Spot or plain?
The Billiard Player. January, 1921 A marker noticed during a game that the two gentlemen at the table were bald, except that one had a…
The 1920s were a challenging period for snooker, which rapidly gained popularity in billiard clubs. The rules were gradually unified, and numerous commercial and amateur tournaments were held. However, the BA&CC adamantly refused to recognize snooker as a professional sport, viewing it as mere additional entertainment. Tom Dennis’s attempts to persuade bureaucrats to hold the World Cup were unsuccessful. Only Joe Davis, due to his charisma and the fact that he held the championship at his own expense, was able to break through the wall of bureaucracy. However, the couple of dozen spectators who attended the first World Snooker Championship final could not compare with the hundreds and thousands of fans who bought tickets for commercial matches. Nevertheless, the first step had been taken: snooker was declared a professional sport.