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Ssb - the grand prix: 25 years not out
The Grand Prix for many has always marked the true start of the season.
Even when ITV used to show a tournament in September, the first BBC event of the campaign was regarded as that extra bit more special.
It certainly used to be when Rothmans were the sponsors and it was held at the Hexagon in Reading.
When they pulled out, it did lose a bit of prestige and this was exacerbated by moving the event around the country. The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow is it's eighth venue since it left Reading (there will not be a prize for all those who can name the other seven).
For all this, the Grand Prix is the second longest running ranking event. (Before you call me every name under the sun, yes the UK Championship began in 1977 but it did not carry ranking points until 1984, a couple of months after Dennis Taylor won the first Grand Prix.)
The tournament has been responsible for a number of memorable moments - Stephen Hendry winning at 18, Rex Williams in the final at 53, Steve Davis whitewashing Dean Reynolds in the final, Chris Small capturing the title (when it was the LG Cup) against all odds and John Higgins making four successive centuries and amassing 494 points without reply against Ronnie O'Sullivan.
My personal highlight came at Preston Guild Hall six or seven years ago. As anyone who has been to the venue will know, you enter through a shopping centre and up some escalators where autograph hunters tend to hang out.
One day, I made my way towards the lift and realised that said autograph hunters were sizing me up, deciding if I was a player or not.
After a moment or two of deliberation one of them turned to his mate and said, 'nah, don't bother with him, he's a nobody.'
Written off in Preston. The poignancy of it all was almost too much to bear.
One year the Harold Shipman trial was taking place in the court over the road and we journalists, faced with some dirge dragging on into the early hours, speculated that the not so good doctor may be sentenced to spending a day at the snooker.
When the Grand Prix moved to Aberdeen, the crazy decision was taken to make it a round robin event. The format confused everyone, not least the players. Mark King booked a flight home believing he was out but discovered he was still in and went on to reach the semi-finals.
Thankfully, this was scrapped last year in favour of a random draw, which has added some spice to proceedings.
All the predictions of the big names crashing out early proved to be without substance: three of the four semi-finalists were ranked in the top eight.
Crowds were good at the SECC last year and will hopefully be strong again across the city for this season's staging.
Scotland has long been a snooker nation, even in the days when it didn't have any top players. Now, it has several and is hosting one of the green baize game's longest running events.
The Grand Prix has never been regarded in the same way as the big three - the world, UK and Masters - but has played its own part in the snooker story and, 25 years since it was first held, is still a much sought after prize.
More...
Even when ITV used to show a tournament in September, the first BBC event of the campaign was regarded as that extra bit more special.
It certainly used to be when Rothmans were the sponsors and it was held at the Hexagon in Reading.
When they pulled out, it did lose a bit of prestige and this was exacerbated by moving the event around the country. The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow is it's eighth venue since it left Reading (there will not be a prize for all those who can name the other seven).
For all this, the Grand Prix is the second longest running ranking event. (Before you call me every name under the sun, yes the UK Championship began in 1977 but it did not carry ranking points until 1984, a couple of months after Dennis Taylor won the first Grand Prix.)
The tournament has been responsible for a number of memorable moments - Stephen Hendry winning at 18, Rex Williams in the final at 53, Steve Davis whitewashing Dean Reynolds in the final, Chris Small capturing the title (when it was the LG Cup) against all odds and John Higgins making four successive centuries and amassing 494 points without reply against Ronnie O'Sullivan.
My personal highlight came at Preston Guild Hall six or seven years ago. As anyone who has been to the venue will know, you enter through a shopping centre and up some escalators where autograph hunters tend to hang out.
One day, I made my way towards the lift and realised that said autograph hunters were sizing me up, deciding if I was a player or not.
After a moment or two of deliberation one of them turned to his mate and said, 'nah, don't bother with him, he's a nobody.'
Written off in Preston. The poignancy of it all was almost too much to bear.
One year the Harold Shipman trial was taking place in the court over the road and we journalists, faced with some dirge dragging on into the early hours, speculated that the not so good doctor may be sentenced to spending a day at the snooker.
When the Grand Prix moved to Aberdeen, the crazy decision was taken to make it a round robin event. The format confused everyone, not least the players. Mark King booked a flight home believing he was out but discovered he was still in and went on to reach the semi-finals.
Thankfully, this was scrapped last year in favour of a random draw, which has added some spice to proceedings.
All the predictions of the big names crashing out early proved to be without substance: three of the four semi-finalists were ranked in the top eight.
Crowds were good at the SECC last year and will hopefully be strong again across the city for this season's staging.
Scotland has long been a snooker nation, even in the days when it didn't have any top players. Now, it has several and is hosting one of the green baize game's longest running events.
The Grand Prix has never been regarded in the same way as the big three - the world, UK and Masters - but has played its own part in the snooker story and, 25 years since it was first held, is still a much sought after prize.
More...
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