For the fifth consecutive year, the final was contested by Fred Davis and Walter Donaldson. Davis won his third World title by defeating Donaldson 58–39 in the final.[1] Donaldson made the highest break of the tournament with 106 in frame 32 of his semi-final match against Horace Lindrum.[2][3]
After defeating the then 42-year-old Sidney Smith — runner-up in the 1938 and 1939 championships — in the quarter-finals, the 15-year younger John Pulman reached the semi-finals, where he played against the eventual winner Fred Davis, before he retired and gave Davis an early bye into the final.
Background
The World Snooker Championship is a professional tournament and the official world championship of the game of snooker.[4] The sport was developed in the late 19th century by British Army soldiers stationed in India.[5] Professional English billiards player and billiard hall manager Joe Davis noticed the increasing popularity of snooker compared to billiards in the 1920s, and with Birmingham-based billiards equipment manager Bill Camkin, persuaded the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC) to recognise an official professional snooker championship in the 1926–27 season.[6] In 1927, the final of the first professional snooker championship was held at Camkin's Hall; Davis won the tournament by beating Tom Dennis in the final.[7] The annual competition was not titled the World Championship until the 1935 tournament,[8][9] but the 1927 tournament is now referred to as the first World Snooker Championship.[10][11] Davis had also won the title every year from 1928 to 1940, after which the tournament was not held again until 1946 due to World War II.[12]Walter Donaldson was the defending champion, having defeated Fred Davis 51–46 in the 1950 final.[1]
Schedule
Schedule of matches for the 1951 World Snooker Championship
Horace Lindrum established a 9-3 lead against Albert Brown on the first day of their match.[17] He extended hs lead to 18-6 on day two.[17] Brown took five of the six frames in the first session on day three, and Lindrum took the following session by that same margin, to lead 24-12.[17] By winning nine of the 12 frames on day four, Lindrum needed only a further four frames, and confirmed his progress to the semi-finals at 36-15.[17] The final score after dead frames was 43-28.[17] Lindrum's highest break of the match was 91; Brown's was 89.[17]
Fred Davis led John Barrie 12-6 but Barrie won the next two sessions 5-1 to narrow his deficit to two frames at 14-16.[17] Davis went on to win 36-28; after dead frames, the score was 42-29.[17] Davis's highest break of the match was 77; Barrie's was 73.[17]
Semi-finals
Pulman withdrew due to influenza when trailing 14–22 against Fred Davis.[18]
Donaldson secured a winning margin at 36-25 against Horace Lindrum.[19] The final score was 41-30.[20]
Final
Walter Donaldson and Fred Davis played the final in Blackpool, over 97 frames, in front of record crowds for a World Snooker Championship match. From 6–6, Davis moved into a 12–6 lead, reaching a winning margin at 49–36 before the match concluded 58–39.[16][21][22] Davis was presented with the championship trophy by BACC chairman John Bissett.[23]
John Barrie met Sydney Lee at Burroughes Hall in London from 6 to 8 November. Barrie led 7–5 after the first day [27] and 15–9 after two days. He made a break of 101 on the second evening.[28] He eventually won 23–12.[29] Barrie then met Dickie Laws on the following three days also at Burroughes Hall. Barrie took an 8–4 lead,[30] increased to a winning 18–6 lead after two days.[31] The final score was 27–8.[32]
^"Snooker championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 11 May 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Rose Villa Publications. p. 1. ISBN978-0-9548549-0-4.
