World Championship Challenge 1965 (John Pulman v Rex Williams)

[steveflanuk]

I found an article (albeit a very small one) on this in The Times archive dated 17 November 1965 (Issue 56481) which sheds a small chink of light on the "unusual" set-up for this match.

WORLD SNOOKER RECORD
EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA, Nov. 16 – R.Williams, of Stourbridge, claimed a world snooker record for a break of 142 in a world championship match when he beat J.Pulman (Bromley) by four frames to three in the 24th game of their 51-match series here last night. Pulman leads in the series by 13 games to 11 - Reuters

Also, previous entries show the following score at different points:

October 16 (Issue 56454) at Johannesburg. J.Pulman leads R.Williams 5-3
November 12 (Issue 56477) at Port Elizabeth. J.Pulman leads R.Williams 12-9

So it appears that the challenge was originally due to be over 51 matches at 7 frames per match, but the result only adds up to 47. At least one of the matches was not played due to no spectators turning up and the payers tossed a coin to see who would win the match.

Maybe, and this is only my theory (i.e. I've got nothing to back it up), 4 of the 51 matches were cancelled due to no spectators and, thus, were not counted in the final reckoning.

Un-connected with the Challenge match it is reported on 24 December 1965 (Issue 56513) that Rex Williams became the second man to make a maximum 147 break in Tournament snooker (after Joe Davis) in a match against South African champion Manny Francisco, in public on a standard table with a certified referee present.

[PaddyLowson]

I found an article (albeit a very small one) on this in The Times archive dated 17 November 1965 (Issue 56481) which sheds a small chink of light on the "unusual" set-up for this match.

WORLD SNOOKER RECORD
EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA, Nov. 16 – R.Williams, of Stourbridge, claimed a world snooker record for a break of 142 in a world championship match when he beat J.Pulman (Bromley) by four frames to three in the 24th game of their 51-match series here last night. Pulman leads in the series by 13 games to 11 - Reuters

Also, previous entries show the following score at different points:

October 16 (Issue 56454) at Johannesburg. J.Pulman leads R.Williams 5-3
November 12 (Issue 56477) at Port Elizabeth. J.Pulman leads R.Williams 12-9

So it appears that the challenge was originally due to be over 51 matches at 7 frames per match, but the result only adds up to 47. At least one of the matches was not played due to no spectators turning up and the payers tossed a coin to see who would win the match.

Maybe, and this is only my theory (i.e. I've got nothing to back it up), 4 of the 51 matches were cancelled due to no spectators and, thus, were not counted in the final reckoning.

Un-connected with the Challenge match it is reported on 24 December 1965 (Issue 56513) that Rex Williams became the second man to make a maximum 147 break in Tournament snooker (after Joe Davis) in a match against South African champion Manny Francisco, in public on a standard table with a certified referee present.

It's interesting, because initially reading this, a 51 match series would result in essentially a first to 26 matches wins the World Championships - however, the tally of the 47 matches was 25-22.

Also, what's interesting is that this match was a 51 match or 47 match series and the 1966 challenge in Liverpool between Pulman and Fred Davis was over just seven games

[100-uper]

So it appears that the challenge was originally due to be over 51 matches at 7 frames per match, but the result only adds up to 47. At least one of the matches was not played due to no spectators turning up and the payers tossed a coin to see who would win the match.

Maybe, and this is only my theory (i.e. I've got nothing to back it up), 4 of the 51 matches were cancelled due to no spectators and, thus, were not counted in the final reckoning.

This was originally advertised, as you say, to be decided by the best of 51 matches. I don't really know the answer to this, but at least one of the matches was aborted for reasons described by Rex Williams as follows:

"the rain from one of the many torrential storms we encountered did get through the roof one night and formed a pool on part of the table. The press printed a picture of me playing a shot with John holding an umbrella, and this is, as far as I know, the only occasion on which rain has stopped play at a snooker match."

Apparently John Pulman was also suffering badly from blisters/soreness due to the high humidity and the rubbing of the cue on his bridge hand. It is possible that the programme was cut to give him time to recover. Williams says that Pulman had to obtain some ointment from a chemist to help with the problem.