World Championships

[bluenose1940]

I've just been watching the interview with Stephen Maguire and spotted something on the winners board behind him. I noticed that there is nothing showing for 1958 to 1966, it goes from 1957 to 1967. Does anyone know why?

[jrc750]

Wiki says 1958–1963: No tournament[clarification needed]

[jrc750]

& '64 to '68 were challenge matches, so it appears WPBSA matches only started in '69 (the modern era)

[DeanH]

this was a period when the Professional Billiards Players' Association had constant disagreements with the controlling body (BACC), and no approve/recognised event happened.
In 1964 Professional Billiards Players' Association held some challenge matches till 1968, sometimes several times in a year before the event as we know it started in 1969 when the Professional Billiards Players' Association became the "World PBSA (WPBSA)" and took control of the professional game.

[Cyril]

In fact, the rift was sort of healed in 1963/64 and the BA&CC ratified those Challenge matches, largely through the efforts of Rex Williams. Horace Lindrum had relinquished the “official” title he’d won in 1952 so Fred was the previous holder (1951). John Pulman had won the last Professional Matchplay Championship in 1957 (the World Championship in all but name), thus it was decided that Fred and John should contest the match for the title. Pulman won this and successfully retained it for a further 6 challenges (2 from Davis, 2 from Williams and one each from Fred van Rensburg and Eddie Charlton).