When did they turn Professional?

[Semih_Sayginer]

has anyone got a list that they could post here with all, or some, of the following information?

(from the last 30 years)

for players who have won a world ranking title and/or been in the top 16 official rankings, could you list?

name
d.o.b.
year turned professional

and the list be alphabetical?

thanks in advance if anyone has any info.

Sem

[The Statman]

* means the activity that season was the "Pro Ticket" qualifying system for the second season later:

Player	Date of Birth	Frist season
Nigel Bond	15 November 1965	87-88*
Ali Carter	25 July 1979	96-97
Bob Chaperon	18 May 1958	83-84
Eddie Charlton	31 October 1929	67-68
Martin Clark	27 October 1968	85-86
Dominic Dale	29 December 1971	92-93
Fred Davis	14 August 1913	36-37
Steve Davis	22 August 1957	78-79
Ken Doherty	17 September 1969	87-88*
Graeme Dott	12 May 1977	94-95
Tony Drago	22 September 1965	85-86
John Dunning	18 April 1927	71-72
Peter Ebdon	27 August 1970	91-92
Neal Foulds	13 July 1963	83-84
Peter Francisco	14 February 1962	84-85
Silvino Francisco	3 May 1946	78-79
Marco Fu	8 January 1978	97-98
David Gray	9 February 1979	95-96
Terry Griffiths	16 October 1947	78-79
Mike Hallett	6 July 1959	79-80
Anthony Hamilton	29 June 1971	91-92
Quinten Hann	4 June 1977	95-96
Dave Harold	9 December 1966	87-88
Barry Hawkins	23 April 1979	96-97
Stephen Hendry	13 January 1969	85-86
Alex Higgins	18 March 1949	71-72
John Higgins	18 May 1975	92-93
Paul Hunter	14 October 1978	95-96
Steve James	2 May 1961	86-87
Joe Johnson	29 July 1952	79-80
Tony Jones	15 April 1960	83-84
Ding Junhui	1 April 1987	01-02
Mark King	28 March 1974	91-92
Tony Knowles	13 June 1955	78-79
Stephen Lee	12 October 1974	92-93
Stephen Maguire	13 March 1981	97-98
Perrie Mans	14 October 1940	70-71
Ian McCulloch	28 July 1971	92-93
Alan McManus	21 January 1971	88-89*
Jim Meadowcroft	15 December 1946	72-73
Tony Meo	4 October 1959	78-79
Graham Miles	11 May 1941	71-72
Darren Morgan	3 May 1966	85-86*
Doug Mountjoy	8 June 1942	76-77
Shaun Murphy	10 August 1982	97-98
Fergal O'Brien	8 March 1972	91-92
Ronnie O'Sullivan	5 December 1975	92-93
Gary Owen		68-69
John Parrott	11 May 1964	83-84
Joe Perry	13 August 1975	92-93
John Pulman	12 December 1923	46-47
Ray Reardon	8 October 1932	68-69
Dean Reynolds	11 January 1963	81-82
Neil Robertson	11 February 1982	97-98
Alain Robidoux	25 July 1960	87-88
David Roe	11 September 1965	86-87
Chris Small	26 September 1973	91-92
John Spencer	18 September 1935	68-69
Kirk Stevens	17 August 1958	78-79
Matthew Stevens	11 September 1977	94-95
Joe Swail	29 August 1969	88-89*
David Taylor	29 July 1943	69-70
Dennis Taylor	19 January 1949	72-73
Cliff Thorburn	16 January 1948	72-73
Willie Thorne	4 March 1954	74-75
John Virgo	3 April 1946	72-73
James Wattana	17 January 1970	87-88*
Bill Werbeniuk	14 January 1947	73-74
Jimmy White	2 May 1962	80-81
Gary Wilkinson	7 April 1966	87-88
Mark J. Williams	21 March 1975	92-93
Rex Williams	20 July 1933	51-52
Cliff Wilson	10 May 1934	79-80

[hegeland]

Ding Junhui 1 April 1987 01-02

I think Ding Junhui was awarded a "wild card" for the 2003-2004 season and turned pro in September 2003.

[Semih_Sayginer]

thank you very much Statsy.

appreciated!

* means the activity that season was the "Pro Ticket" qualifying system for the second season later:

Player	Date of Birth	Frist season
Nigel Bond	15 November 1965	87-88*
Ali Carter	25 July 1979	96-97
Bob Chaperon	18 May 1958	83-84
Eddie Charlton	31 October 1929	67-68
Martin Clark	27 October 1968	85-86
Dominic Dale	29 December 1971	92-93
Fred Davis	14 August 1913	36-37
Steve Davis	22 August 1957	78-79
Ken Doherty	17 September 1969	87-88*
Graeme Dott	12 May 1977	94-95
Tony Drago	22 September 1965	85-86
John Dunning	18 April 1927	71-72
Peter Ebdon	27 August 1970	91-92
Neal Foulds	13 July 1963	83-84
Peter Francisco	14 February 1962	84-85
Silvino Francisco	3 May 1946	78-79
Marco Fu	8 January 1978	97-98
David Gray	9 February 1979	95-96
Terry Griffiths	16 October 1947	78-79
Mike Hallett	6 July 1959	79-80
Anthony Hamilton	29 June 1971	91-92
Quinten Hann	4 June 1977	95-96
Dave Harold	9 December 1966	87-88
Barry Hawkins	23 April 1979	96-97
Stephen Hendry	13 January 1969	85-86
Alex Higgins	18 March 1949	71-72
John Higgins	18 May 1975	92-93
Paul Hunter	14 October 1978	95-96
Steve James	2 May 1961	86-87
Joe Johnson	29 July 1952	79-80
Tony Jones	15 April 1960	83-84
Ding Junhui	1 April 1987	01-02
Mark King	28 March 1974	91-92
Tony Knowles	13 June 1955	78-79
Stephen Lee	12 October 1974	92-93
Stephen Maguire	13 March 1981	97-98
Perrie Mans	14 October 1940	70-71
Ian McCulloch	28 July 1971	92-93
Alan McManus	21 January 1971	88-89*
Jim Meadowcroft	15 December 1946	72-73
Tony Meo	4 October 1959	78-79
Graham Miles	11 May 1941	71-72
Darren Morgan	3 May 1966	85-86*
Doug Mountjoy	8 June 1942	76-77
Shaun Murphy	10 August 1982	97-98
Fergal O'Brien	8 March 1972	91-92
Ronnie O'Sullivan	5 December 1975	92-93
Gary Owen		68-69
John Parrott	11 May 1964	83-84
Joe Perry	13 August 1975	92-93
John Pulman	12 December 1923	46-47
Ray Reardon	8 October 1932	68-69
Dean Reynolds	11 January 1963	81-82
Neil Robertson	11 February 1982	97-98
Alain Robidoux	25 July 1960	87-88
David Roe	11 September 1965	86-87
Chris Small	26 September 1973	91-92
John Spencer	18 September 1935	68-69
Kirk Stevens	17 August 1958	78-79
Matthew Stevens	11 September 1977	94-95
Joe Swail	29 August 1969	88-89*
David Taylor	29 July 1943	69-70
Dennis Taylor	19 January 1949	72-73
Cliff Thorburn	16 January 1948	72-73
Willie Thorne	4 March 1954	74-75
John Virgo	3 April 1946	72-73
James Wattana	17 January 1970	87-88*
Bill Werbeniuk	14 January 1947	73-74
Jimmy White	2 May 1962	80-81
Gary Wilkinson	7 April 1966	87-88
Mark J. Williams	21 March 1975	92-93
Rex Williams	20 July 1933	51-52
Cliff Wilson	10 May 1934	79-80

[Obligation]

Please Statman, enlighten me -- what does frist mean?

[Semih_Sayginer]

Please Statman, enlighten me -- what does frist mean?

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=frist

[100-uper]

Gary Owen was born 14th March 1930.

[The Statman]

I think Ding Junhui was awarded a "wild card" for the 2003-2004 season and turned pro in September 2003.

He had a wildcard for the China Open in 2001-02; in 2003-04 he played in two EASB Open Tour matches (one of which he conceded a walkover), and you're right, his first 'real' pro action was in 2003-04.

All I did was pick up the CueSport book, and type it up in about 15 minutes! (hence words like frist!).

[Obligation]

Thank you Semih

[Cyril]

Turning pro

In the early days, I think I am correct to say that players were deemed "professionals" from when they first accepted money for playing an engagement/match. This is why Fred Davis, for instance claimed to have turned pro in 1929 and earlier, Willie Smith, in 1901, as a sixteen year old. Eddie Charlton and Perrie Mans both turned pro in the early 60's, yet I doubt they were actual members of a professional governing at that time, hence, the common referal to Messrs Reardon, Spencer and Owen as being the first professional recruits, in 1968, since Rex Williams (I think) in the 50's. Another interesting one, is Freddie van Rensburg, who challenged Pulman for the professional world title in 1965. Someone tell me when his pro career spanned from?

[100-uper]

In the early days, I think I am correct to say that players were deemed "professionals" from when they first accepted money for playing an engagement/match. This is why Fred Davis, for instance claimed to have turned pro in 1929 and earlier, Willie Smith, in 1901, as a sixteen year old.

Both Fred and Joe Davis worked in their father's billiard halls from an early age, however nobody could be declared "professional" until they were sixteen, which is why this age is given. Willie Smith was still an amateur when he famously beat George Gray in September 1911 and turned professional shortly afterwards, capitalising on the national publicity he received. Although in later life he claims that he was forced to turn professional for being paid travel expense of 2/6d for a exhibition at Middlesbrough, this is another of his apparently deliberate distortion of the facts (like the cue snapping incident against Walter Lindrum) which I assume he threw in to make his anecdotes more interesting.

[Cyril]

What, his beloved "pit prop"? Numerous books on the game say it was broken by the Melbourne (or was it Sydney?) betting fraternity. What makes you say this was untrue?

Going slightly off topic, do you you happen to know if Smith ever made a century break at snooker, in public? I believe he was stuck on a highest of 94 as late as 1940.

Another one for you. Do you happen to know the first names of C.W.Reid (played in 1939 championships) and H.F.Francis (1947,48,49)?

[100-uper]

Check out my article on http://www.eaba.co.uk/articles/walte...umProfile.html under "The Decider" which is the account Smith himself gave to the Manchester Evening Chronicle shortly after his return from Australia. I know exactly how that sort of damage occurs to a cue because I have done the same thing myself! It was decades later that the Australian mafia make an appearance in his story.

I have never seen a report of Smith making a snooker century, or at least I haven't made a note of it if I have, so I can't advise on that one. Nor much help on your names either, I have only ever seen Francis referred to as "H. F." and I haven't come across "C. W. Reid" at all.

[Cyril]

Ah, now I know who I'm talking too. It's a pleasure to talk to such a knowledgable man.

Tell me, do you know if any records exist giving World Championship frame scores/breaks from say, pre-1969. I have most of those after that from copies of SS and B&S. It would be great if one day, all the Championships could be documented in the same detail as The Statman has done for the Crucible years.

[100-uper]

I don't know of anyone who has done this, unless they are in one of Clive Everton's books. I have some details of the early championship matches (pre-war) but haven't bothered thereafter, although it shouldn't be too difficult to put the stats together. I know there was a period when professional snooker wasn't well reported in the Billiard Player, but the frame scores were usually reported daily in The Times, of which I have access to a full run. If there are any particular years that are of interest to you I might be able to dig them out, but I wouldn't like to do 1926-68!