How old was Ronnie O'Sullivan when he made his first maximum 147 break?
Craig Hughes, Wrexham
THE
JUDGE: O'Sullivan was 15 years 98 days old when he made his first
competitive 147 in the English Southern Area Amateur Championship at
Aldershot on 13 March 1991. It made him the youngest player on record
to have made the maximum break. 'Rocket' Ronnie, the 2001 world
champion, also scored the quickest 147, taking five minutes 20 seconds
in his televised first round match against Mick Price in the 1997 World
championships.
What was the first professional title won by Jimmy White?
Michael Boxer, Paddington
THE
JUDGE: White, at 19, became the youngest ever winner of a major
professional tournament when he won the 1981 Langs Supreme Scottish
Masters title in his first year as a professional. He beat three
previous holders of the world crown (Ray Reardon, Steve Davis and Cliff
Thorbum) on his way to the title. Aged 18, he had become the youngest
ever world amateur champion, and, aged 16, he had been the youngest
English amateur champion.
Who was the first winner of the Pot Black tournament on television?
Mrs K. Myers, Bath
THE
JUDGE: Ray Reardon was the first winner of the tournament that was
introduced on BBC2 in 1969 to coincide with the advent of colour
television.
Has anybody ever played tournament snooker with a mini cue, and is it allowed?
Andrew Giles, Kennington
THE
JUDGE: Alec Brown, a noted London professional either side of the
Second World War, produced a six-inch mini cue during a tournament at
Thurstons in 1938 to play a tight cushion shot. His opponent protested
and the referee, the renowned Charlie Chambers, ruled that he was
outside the spirit if not the letter of the law and called a foul. It
was soon after stipulated in the rules that 'a cue must be at least
three feet in length and conform to the accepted shape and design'.
Was Stephen Hendry the first Scot to win the world championship?
Henry Trickett, Durham
THE JUDGE: Stephen Hendry was the second Scot after Walter Donaldson, from Coatbridge, who won the title in 1947 and 1950.
Was Steve Davis born in Romford, and is he a true Essex man?
Ashley Richards, Guildford, Surrey
THE
JUDGE: I went to Steve Davis forthis interesting reply, 'I am an
adopted Essex man. I was born and raised in Plumstead in south-cast
London, and moved across to Essex after I had turned professional with
the Matchroom team that had their headquarters in Romford. It was Barry
Hearn who turned me into an Essex man, and I have grown to like the
county despite all the Essex jokes.'
Who did Alex Higgins beat in each round when he won his second world title?
Mick Laurel, Harringey
THE
JUDGE: Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins, an emotional winner of his second
world title in 1982, beat Jim Meadoweroft 10~5 in the first round, Doug
Mountjoy 13-12 in the second, Willie Thorne 13-10 in the quarter-finals, Jimmy White 16-15 in the semi-finals and Ray Reardon 18-15 in the final.
Which snooker player has won the greatest number of consecutive matches in world-ranking tournaments?
Phil Butcher, Reading
THE
JUDGE: Ronnie O'Sullivan won 70 of his first 72 matches as a
professional, including a record run of 38 victories. He was just 16 at
the start of his run.
What is the fastest frame on record in a world-ranking tournament?
Ian Wilson, Oxford
THE
JUDGE: Tony Meo cleaned up the balls in just three minutes against
Danny Fowler in a third round frame in the 1988 BCE International
tournament.
What has been the longest frame in a world-ranking tournament?
Michael Greening, Watford
THE JUDGE: Cliff Thorbum ground his way through an 88-minute frame against Paul Gibson in the third round of the 1991 Rothmans Grand Prix.
Who was known as the 'Champion with the Lucky White Shoes'?
Valerie Dawson, Islington
THE
JUDGE: This was Joe Johnson, who wore what he called his 'dancing
shoes' on his way to a surprise world championship triumph at the
Crucible in 1986. He started the tournament as a 150-1 outsider, and it
was understandable as he had never won a match at the Crucible. He
looked on the edge of defeat in the quarter-final against Terry
Griffiths when he trailed by three frames with four to play, but he won
each of them for an unforgettable13-12 victory that launched the legend
of the 'lucky white shoes'. Johnson, the Bradford battler, accounted
for Tony Knowles in the semi-final, and then played the snooker of his
life to conquer hot favourite Steve Davis 18-12 in the final.
What was the score in the 1991 final when John Parrott won the world championship?
Bill Simpson, Liverpool
THE
JUDGE: John Parrott wiped out perennial runner-up Jimmy White 18-11
after rushing into a 7-0 lead. In the first session the man from
Merseyside scored 634 points to just 80 by the overwhelmed Londoner.
When were the world snooker championships first staged at the Crucible?
Tom Lawler, Retford, Notts
THE JUDGE: The
first Embassy World Championships were held at the Crucible Theatre,
Sheffield, in 1977. John Spencer, from Radcliffe, Lancashire, was the
winner, beating Canadian Cliff Thorburn 25-21 in the final.
