George Chenier

[Tiger800]

HOF of George Chenier, site contains some interesting photos as well.
http://www.sportshall.ca/honoured-me...eorge-chenier/

Biography

George Chenier reigned as North American snooker champion from 1948 until his death just before Christmas of 1970. He was regarded as one of the top five pocket billiards players in the world for more than 20 years.

He began playing snooker as a youngster in Ottawa, but it was in Detroit while working as a bellhop that he really learned the game, watching players between his work shifts. Over the years, Chenier lived in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and various cities in the United States, but he spent most of his time in Toronto where, as he explained, “the best players are.”

In 1950, Chenier went to England and finished second to the great Fred Davis for the world championship. In 1963, he played in the World Pocket Billiard championship and ran the first perfect game of 150 ever registered in tournament, a victory made all the sweeter as he beat world champion Irving Crane in the finals. Chenier also ran 144 in a world snooker tournament in England, the longest ever score from a break.

In 1966, during a world pocket billiards tournament in Los Angeles, he suffered a heart attack which affected his speech and the left side of his body. Stunningly, in spite of his affliction, he was champion to the end, retaining his North American title right up to the time of his death in Toronto in 1970.

[Terry Davidson]

Got 'this page cannot be found' on the link

Terry

[Wayne G]

Got 'this page cannot be found' on the link

Terry

It worked right away for me Terry.

[DeanH]

I see the webpage titles and footer but the middle content is missing

[Terry Davidson]

I went to the home page and plugged George Chenier into the search tab and got it

Terry

[Tiger800]

Link Fixed

What I find amazing is how little known Cheniers accomplishments are.
Luckily I ran in to a couple of the old guard last night and we got talking about George, they knew Georges wife quite well.
Turns out George was a very quiet kind of fellow and not much of a stand out personality so maybe that's why he never grabbed the spotlight but he was a demon on the table.

[sberry]

HOF of George Chenier, site contains some interesting photos as well.
http://www.sportshall.ca/honoured-me...eorge-chenier/

Biography

George Chenier reigned as North American snooker champion from 1948 until his death just before Christmas of 1970. He was regarded as one of the top five pocket billiards players in the world for more than 20 years.

He began playing snooker as a youngster in Ottawa, but it was in Detroit while working as a bellhop that he really learned the game, watching players between his work shifts. Over the years, Chenier lived in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and various cities in the United States, but he spent most of his time in Toronto where, as he explained, “the best players are.”

In 1950, Chenier went to England and finished second to the great Fred Davis for the world championship. In 1963, he played in the World Pocket Billiard championship and ran the first perfect game of 150 ever registered in tournament, a victory made all the sweeter as he beat world champion Irving Crane in the finals. Chenier also ran 144 in a world snooker tournament in England, the longest ever score from a break.

In 1966, during a world pocket billiards tournament in Los Angeles, he suffered a heart attack which affected his speech and the left side of his body. Stunningly, in spite of his affliction, he was champion to the end, retaining his North American title right up to the time of his death in Toronto in 1970.

1. pocket billiard players? - in N.America I think this is what they call pool
2. where the best players are? - best what players, best pool players in Toronto?
3. he didn't finish 2nd to Fred for the WSC, Fred stuffed him in the semi-final (Rd2 of an 8-player event, George did beat Peter Mans in Rd1 tho
4. world pocket billiards championship? - what game is this then?
5. a break of 144 at snooker? - not in any event in England he didn't
6. perfect game of 150? - what game is this then?

Other than that, he may have been quite a good N.American snooker/pool/carom player but that's about it, don't think he won any proper WCs or set any 'proper' records?

[Tiger800]

1. pocket billiard players? - in N.America I think this is what they call pool
2. where the best players are? - best what players, best pool players in Toronto?
3. he didn't finish 2nd to Fred for the WSC, Fred stuffed him in the semi-final (Rd2 of an 8-player event, George did beat Peter Mans in Rd1 tho
4. world pocket billiards championship? - what game is this then?
5. a break of 144 at snooker? - not in any event in England he didn't
6. perfect game of 150? - what game is this then?

Other than that, he may have been quite a good N.American snooker/pool/carom player but that's about it, don't think he won any proper WCs or set any 'proper' records?

Their are a couple of errors in the HOF info, he did indeed lose to Fred in the semis.
He played a quite a lot of 14.1 in the US thats where he ran the 150 at the time it had never been done before.
He had the 144 while in the UK but it was not recognized as the pockets were not deemed to spec. Story goes that shortly after Joe knocked in a bigger break and it was recognized this annoyed George and he never returned to the UK, he admits this was a mistake on his part.

[Tiger800]

news article on a match with Joe in which George knocked in a 121 in 7 minutes
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=5186,2578099

[jb134]

Their are a couple of errors in the HOF info, he did indeed lose to Fred in the semis.
He played a quite a lot of 14.1 in the US thats where he ran the 150 at the time it had never been done before.
He had the 144 while in the UK but it was not recognized as the pockets were not deemed to spec. Story goes that shortly after Joe knocked in a bigger break and it was recognized this annoyed George and he never returned to the UK, he admits this was a mistake on his part.

I remember reading an article that implied that anyone found it difficult to get a world record break ratified due to Joe Davis commercial interests and commemorative cues etc. I think Horace Lindrum and Walter Donaldson had similar issues to Chenier according to the article. Then there is the famous "sealed handicap" where Fred ended up giving Joe a start. My point being that whilst there does not appear to be any proof that Joe manipulated things, there are a lot of stories.

As for memories vs record books I can remember seeing an interview with W Lindrum in which he stated that he beat Stevenson for the Workd title, again the record books do not reflect this.

[Tiger800]

I think there was a lot of jealousy especially with the American players at the time, they didn't like this nobody Canadian snooker player beating up all their stars at their own game, and as you stated Joe was very influential in the game.