50s/60s scene - one for son of Cliff?

[jon]

Seeing the great Cliff Wilson's son post on here makes me want to ask a question. Was Cliff ever resentful of the fact that what may well have been the peak of his career passed him by?

Cliff had tremendous success as a young amateur and then again in winning the World Amateur and being a top 16 pro in his 40s and 50s.

What might he have achieved in the peak years aged 25-40 if he'd had the chance?

He's not the only one. Pat Houlihan, Marcus Owen and others were in the same boat. Why was snooker allowed to die in the late 50s and 60s? The talented players were there - but were never given the chance.

[Son of Cliff]

Seeing the great Cliff Wilson's son post on here makes me want to ask a question. Was Cliff ever resentful of the fact that what may well have been the peak of his career passed him by?

Cliff had tremendous success as a young amateur and then again in winning the World Amateur and being a top 16 pro in his 40s and 50s.

What might he have achieved in the peak years aged 25-40 if he'd had the chance?

He's not the only one. Pat Houlihan, Marcus Owen and others were in the same boat. Why was snooker allowed to die in the late 50s and 60s? The talented players were there - but were never given the chance.

Hi nice post Cliff always told me he stopped playing because when Reardon left Tredegar he lost the interest to play, but with the lack of money in the game and starting a family, snooker I think was forgotten about due to no motivation to play. he gave it up for 17 years and when Pot Black came along and the snooker boom got underway the old man bought a cue from a new supermarket in Caerphilly and the rest is history. He and many others were born a little early it would have been nice to have seen Cliff and a few others playing on these fine tables and good conditions when they were in there prime late teens to early twentys. but thats life.

[Oldgit]

Hi nice post Cliff always told me he stopped playing because when Reardon left Tredegar he lost the interest to play, but with the lack of money in the game and starting a family, snooker I think was forgotten about due to no motivation to play. he gave it up for 17 years and when Pot Black came along and the snooker boom got underway the old man bought a cue from a new supermarket in Caerphilly and the rest is history. He and many others were born a little early it would have been nice to have seen Cliff and a few others playing on these fine tables and good conditions when they were in there prime late teens to early twentys. but thats life.

Have you still got Cliffs actual playing cue? He used a Burwat Champion the last time I played him (in Hartlepool) in the late 1970s.

Oldgit

[Son of Cliff]

Have you still got Cliffs actual playing cue? He used a Burwat Champion the last time I played him (in Hartlepool) in the late 1970s.

Oldgit

No he must have sold it knowing him, he went through a few cues after the Burwat, he used a Powerglide when he won the world amateur in 1978 that was a laminated cue ( the shaft ) I did not like that cue stiff as a board. coming towards the end of his playing days he had three Master cues made by Parris I have got the cue now my son plays with it at the moment.

By the way was you at the match that the old man played against Steve Davis in Hartlepool in the late 70's when they had a respotted black in the last frame?

[Oldgit]

No he must have sold it knowing him, he went through a few cues after the Burwat, he used a Powerglide when he won the world amateur in 1978 that was a laminated cue ( the shaft ) I did not like that cue stiff as a board. coming towards the end of his playing days he had three Master cues made by Parris I have got the cue now my son plays with it at the moment.

By the way was you at the match that the old man played against Steve Davis in Hartlepool in the late 70's when they had a respotted black in the last frame?

No I missed that match. The night I met him was an exhibition that he gave at the old 'Constitutional' club in Hartlepool. I went to collect him at his hotel and took him to the club and he played a few local players (me included) and then played a final 'best of 5' match against Dave Martin. I also saw Cliff play at the 'Boilermakers' club in Hartlepool and at the North Ormesby invitation in Middlesbrough. Any match or exhibition where Cliff played was a guaranteed laugh with fantastic snooker including some never to be forgotten screw back shots!! Another professional at that time who always gave 'fun' exhibitions was Jackie Rae.

Oldgit

[Son of Cliff]

No I missed that match. The night I met him was an exhibition that he gave at the old 'Constitutional' club in Hartlepool. I went to collect him at his hotel and took him to the club and he played a few local players (me included) and then played a final 'best of 5' match against Dave Martin. I also saw Cliff play at the 'Boilermakers' club in Hartlepool and at the North Ormesby invitation in Middlesbrough. Any match or exhibition where Cliff played was a guaranteed laugh with fantastic snooker including some never to be forgotten screw back shots!! Another professional at that time who always gave 'fun' exhibitions was Jackie Rae.

Oldgit

Yes I went to many of his exhibitions it was great thats why its so hard for me to watch the snooker on the television all those straight faces
Dave Martin I remember Cliff saying how well this man played did'nt he have a very short back swing, and I met Jacky Rae in Prestatyn ( Pontins ) many moons ago, he was one hell of a laugh on the table and off. Where have all those good all days gone

[Oldgit]

Yes I went to many of his exhibitions it was great thats why its so hard for me to watch the snooker on the television all those straight faces
Dave Martin I remember Cliff saying how well this man played did'nt he have a very short back swing, and I met Jacky Rae in Prestatyn ( Pontins ) many moons ago, he was one hell of a laugh on the table and off. Where have all those good all days gone

Yes, I agree totally. Whenever I went to see exhibitions in the 'good old days' there were real characters and you were nearly always guaranteed not only wonderful snooker but real personalities............

Contrast this with a Eurosport match that I went to see in the early 90s in Northamptonshire with Stephen Hendry playing Ronnie Osullivan. Yes, I saw wonderful snooker (Hendry got a 146 break) but there was zero personality, no interaction at all with the audience and indeed as soon as it became obvious to Osullivan that he had no chance of winning he totally lost interest!! Hendry just sat like a zombie staring directly in front of him.

Yes, the snooker has improved over the years but I miss players like Cliff, Spencer, Reardon, Higgins............

Oldgit

[Son of Cliff]

Yes, I agree totally. Whenever I went to see exhibitions in the 'good old days' there were real characters and you were nearly always guaranteed not only wonderful snooker but real personalities............

Contrast this with a Eurosport match that I went to see in the early 90s in Northamptonshire with Stephen Hendry playing Ronnie Osullivan. Yes, I saw wonderful snooker (Hendry got a 146 break) but there was zero personality, no interaction at all with the audience and indeed as soon as it became obvious to Osullivan that he had no chance of winning he totally lost interest!! Hendry just sat like a zombie staring directly in front of him.

Yes, the snooker has improved over the years but I miss players like Cliff, Spencer, Reardon, Higgins............

Oldgit

I think the characters are still there but the modern game needs more concentration one miss and your out on times, but it is killing the game the women used to love watching the men playing snooker in their dress suits and the interaction with the crowd made for great entertainment, if a happy medium between good match snooker and good old entertainment cannot be found I dont think much for the future of snooker on the television.

[CueAntW147]

I think the characters are still there but the modern game needs more concentration one miss and your out on times, but it is killing the game the women used to love watching the men playing snooker in their dress suits and the interaction with the crowd made for great entertainment, if a happy medium between good match snooker and good old entertainment cannot be found I dont think much for the future of snooker on the television.

Great posting by Son of Cliff & Oldgit i to remember the great banter the players of old used to have, which was great you couldn't beat the buzz of a match that involved the audience more.
We see great snooker today of a very high standard...but somehow it seems dull by comparison, and i do think the players of today are killing it just by showing a lack of personality.
As well as the banter the players of old would throw a few exhibition shots in for the crowd if the frames were won, which i always found entertaining.
Although Jimmy never had/has much banter he always put on a show for the crowd with some amazing screw/side shots etc which got the crowd buzzing i don't think we see much of this now...unless as with most things i'm looking back through rose tinted glasses
I still enjoy the snooker, but also like looking back at old snooker footage not sure we'll see that kind of magic again....

[wildJONESEYE]

the good days are here and now........

although i totally agree there was fun then...the product that is snooker has never been better than it is at the moment......

all sports you name them has changed snooker is no different...gone more profesional and with that came higher standard of play.....

whitch cliff wilson would have loved to be a part of and braught with him the sense of fun he had...................

[archalf1471]

i remember sitting down as part of the whole family watching snooker in the early 80's three generations, and all family members seemed to have a "favourite" that they used to look out for at every tournement..some for Higgins, Davis, Taylor, Thorburn etc, not sure the same applies as much these days.....standard certainly better, but more entertaining all round, not so sure...

[mattyshinobi22]

i think the standard is better now but the entertainment factor isnt there not lke the 80's, reardon srugging his shoulders, higgins taking his hat off, and fred davis laughing all the time.

banter and match snooker worked well together in the 80's, without it, its suffering