1954, 1973, 1975, 2018

[Cyril]

What’s the connection folks?

[jamesg19851]

The winners in 1954, 1973 and 1975 were all over the age of 40, as will be the winner of the 2018 world snooker championship.

[Csmith]

Both contestants of each final were over the age of 40.

[jamesg19851]

1954: Fred Davis
1973: Ray Reardon
1975: Ray Reardon
2018: Mark Williams or John Higgins

[jamesg19851]

Both contestants of each final were over the age of 40.

I was going to say that but wasn't sure if both players were over the age of 40. From Wikipedia you're right. Walter Donaldson and Eddie Charlton who played in 2 world championship finals, losing to Ray Reardon on both occasions.

[Csmith]

I was going to say that but wasn't sure if both players were over the age of 40. From Wikipedia you're right. Walter Donaldson and Eddie Charlton who played in 2 world championship finals, losing to Ray Reardon on both occasions.

It's amazing that we are back to having over 40 top players. Back in the mid 2000s I don't think anyone would have predicted that.

[jamesg19851]

It's amazing that we are back to having over 40 top players. Back in the mid 2000s I don't think anyone would have predicted that.

Yh, in the mid 2000s you had the same players ruling the roost, O'Sullivan, Higgins and Williams. Apart from Selby no one has really taken over. Trump and Ding have had their moments but haven't really dominated. I don't see any young players that are going to dominate the game in the same way. Kyren Wilson, Yan Bingtao, Jack Lisowski, Lyu Haotian are classy players but I'm not sure they'll dominate.

I'm not sure what the reason is, maybe we're just blessed to have seen these players. Maybe it's due to lower participation in snooker. My home town used to have two teams in the league, now we struggle to put one side out. Is that a symptom of a full blown problem, leading to a lack of players coming through, I don't know. My local snooker club shut down recently.

Rileys Worcester are running a singles league that I suggested but so far they only have 5 people, including me. I don't get it, it's such a great game, why aren't more people playing? Pool seems to be popular though, loads of people play local league level.

[Dark]

The reason that there is two 40+ year olds in the final and a third has won 5 events this season is the players in the 25-35 or a little older have not stood up consistently to be the elite. Selby (34) has done so but generally had a bad season. Players like Murphy (35), Robertson (36), Ding (31), Trump (28), Allen (32), MacGill (27) and Liang Wenbo (31). Wilson is starting to get there at 26 and Brecel at 23 needs to take the next step.

Overall I wonder whether the younger players are playing too much short match tournaments and are not learning to play long matches or how to prepare for longer matches.

[Cyril]

Both contestants of each final were over the age of 40.

Is the correct answer! I didn’t include the “challenge matches” test look place in the 60’s, when both John Pulman and Fred Davis were over 40. Don’t know old Fred van Rensburg was?

[DeanH]

I have found a couple of articles from 1953 that state Jim Van Rensburg was 21yrs old and he only started playing snooker from 18.

[blahblah01]

The reason that there is two 40+ year olds in the final and a third has won 5 events this season is the players in the 25-35 or a little older have not stood up consistently to be the elite. Selby (34) has done so but generally had a bad season. Players like Murphy (35), Robertson (36), Ding (31), Trump (28), Allen (32), MacGill (27) and Liang Wenbo (31). Wilson is starting to get there at 26 and Brecel at 23 needs to take the next step.

Overall I wonder whether the younger players are playing too much short match tournaments and are not learning to play long matches or how to prepare for longer matches.

Yep to the "missing" generation.

I think it is more to do with them practicing potting and making a decent living by doing that.

Back in the olde days there were money matches where players learnt match play and needed to win. After that there was a Youth\Amateur set up here (UK) which provided a similar breeding ground for the likes of ROS, Williams and Higgins.

[mick farrell]

Is the correct answer! I didn’t include the “challenge matches” test look place in the 60’s, when both John Pulman and Fred Davis were over 40. Don’t know old Fred van Rensburg was?

and what connection does 1954 and 2018 have (besides the 40 or over)

[Dark]

and what connection does 1954 and 2018 have (besides the 40 or over)

Fred Davis died two days before the start of the 1998 World Championship which was John Higgins first victory, but I doubt that is what you meant.

[Dark]

Fred Davis played Ronnie O'Sullivan in 1992 when he was 79.

[Cyril]

and what connection does 1954 and 2018 have (besides the 40 or over)

Don’t know?