Odd Stuff

Here are some odd snooker stories that I have gathered through the years. If you know any other weird stories, please let me know.

Overconfident

(Martin Bell)

A snooker player from Londonderry called Donal McVeigh was playing a snooker match against a top English player.

McVeigh got a free ball before any reds were potted. He potted a colour as his first red, then brown as his colour. He then potted all reds with blacks. He then potted the colours from yellow to pink, and left the cue ball about 15 cm from the black, in perfect line to the pocket. He was so confident of the pot that he closed his eyes for the shot, and rattled the black in the jaws !

The break would have been 152 if the final black had been potted!

McVeigh never actually turned pro, but won a lot of money from Joe Davis when they played for the unofficial world title.

Turtle-Play

Robby Foldvari is truly the slowest player on the circuit! During one match in the last qualifying round of the 1992 European Open, his opponent was awarded a frame because the referee (John Williams) meant he was playing too slow! (He still went one to win the match 5-3)

He Got a Break

Cliff Thorburn started his World Championship 147 break by fluking a red ball!

Slow Starter...

Stephen Hendry, the world no 1, lost three out of his first four matches as a professional!

Why Me?

If there was a title called Most Unlucky Player, Doug Mountjoy would surely be a candidate. In the fourth round of the 1992 Dubai Open, he was 4-2 up against Mick Price. (5 frames needed to win) In the seventh frame he was 33 points up with only the colours remaining. He had an easy yellow on to the middle, but missed the pot because he tried to force it to get to the green. Instead the yellow ball hit the blue, which went into the opposite middle pocket. And not only that! Price got a free ball and won the frame on his next visit to the table. He then went on to win the match!

No Laughing Matter

Eddie Charlton once played a frame where his opponent made a break of 139 to take the New Zealand record. After doing this, he then said to the crowd "Now watch this frame where Eddie will make 140". Everyone laughed, including Eddie, who then went over to the table, sunk a red of the break then cleaned up for a break of 140.