1969 World Snooker Championship

The 1969 World Snooker Championship (also known as the Player's No.6 World Snooker Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the first snooker championship in a knock-out format since 1957, following years of challenge matches. The final was held at the Victoria Halls in London, England,[1][2] from 17 to 22 March 1969.[3]

Player's No.6 World Snooker Championship

Tournament information
Dates	18 November 1968–22 March 1969
Final venue	Victoria Halls
Final city	London
Country	England
Organisation(s)	WPBSA
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£3,500
Winner's share	£1,300[1]
Highest break	John Spencer (110)
Final
Champion	John Spencer
Runner-up	Gary Owen
Score	37–24
← 1968 1970 →

John Spencer won in the final 37–24 against Gary Owen.

Tournament summary

• The first match, played from 18 to 22 November 1968 at the Wryton Stadium in Bolton, saw the end of John Pulman's reign as champion, at the hands of John Spencer. Spencer led 24–18 after the final afternoon session and clinched the match by winning the first frame in the evening with a "magnificent 97 break".[4][5]
• Two other quarter-final matches started on 25 November. The match between Rex Williams and Bernard Bennett was played in Southampton, while Gary Owen played Jackie Rea in Stratford-upon-Avon. The fourth quarter-final, between Fred Davis and Ray Reardon, was not played until January 1969 because Reardon was touring South Africa.[6][7] The match was played in Stoke-on-Trent, Davis winning in the deciding frame after a break of 52.[8]
• Two new professionals made the semi-final, Spencer and Owen, and both won their matches. Spencer beat Williams 37–12, in a match played in Bolton, while Owen beat Davis 37–24, in a match played in Stoke-on-Trent the following week.[9][10][2]
• John Spencer won the first of his three world titles by defeating Gary Owen 37–24 in the 73-frame final at the Victoria Halls in London.[1][11] Spencer led Owen 36–24 after 5 days[12] and won the first frame on the final day to win the championship. The remaining 12 dead frames were played with Spencer finishing with a 46–27 lead.[13] With this he became the first player to win the World Championship at his first attempt since Joe Davis won the inaugural championship in 1927.[14]
• It was also sponsored for the first time by a cigarette company, Player's No.6 being the featured brand.[1]

Main draw

Sources:[2][15]

	Quarter-finals Best of 49 frames				Semi-finals Best of 73 frames				Final Best of 73 frames
	John Pulman	18
	John Spencer	25
					John Spencer	37
					Rex Williams	12
	Rex Williams	25
	Bernard Bennett	4
									John Spencer	37
									Gary Owen	24
	Gary Owen	25
	Jackie Rea	17
					Gary Owen	37
					Fred Davis	24
	Fred Davis	25
	Ray Reardon	24

Final

Final: Best of 73 frames. Referee: unknown Victoria Halls, London, 17–22 March 1969.
John Spencer  England	46–27	Gary Owen  Wales
Day 1: 81(60)–35, 35–72, 17–76, 64–43, 94(53)–20, 75–73, 55–25, 76–25, 23–96(80), 40–82(52), 27–87(70), 50–62 Day 2: 91(58)–27, 27–69, 64–33, 68–54, 71–43, 76–21, 85–8, 33–62, 69–41, 95(59)–40, 112(62)–15, 21–95(61) Day 3: 40–69, 37–64, 79–41, 11–76, 60–24, 18–78, 42–54, 122(56)–11, 87–22, 82(55)–9, 50–72, 62–47 Day 4: 47–57, 76–26, 44–56, 62(60)–24, 7–64, 44–55, 75–34, 54–39, 57–46, 12–82(57), 54–67(47), 92–31 Day 5: 98(77)–1, 67–48, 71–26, 43–67, 38–84, 80(73)–8, 77–1, 68–55, 62–52, 69–23, 9–88(50), 73–29 Day 6: 78–35, 101–21, 89–44, 70–41, 73–64, 19–108(100), 62–51, 51–63, 90–32, 104–17, 58–85, 64–53, 94–34
77	Highest break	100
0	Century breaks	1
10	50+ breaks	7
"Dead" frames were played, Spencer had won the match 37–24.

References

1. Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
2. "World Championship 1969". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
3. "On this Week: Irish hat-trick success". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
4. "Spencer beats Pulman". The Times. 23 November 1968. p. 5.
5. Baxter, Trevor (26 January 1999). "Obituary: John Pulman". London: The Independent. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
6. Everton, Clive (17 November 1968). "Old Pros Face the New Men". The Observer. p. 18.
7. "The days when billiards was king". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 January 1969. p. 9. Retrieved 29 April 2020 – via Trove.
8. "Snooker win in last frame". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 January 1969. p. 24.
9. "Spencer in Final". The Guardian. 17 February 1969. p. 16.
10. "Owen Wins". The Guardian. 24 February 1969. p. 20.
11. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: Irish hat-trick success". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
12. "Snooker". The Times. 22 March 1969. p. 6.
13. "Snooker". The Times. 24 March 1969. p. 12.
14. Everton, Clive (1982). Guinness Book of Snooker (Rev. ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 89. ISBN 0-85112-256-6.
15. "Embassy World Championship". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2012.