in the first quarter-final, played in Slough. The match was played over 6 days. Albert Brown took a 7–3 lead on the first day but Alec Brown had levelled the match at 15–15 after day 3. Albert Brown won all 5 frames on the fourth afternoon session and led 23–17 after four days. Alec Brown reduced Albert Brown's lead to 26–24 after day 5 but won only 2 frames on the last day to give Albert Brown a 35–26 win.[4]

Fred Davis played John Barrie in a quarter-final match at the Mechanics Institute in Derby. Davis led 20–16 after three days, making a break of 121 on day 3,[5] but Barrie levelled the match at 24–24 on the fourth day, during which he made a 101 break.[6][7] On the final day, Davis led 28–26 after the afternoon session, despite a break of 125 by Barrie, and Davis eventually won a close match 32–29.[8][9]

John Pulman met Jackie Rea in the 5-day match played at the RAOB Hall, Belfast. This was the first World Championship match to be played in Ireland. Pulman had the best of the first four days and led 29–19, needing just 2 frames on the final day for victory.[7] Pulman won the match by taking a 31–21 after winning the fourth afternoon frame on the final day. The match ended with Pulman leading 36–25.[10][8]

Walter Donaldson met Kingsley Kennerley, the winner of the qualifying competition, in the final quarter-final played in Bolton. Donaldson dominated the match, leading 27–8 after the fourth afternoon session. Kennerley won all 5 frames in the evening session,[11] but Donaldson took a winning lead of 31–14 after the fifth afternoon.[12] The match ended with Donaldson 42–19 ahead.[13]

Fred Davis met John Pulman in the first semi-final played at the Wrekin Hall in Wellington, Shropshire. Davis won easily, taking a winning 31–17 lead after the fourth day.[14] The final score was 36–25.[15] In the final afternoon session Davis made a break of 101 while Pulman made a 105 break and a further century in the evening.[16][17]

Albert Brown withdrew from his semi-final match against Walter Donaldson in Liverpool before the second day's play, on medical advice. Donaldson was leading 9–1 after the first day.[18]

The final was held at Leicester Square Hall for the first time since 1949. It was to be the last time the final was held there. The match was over 71 frames.[19] The match was level at 6–6 after the first day but Donaldson took a 13–11 lead after day 2, despite a break of 107 by Davis.[20] Donaldson led 20–16 after day 3 but Davis tied the match at 24–24 after the fourth day which included another Davis century, this time of 102.[21] David led 28–26 after the fifth afternoon session but Donaldson took a 31–29 lead at the end of the fifth day.[22] The match was again level at 33–33 after the final afternoon session but Davis crept ahead in the evening session to win 37–34.[23]

Main draw

Sources:[24][25][26]

Quarter-finals
61 frames 		Semi-finals
61 frames 		Final
71 frames
England Fred Davis 32
England John Barrie 29 England Fred Davis 36
England John Pulman 36 England John Pulman 25
Northern Ireland Jackie Rea 25 England Fred Davis 37
Scotland Walter Donaldson 42 Scotland Walter Donaldson 34
England Kingsley Kennerley 19 Scotland Walter Donaldson w/o
England Albert Brown 35 England Albert Brown w/d
England Alec Brown 26

Qualifying

The qualifying section was held at Leicester Square Hall from 25 August to 6 September 1952. 66-year-old Willie Smith met Jim Lees from 25 to 27 August. Smith led 16–8 after two days and won 21–14.[27] The match between Kingsley Kennerley and Rex Williams was played from 28 to 30 August. Kennerley led 16–8 after two days and won 25–12.[28] Smith and Kennerley met from 1 to 6 September in the six-day final. Kennerley led 27–21 after four days and took a winning 36–24 lead after the fifth day, winning all six of the evening session frames. The final score was 42–29.[29]

Round 1
37 frames		 Round 2
71 frames
England  Willie Smith 21  
England  Jim Lees 14     England  Willie Smith 29
England  Kingsley Kennerley 25     England  Kingsley Kennerley 42
England  Rex Williams 12  

References

  1. 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.
  2. ↑ "2004 Embassy World Championship Information". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 8 December 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Snooker". The Times. 12 September 1952. p. 9.
  4. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 17 November 1952. p. 9.
  5. ↑ "Snooker win for Joe Davis". The Glasgow Herald. 11 December 1952. p. 2.
  6. ↑ "Barrie now level". Dundee Courier. 12 December 1952. Retrieved 23 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  7. 1 2 "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 12 December 1952. p. 7.
  8. 1 2 "World snooker semi-finalists – Holder qualifies". The Glasgow Herald. 13 December 1952. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "World championship". The Times. 13 December 1952. p. 4.
  10. ↑ "Pulman celebrates his birthday with great win". Northern Whig. 13 December 1952. Retrieved 23 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  11. ↑ "World championship". The Times. 19 December 1952. p. 4.
  12. ↑ "World championship". The Times. 20 December 1952. p. 4.
  13. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 22 December 1952. p. 2.
  14. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 20 February 1953. p. 9.
  15. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 21 February 1953. p. 9.
  16. ↑ "Snooker". The Times. 21 February 1953. p. 4.
  17. ↑ "Fred Davis". Dundee Courier. 21 February 1953. Retrieved 23 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  18. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 11 March 1953. p. 11.
  19. ↑ "Donaldson and Davis level". Dundee Courier. 24 March 1953. Retrieved 23 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  20. ↑ "Fred Davis". Dundee Courier. 25 March 1953. Retrieved 23 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  21. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 27 March 1953. p. 9.
  22. ↑ "Professional snooker". The Times. 28 March 1953. p. 4.
  23. ↑ "Professional snooker". The Times. 30 March 1953. p. 2.
  24. ↑ "World Championship 1953". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  25. ↑ "Embassy World Championship". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 144. ISBN 0-9548549-0-X.
  27. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 28 August 1952. p. 2.
  28. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 1 September 1952. p. 9.
  29. ↑ "Snooker". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1952. p. 9.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.