In 2005, Jamie Cope made snooker's first highest possible 155 break in a witnessed practice frame. [73], In the 201112 season World Snooker introduced a roll-over system for the maximum break prize money, the "rolling 147 prize". [15], Thorburn reached the final of the 1978 Masters with wins over Doug Mountjoy and Spencer, losing 57 to Higgins in the final. The event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/19831983/1984). Canada's Cliff Thorburn makes snooker history by completing the first maximum 147 break at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre. [10] The following year, Cliff Thorburn became the first player to make a maximum at the World Championship in the fourth frame of his second round match against Terry Griffiths. It was here that Steve Davis completed a 147 against John Spencer a year earlier, but went under the radar for many and is barely remembered. This was at the 2012 UK Championship, when Andy Hicks and Jack Lisowski both compiled one each in qualifying and John Higgins compiled one in the televised stages. In 2003 he also compiled two consecutive maximum breaks against Steve Davis in an exhibition match. You are using an out of date browser. Video, 00:07:26Can Everton ever be great again? 9) The first officially recognised maximum 147 break in snooker was made by Joe Davis in 1955. Video, 00:07:26, 'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag. [104][105] Thorburn's record in non-ranking tournament finals is shown below. [15] The only timing methodology World Snooker sanctions in its events is the one employed in shot clock events where timing for a player's shot begins when the balls have come to rest from his opponent's previous shot. Not content with becoming the first world champion outside the United Kingdom in the modern era, the Crucible king of 1980 brought the crowd to their feet - not to mention the millions glued to their TV sets - with another history-making feat in the fourth frame of a match he was leading 2-1. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [74], At the 2016 Welsh Open, Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Barry Pinches 41 in the first round. This did not count as an official maximum, however, as the break was made on a non-templated table used during the event. Therefore, depending on how picky you want to be the title can go to either Joe Davis (First Officially Recognised 147), John Spencer (First Competitive 147)or Steve Davis (First Televised 147). Could the EFL Cup final change Karius' career? The first was Stephen Hendry's in the 1997 Charity Challenge Final against Ronnie O'Sullivan - which remains the only one to clinch a title - and there has been 19 since. Thorburn led 1615, and missed an easy brown ball that let Higgins in to make it 1616. Video, 00:00:58'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini. There is a 500 prize in the Players Tour Championship events from the last 128 onwards. At the time, the professional game used a rule (now standard) whereby after a foul a player could compel the offender to play the next stroke. This however is incorrect on 2 counts. Video, 00:00:26'Can I finish? Steve. Video, 00:09:56, Archive: White's wonderful 147. It uses Two days later he'd be celebrating his fifth Crucible crown. [60] An investigation undertaken by Deadspin in 2017, however, revealed that the time recorded by Guinness is incorrect because the timer was started too early on the BBC footage. However, two rushes of blood to the head have cost Un-Nooh dearly in the 147 stakes. ), who passed away either last year or the year before. The first was by Wally West, who was reported to have made a 151 break in the final of a club competition in Hounslow in 1976. Later that year, he had a 40 win over Pat Houlihan at the 1973 Norwich Union Open before losing 24 to Higgins in the quarter-final. The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/19821983/1984). Why does who owns Manchester United matter? pic.twitter.com/RRRHGHVbVa. [48] Thorburn experienced success in the Scottish Masters, an invitational event which opened the snooker season, in 1985 and 1986. [20] Breaks above 147 are possible when an opponent fouls and leaves a free ball with all 15 reds still remaining on the table. Spencer built a 42 lead at the end of the first session, but Thorburn won four of the next six frames and they finished the second session level at 66. Video, 00:06:57, On this day: 'Rocket' Ronnie O'Sullivan's fastest 147, Archive: O'Sullivan's 'best' maximum. Could the EFL Cup final change Karius' career? On the final black I was feeling so good that all I was focussing on was making sure it didnt touch the edges of the pocket. The BBC still own coverage rights of the World Championship to this day and their dominance meant that a small tournament held in Oldham shown on ITV in 1982 went almost unnoticed. However, when I got backstage a young boy asked for my autograph and I couldnt sign it as my hand was shaking so much.. I believe the gentleman in a pale brown suit greeting Cliff after he finished his run was Bill Werbernik (spelling? Video, 00:00:58, 'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini. Thorburn played his last competitive match on 5 January 2022 against Kuldesh Johal, losing 03. [35] Two maximum breaks were also televised at the 2019 Welsh Open. In years gone by, when 147s happened rarely, there was a bonus of 147,000 on offer at the Crucible. He stated afterwards that the prize money of 10,000 was not worthy of a 147. At the Classic in January 1982, Steve Davis achieved the first recognised maximum in professional competition, which was also the first in a televised match. Thereafter, players who made a maximum would win or share a tournament's highest break prize, although some events still offer a separate bonus for a 147. The Canadian legend then kept ardent snooker fans awake until 2.12am when defeating Kirk Stevens by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals, and then came through another final-frame decider to beat Tony Knowles 16-15 in the semi-finals! http://youtube.com/watch?v=2CSJZ_arJcU&mode=related&search=, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh2NOS9HH-w, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlKn9fDI_eo, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AXE5YqJgaE. I have acknowledged the privacy policy informing me of how my data will be processed, and the measures in place to guarantee the protection of my rights as a data subject, and the relevant points of contacts should I have any question or query. A 149 by Tony Drago in West Norwood, London in 1998 is recorded by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest in this category. This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:03. One of snookers founding fathers, Davis was already a ground-breaking individual in the history of the sport. [70][71] Aged 56, former professional Darren Morgan made a maximum break against Gareth Edwards in an amateur Seniors event in 2023; this possibly makes him the oldest player to achieve a maximum break in competition. I was so quick was because I was really nervous to get it over and done with, said OSullivan. '- press officer interrupts Guardiola. [34], More than one official maximum break has been compiled in the same event on more than twenty occasions. Video, 00:01:00, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! Video, 00:02:59. Video, 00:03:36Burn hopes to end Newcastle trophy drought, Klopp uses driving analogy to explain confidence. April 25, second round v Jack Lisowski (10 mins 15 seconds). The break came during his second-round match against Terry Griffiths in 1983. Mark Williams (2005), Ali Carter (2008), John Higgins (2020) and Neil Robertson (2022) are the only other two players to have managed 147s in the World Championship at the Crucible. Video, 00:02:44How 'listener' Howe has improved Newcastle. At the 2013 UK Championship, Mark Selby fired in the 100th in snooker history in his semi-final win over Ricky Walden. Thorburn deposited the ball and sunk to his knees in celebration. The following are maximum breaks played in frames that won the match. I remember watching Cliff Thorburn make the first televised 147. Spencer took the last frame of the session, leading 2220. [65][66] Judd Trump is known to have made a 147 at the Potters Under-16 Tournament in 2004 at the age of 14 years and 206 days; however, this break is not recognised by Guinness World Records. Guinness World Records recorded the time of the break at 5 minutes and 20 seconds. During his first round match against Mick Price, mercurial genius OSullivan defied common understanding of what could be achieved on a snooker table. Video, 00:01:00, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! It was on April 23, 1983 that the cue ace made the very first 147 maximum break at the World Snooker Championships at The Crucible Theatre - and all of. Video, 00:00:26, 'Can I finish? Kirk Stevens - 1984 Masters 4. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, the governing body for professional snooker, first published official world rankings for players on the main tour for the 197677 season. Video, 00:06:57On this day: 'Rocket' Ronnie O'Sullivan's fastest 147, Archive: O'Sullivan's 'best' maximum. It had been on TV before this, however in 1977 the World Championships from Sheffield were first shown on the small screen. [6] The break was not caught on video as the television-crew were away on a tea-break. Willie Thorne - 1987 UK Championship 5. [52], Thorburn last qualified for the World Championship in 1994,[12] where he faced Nigel Bond in the first round. [11][12] As of March 2022[update], a further 74 maximum breaks have been officially recorded in professional competition. Only one previous televised 147 break had been made in the sport's history before Thorburn - helped by a fluked opening red . [3]:104 He was abandoned by his mother, and after spending about two years in an orphanage during a custody dispute, was raised by his father and his paternal grandmother. John Higgins Makes Maiden Crucible Maximum Break! He compiled the perfect break in the tenth frame of his 10-2 win over Rod Lawler at World Championship qualifying. [26][29] The first official maximum break in professional competition was made by Steve Davis in the 1982 Lada Classic against Spencer. [36] Three official maximums at the same WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) event have been achieved twice. As Canadas Thorburn lined up the final black, commentator Jack Karnehm simply uttered the words Good luck mate. But this tale has a happy ending as the charismatic Thai went on to make 147s at the 2016 Paul Hunter Classic and 2018 English Open, earning a total of 48,500. Classics Snooker 147 #02 | Cliff Thorburn 4,530 views Dec 23, 2020 Classics Snooker 147 #02 | Cliff Thorburn Cliff Thorburn became the first snooker player to compile a maximum. The event was also called the Benson & Hedges Ireland Tournament (1974/19751976/1977). He then cleared up to make the 151. A maximum break (also known as a maximum, a 147, or orally, a one-four-seven) is the highest possible break in a single frame of snooker. He took around eleven minutes. '- press officer interrupts Guardiola. - Ten Hag almost forgets EFL Cup, '22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight' Video, 00:00:57'22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight', Burn hopes to end Newcastle trophy drought. They were already open when I came to the table against Terry Griffiths and I felt pretty good about things. Its 40 years to the day since Steve Davis compiled the first officially recognised maximum break. He spent time with Fred Davis and Rex Williams when they toured Canada in 1970, and afterwards became a resident professional at the House of Champions club in Toronto. [40][41] Three maximum breaks were compiled on 8 February 1998 during the Buckley's Bitter Challenge, an unofficial event, by Matthew Stevens, Ryan Day and Tony Chappel. Video, 00:01:16, Up Next. [17] He retained his Canadian Open title in 1979, taking a 103 lead over Terry Griffiths before winning the match in the deciding frame, at 1716. He'd later bow out in the quarter-finals and subsequently announce his retirement with immediate but there's only one thing his last appearance here will be remembered for. Video, 00:01:24Klopp uses driving analogy to explain confidence, 'Can I finish? Winning his world title was sweet but he will be best remembered for his televised 147 in . Under this convention the break would have been timed at 5 minutes and 15 seconds. He retired from the main professional tour in 1996. [1], Joe Davis compiled the first officially recognised maximum break on 22January 1955, in a match against Willie Smith at Leicester Square Hall, London. Could the EFL Cup final change Karius' career? Of the 176 maximum breaks in professional snooker history, 'only' 12 have occurred on the hallowed baize of the Crucible tables, with just eight different players achieving the feat across four decades. Years later, Ronnie O'Sullivan did it in only five minutes and twenty seconds. Can Everton ever be great again? [4][5], He played pool and lacrosse in his youth,[2] and set a one-game scoring record of ten goals in the Greater Victoria Minor Lacrosse Association "midget division" in 1958. In 1983, Thorburn became the first player to make a maximum break in a World Championship match, achieving the feat in his second-round encounter with Terry Griffiths. Only eight recognised maximums were achieved in professional competition in the 1980s, but 26 occurred in the 1990s, 35 in the 2000s, and 86 in the 2010s. Steve Davis - 1982 Lada Classic 2. O'Sullivan also holds the record for the fastest competitive maximum break at just over five minutes, which he set at the 1997 World Championship. Cliff Thorburn's first ever Crucible maximum break Steve Davis v John Spencer, 1982 Lada Classic quarter-finals Steve Davis scores the first televised 147 in the Lada Classic Jimmy. Your email address will not be published. In 1968 he entered his first tournaments, and won the Toronto City Championship. As maximums go, it was straightforward stuff, the balls apparently well-set from an early stage. Thorburn failed to hit the pink, which gave White the penalty points he needed, and White then potted the pink and black to win the title. From 22 after the first four frames, Davis won four in a row to leave Thorburn behind 26, extending this to 29 at the start of the second session, and 512 at the end of the first day. Un-Nooh is renowned as one of the fastest players on the circuit. [12] In the 197879 snooker season he defeated Tony Meo 1715 in the final to win the 1978 Canadian Open after having trailed 610 at the end of the first day of the final,[16] but lost his opening matches in both the Masters (45 to Perrie Mans) and the World Championship (1013 to John Virgo). Ronnie O'Sullivan became the first person to record a third Crucible maximum in 2008 although at that time nobody else had managed more than one! It was witnessed by 133 people. Ronnie O'Sullivan soared to superstar status in five minutes and eight seconds of breathtaking snooker from the gods at a time when he'd won just two of his record 19 Triple Crown titles. [33] He led Higgins 51 in the semi-final of the 1981 Masters, but lost the match 56. Thorburn became the first Canadian world snooker championship finalist. [23] Writing in The Times, Sydney Friskin described the match to this point as a contrast of styles: "the shrewd cumulative processes of Thorburn against the explosive break-building of Higgins". He then took 14 reds and blacks and a pink off the last red. Cliff Thorburn famously entered the record books by grinding his way to the iconic first World Championship 147 - and second ever in any tournament behind Steve Davis' frame of perfection. [12] He won the opening ranking event in the 198586 snooker calendar, the Matchroom Trophy, where he beat Jimmy White in the final 1210, having trailed 07. Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2014, he competed in Snooker Legends events and on the World Seniors Tour, winning the 2018 Seniors Masters at the Crucible Theatre at age 70. For example, Ronnie O'Sullivan's maximum at the 1997 World Championship earned him 165,000. 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