Ray Reardon has passed away, aged 91. Used to love watching Pot Black when I was a kid, and he was one of the regulars. He was one of the star players in the 70's, won the world title 6 times. RIP Mr. Reardon, another part of my youth gone.
Watched a piece about him on the news today. Never knew he turned pro because he got injured down the pit and couldn't work there any more. Talk about fate! RIP Ray.
So sad, it was only last night that I posted Pot Black on the childhood programmes thread. I'll post it again here because it has a great piece by Ted Lowe - including why he whispered
Very sad. Snooker back in its hey day was so enjoyable to watch on tv. He was one of those early characters. RIP Ray.
I think he just understood how privileged he was to have had the career he did. No sense of entitlement, just as you say a proper gent.
Top bloke. The first cue I bought was one with his name on it. Used to play at the 147 Club each Wednesday night. My top break was 28 RIP Ray
Reardon was the first player to be ranked "world number one" when world rankings were introduced during the 1976–77 season, a position that he held for the next five years. He regained the top-ranking position in 1982, after which his form declined and he dropped out of the elite top-16 ranked players after the 1986–87 season. He remained one of snooker's top players into his 50s, setting several records. In 1978, Reardon became the oldest world snooker champion, aged 45 years and 203 days, a record that lasted until 2022 when Ronnie O'Sullivan won the title, aged 46 years and 148 days. Reardon also became the oldest player to win a ranking event, which he accomplished in 1982, aged 50 years and 14 days. He never achieved a maximum break in tournament play, his highest break in competition being 146, and he retired from professional competition in 1991. Reardon mentored O'Sullivan in preparation for his 2004 World Championship campaign, helping him to lift his second world title. Before turning professional in 1978, Steve Davis was inspired to emulate certain aspects of Reardon's playing style that he felt would improve his own game. Reardon's dark widow's peak and prominent eye teeth earned him the nickname "Dracula". He was the president of Churston golf club in Devon, where he was a member for over 40 years. Reardon was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1985. Reardon was born on 8th October, 1932, in the coal mining community of Tredegar in Monmouthshire, Wales. When eight years old he was introduced to a version of snooker by his uncle, and at ten he was practising cue sports twice-weekly at Tredegar Workmen's Institute as well as on a scaled-down billiard table at home. He primarily played English billiards rather than snooker, which, according to authors Luke Williams and Paul Gadsby, helped to improve his control of the cue ball and his potting. At the age of 14, following in the footsteps of his father, Reardon turned down a place at a grammar school to become a miner at Ty Trist Colliery. He wore white gloves while mining, to protect his hands for snooker. In March 1959, Reardon married Sue, a pottery painter. After a rockfall in which he was buried for three hours, and with Sue's encouragement, he quit mining and became a police officer in 1960 when his family moved to Stoke-on-Trent.
