Player Profile |
John Pulman |
Born: |
12 December 1923. Teignmouth, Devon, England |
Died: |
25 December 1998 |
Professional Career: |
1946 - 1982 |
Highest Break: |
not recorded |
Highest Ranking |
7th (1977/78) |
Born in Devon in 1923,
tall, bespectacled John Pulman became the youngest English amateur champion, up
to then, when he won the title in 1946 following which he turned professional.
John was at his best during snooker’s years of decline in the late 1950s and
early 1960s and so was never able to fully capitalise on his ability.
Nevertheless he was one of the greats of that post war era.
He entered the world championship for the first time in 1947
but lost in the qualifying round, coincidentally to Albert Brown whom he had
beaten to win the English amateur title the previous year. There was no real
success in the next few years with his best being semi-final appearances
in1949, 1951 and in the 1953 and 1954 Professional Match-Play Championship,
which had temporarily replaced the world championship. He lost to Fred Davis in
the 1955 and 1956 final and eventually won the event in 1957. There were no
championships for the next few years but when the World title was revived on
1964 it was on a challenge basis. Between 1964 and 1968, Pulman successfully
defended his title seven times before it reverted to knock-out format in 1969.
By this time some good young players were arriving on the
scene and John struggled to stay with them. He did reach the final in 1970 only
to lose to Ray Reardon. His last appearance at the Crucible was in 1980 when he
lost in the first round.
He retired in 1982 following an accident but continued to be
involved in the game as a TV commentator. John always had a ready wit. Once
when being introduced to an audience, the MC said “He wasn’t world champion for
eleven years for nothing”. “Next to nothing”, retorted John, referring to the
lack of money around when he was at his best.
John died on Christmas Day 1998 after breaking
his hip falling down stairs. He was one of the first eight players to be inducted into the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2011.
Career Highlights
World Professional Snooker Champion |
1964 - 1968 (8 times) |
World Professional Snooker Championship Runner up |
1970 |
Professional Matchplay Champion* |
1957. |
Professional Matchplay Championship runner-up* |
1955, 1956 |
News Of The World Tournament champion |
1954, 1957 |
News Of The World Tournament runner up |
1971 |
Norwich Union Open runner up |
1973 |
Canadian Open runner up |
1975 |
English Amatuer Champion |
1946 |
(* Between 1952 & 1957 the official world championship
was not contested but the World Professional Match-Play Championship, held
during those years following a dispute with the governing body, is generally
regarded as the world championship by most followers of the game)
© Chris Turner 2009
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