Alex Higgins... at first attempt

[Theodor Cepraga]

Is true that Alex Higgins is the only player to win the World Championship at his first attempt? in 1972.
Didn't he played earlier?

[Nugget]

It was his first attempt, but I think Terry Griffiths also won on his first attempt in 1979.

[Theodor Cepraga]

You may be right. A lot of people are saying that only Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy won the World Championship coming from the qualifiers. But I think Terry's performance is more important becase it was at his first attemp.

[missneworleans]

However Shaun made it in modern era

[Cyril]

Alex played 2 qualifying rounds in 1972, both against very well known English Amateurs who, like Higgins, had recently turned pro. He beat Ron Gross 15-6 and then Maurice Parkin 11-3. Interesting point here is that, looking at the other results these rounds were clearly best of 21 frames but against Gross they must have played out the "dead" frames for the benefit of the spectators. Higgins could therefore have achieved a winning lead of anything from 11-0 to 11-6. I will investigate !

[mick farrell]

Is true that Alex Higgins is the only player to win the World Championship at his first attempt? in 1972.
Didn't he played earlier?

Joe Davis 1927 (first World Championship), John Spencer 1969, Alex Higgins 1972 & Terry Griffiths 1979 all won the World Championship at their first attempt.

[Nugget]

I took Joe Davis as a given, for some reason I didn't know it was Spencer's first attempt? Interesting.

[dantuck_7]

Cyril; full of snooker info as usual!!

What about Dotts effort then. He made it to the final as a qualifier. Has anyone else done this in recent years (excluding Smurph)??

[Cyril]

What about Dotts effort then. He made it to the final as a qualifier. Has anyone else done this in recent years (excluding Smurph)??

No. lol

Perrie Mans was probably the last I'd say (1978) but only the top 8 were seeded through then, weren't they? He certainly played a qualifying round that year, beat John Barrie 9-6.

John Barrie was the 1950 UK Professional Billiards Champion and came from Wisbech. He and his wife ran the White Lion Hotel there.

[roykay]

Can someone tell me the dates of the so called "modern era" I would have thought SNOOKER as a whole is in the modern era !!
Roy Bacon

[Cyril]

Can someone tell me the dates of the so called "modern era" I would have thought SNOOKER as a whole is in the modern era !!
Roy Bacon

Good question Roy! Often they refer to it as the "Crucible era" (from 1977); others will class it as from 1969, when the Championship returned to a knock-out format, and, Pot Black started.

I think it's because they don't like to give credit to the "mega" multiple world titles won by Joe and Fred Davis and John Pulman.

I'll go with you though, all snooker is in the last 100 years really so that's "modern" enough for me. Haha

[hegeland]

You could say the pre-modern era began around 1980 with players like Thorburn, Davis, Griffths, White, Knowles etc. And then the modern era in the early 90's with players like Hendry and Parrott, and a little later Higgins, O'Sullivan, Doherty, Ebdon etc. Now we're in the early post-modern era, with only O'Sullivan and Higgins (Williams?) still capable of competing for titles.

[roykay]

I think you have missed my point Hegeland.
Regards Roy

[hegeland]

Well there is no real definition of the 'modern era'. So I wrote down what I personally consider to be three eras in the modern game.

And even added a to make sure no one took it too seriously. Obviously that didn't help! lol

[PaddyLowson]

Selby in 2007?