Info needed on Jim Thorpe

[spike]

Does anyone know if ex referee Jim Thorpe is still alive, and if so does he still have any involvement in the game whatsoever?
I have had (a good look) on the net but there seems to be little information on him.

I'm assuming if Jim Thorpe is still alive, that he more than likely would be in his 70s now.

Some of you may remember him when he refereed the 1984 World final.

[Souwester]

Didn't he get sent home after some controversy at one World Championships? Never to be seen on tv again.

[spike]

Didn't he get sent home after some controversy at one World Championships? Never to be seen on tv again.

Not sure about that to be honest..

[bongo]

According to the latest Snooker Scene, Jim Thorpe died recently at the age of 77.

[spike]

According to the latest Snooker Scene, Jim Thorpe died recently at the age of 77.

Still awaiting my Snooker Scene, but thanks bongo..

[bongo]

Mine arrived yesterday, so if it gets sent to you directly then it may arrive today.

[The Statman]

Didn't he get sent home after some controversy at one World Championships? Never to be seen on tv again.

He did have some controversy but I'm pretty sure it didn't spell the end of his tv career. I will check up but I think it was before 1984 which, of course, was the final he refereed.

Am I right in thinking too that he refereed Steve Davis's 147?

Off the top of my head I don't recall what the controversy was all about but I know it featured prominently in the Snooker Scene issue at the time, so I'll have a look when I get home.

[Cyril]

My Snooker Scene also arrived yesterday. Yes, Jim Thorpe did ref the Steve Davis 147. He was also involved in a couple of controversial "push shot" calls on Alex Higgins. First against Fred Davis in the 1974 World Championship quarter-final in Manchester and later in the Wilson Classic Final in 1980, when he played John Spencer. Interestingly, Higgins went on to lose both these matches, though in the case of the latter, the push shot call cannot be said to have had a bearing on the outcome.

[jaybee136]

I think it was a push shot called on Denis Taylor that was his last controversial decision, but IMO he was a very good referee.

[wildJONESEYE]

I think it was a push shot called on Denis Taylor that was his last controversial decision, but IMO he was a very good referee.

good ref until it came to push shots and he went to pot it seems

[webfax]

My memory of the famous push shot incident is that it was called against Dennis Taylor, in the 1981 World Championship against Kirk Stevens I think, Thorpe turned up to do the last session only to be told by John Williams that he was replacing him on the instructions of Mike Watterson, the promoter. I'm sure Thorpe went on to referee at top level well after that.

[Cyril]

My Snooker Scene also arrived yesterday. Yes, Jim Thorpe did ref the Steve Davis 147. He was also involved in a couple of controversial "push shot" calls on Alex Higgins. First against Fred Davis in the 1974 World Championship quarter-final in Manchester and later in the Wilson Classic Final in 1980, when he played John Spencer. Interestingly, Higgins went on to lose both these matches, though in the case of the latter, the push shot call cannot be said to have had a bearing on the outcome.

Here is the Higgins v Spencer game on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32KaNvdK_wg

[spike]

My memory of the famous push shot incident is that it was called against Dennis Taylor, in the 1981 World Championship against Kirk Stevens I think, Thorpe turned up to do the last session only to be told by John Williams that he was replacing him on the instructions of Mike Watterson, the promoter. I'm sure Thorpe went on to referee at top level well after that.

I'm sure i have that match somewhere within my collection. I will dig it out when I get the time and take a look.


Does anyone have a copy of Snooker Scene from June 1981 as i seem to be missing it from my collection? There's a good chance there may have been some mention of the push shot in question.

[screw-back]

I think that Jim Thorpe was the Referee who was involved in the Patsy Fagan incident where the latter stopped the cue ball entering the pocket and sent it back into baulk and, in the process, moved a few balls.

Wasn't there a link here a month or two ago?

[spike]

I think that Jim Thorpe was the Referee who was involved in the Patsy Fagan incident where the latter stopped the cue ball entering the pocket and sent it back into baulk and, in the process, moved a few balls.

Wasn't there a link here a month or two ago?

Yes he did indeed referee the Taylor/Fagan match, and yes there was a link put on the forum regarding that incident with Fagan. It's still on youtube the last time I looked.