1952 – 53

Jack must have received a bye in the first round of the Halifax Billiards Championship, as the first report is of his second round win against S. Gornall 498 – 431, which put him in the quarter finals. The draw matched him against Albert Birkby who he had already beaten in the English Amateur Area Final to play in the championship proper. Birkby led by just 42 (300 – 258) after his home leg at Bolton Brow club, but Jack was in great form on his own table as can be seen by the report here. The headline in the report says “Classic display by Mellor ended Birkby’s hopes” as Jack scored his 300, averaging 37.5 per visit, while Birkby could only manage 34 and so won 558 – 334.

The semi final draw saw him against the Queensbury Con. player Herbert Naylor who could only sit and watch as Jack continued his good form. Jack took just 29 minutes to reach the interval score of 250 – 14 with an average of 41.68. In the second half he ran out with 116 unfinished, for a 250 – 46 score line and an overall winning score line of 500 – 60.

The final was against W. J. (Bill) Bolton, who had already won the Halifax snooker championship earlier in the season and was looking for the double – but it was not to be. The final was not spectacular and it took 9 visits to the table before a double figure break was made, but after that it came to life despite not reaching the heights of previous rounds. Jack was crowned Halifax Billiards Champion at his first attempt, winning 500 – 431.

In the Halifax & District Snooker Championship Jack got a bye in the first round and was drawn against H. Bray in the second round who he beat – I do not know the score. This put him into the third round draw of 16, but I do not have any further reports. What I do have is a hand written page of Jack’s that says he was a semi finalist in this competition. Like the very early hand written notes of his breaks, it seems as though his love of the game encourages him to do this and they can be seen in the separate page of “Jack’s Hand Written Records”

In the first round of the Halifax Charity Billiards Competition, Rastrick Cons. were at Elland Lib “A” in the first leg and lead by 112, with all six players winning their games. They repeated the performance in the second leg, but with a 325 start in each leg, Elland only lost by 93 on aggregate. It is seldom seen that a team on scratch will win a competition which gives start to every other team. So this proved true in the second round as they lost to Brighouse C. & B. “B” team when they gave them 400 start in each leg, despite Jack making a record break in the Tournament of 138.

The Halifax Association started their own Inter-District League this season comprising the Calder Valley, Parish League, Brighouse and Institutes. The Brighouse side would play all their home games at Rastrick Cons. and were represented by Jack, Burkinshaw and Jim Broadhead. They would be playing on their own “boards”. Brighouse beat Institutes in the first game then “thrashed” the Parish League in the next match. There are no more reports for this competition but as we can see from this picture on the right, Jack was photographed receiving the magnificent shield on behalf of the Brighouse side, as Captain – they must have beaten all before them. I’m sure this wouldn’t have gone down well with the Halifax faithful. Albert Birkby, the well known Halifax player who represented the Parish League side in the competition, is also seen in the photo as the Halifax league secretary.

The Yorkshire Inter-District League would be divided into two sections again this year but Halifax have dropped out due to lack of enthusiasm. However, with Huddersfield’s plethora of talent, they have entered a “B” team. Section A will be Batley, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield “B”, section B will be Keighley, Morley, Wharfedale and Huddersfield “A”

These are the known results of Huddersfield “A” in the Yorkshire Inter-District League billiard games.

Huddersfield had to beat Keighley in the last match to win the section and qualify for the play off final – though without Jack as he was playing in the English Billiards Championship in London. Willie Mills, who was reserve and had played in two games when Gladney was ill, stepped up again and won his game. Leeds won section A and Huddersfield would meet them in the Championship play off with the first leg being played at Oakes WMC, where Willie Mills will again deputise for the ill Gladney.

Below are the scores from both legs of the play-off final, which show that Huddersfield were behind after the first home leg, by 65. The second leg at West Hunslet Conservative Club saw Willie Mills, who was well beaten at home leg, reduce the arrears to 39. It looked as if he would win comfortably when leading 164 – 80 but his opponent made 94 unanswered points to lead 174 – 164, before Willie ran out with a 36 break. Jack Brindley was in brilliant form and, with a break of 125 in his win, gave Huddersfield a lead of 90 going into the last game. Jack therefore had to score 111 for Huddersfield to win the Championship for the second year in succession. He did this in one visit to the table, as he made a fine break of 122. That was the first time that two players had made century breaks in the same match in the Yorkshire Inter-District League Championship. The trophy and prizes were presented by Leeds United Football Club director Mr. N Woodward.