Snooker Plus
Nottingham Evening News, Thursday 22 October 1959
Davis Gives Snooker a Shot in the Arm.
JOE DAVIS, who has transformed snooker from the poor relation of billiards it once was to the top of indoor sports, has now come along with a new idea be calls “Snooker Plus,” which, he believes, will give the game another “shot in the arm”.
To the familiar colour scheme Joe has added orange and purple balls, the first with a value of eight points and the second with 10 points. The orange is placed between the pink and blue, and the purple between the blue and brown.
Joe says that he has been thinking along these lines for some time.
“Snooker, like all sports, should be reviewed from time to time, and if possible improved. I believe my new scheme will do just that” he says.
With only minor alterations the rules remain the same. The biggest change is the maximum break, increased from 147— which Joe has made—to 210.
But he does not think anyone will ever achieve this because the position of the purple in relation to the pyramid of reds would make it nearly impossible. Joe’s highest break in practice at home is 172. The first tournament to introduce the new game will be at Burroughes Hall, London, later this month when Joe, his brother Fred, and John Pulman will play a series of two-day 25-frame matches. Later they plan to visit towns throughout the country.