Last year Jack continued to pursue his hobby, entering as many competitions as the previous years – or so we think. The lack of reports for the Halifax Charity and Blind competitions might suggest that Rastrick didn’t enter them due to the handicapping system, but we don’t really know. Personally, Jack won 2 individual trophies and was runner up in another, with 1 team competition win. His qualification for the All England Amateur Billiards Finals meant that he continued to be successful. Would this year hold as many challenges as the past four years has done? Read on…
Well the Halifax locals (or should I call them “Yokels”) got their way, as they introduced a residential qualification to play in their competitions. They benefitted by having top players in their games, which should have helped generate a higher standard though it soon became apparent that they didn’t want that. They, all too often, were quick to call them “Huddersfield Stars” who “assisted” Rastrick – but soon adopted them when they entered into the England Amateur Area Finals and Yorkshire Championship as Halifax players. As was mentioned in a report, they increased attendance at matches which in turn generated more income for needy causes when they passed round the hat at all games. Well, as the saying goes, it is their loss not ours. Jack, Harold, Jim and last but not least the young Brian Cousen can concentrate on playing in front of spectators who appreciate good players, no matter where they come from. I never heard my father brag about all the trophies he won; he played for the love of the game and wanted to provide entertainment for those that watched – which he did in abundance.
The newspaper reports that Jack had decided not to enter the English Amateur Billiards Championship this year – why, I don’t know. Harold Burkinshaw won through to the finals proper to keep the name of Huddersfield in the spotlight. He was drawn against the holder, Frank Edwards, and was easily beaten, though he created a good impression and would no doubt be trying to reach the finals proper again next year.
Of the 24 entries for the Yorkshire Billiards Championship, 7 were from Huddersfield and Jack will meet one of them – Wilson Radley of Skelmanthorpe Liberal Club. We only know that Jack was leading after the first leg, 400 – 129, and made a break of exactly 100. We have no score for the return leg.
With such a lead you would expect Jack to win, which he must have done as he now travels to Otley to meet the Wharfedale Association player George Emmott. After the first leg played at Otley Jack was in arrears by 82 despite leading by 100 at one point in the match. Emmott improved, however, and with an unfinished break of 95, he overhauled Jack. We do not have the score from Jack’s home leg but he didn’t win unfortunately. Emmott went on to win his semi-final against the holder W. Heath of Doncaster and will play Harold Burkinshaw in the final – Harold’s first appearance in the final. Harold easily beat Albert Birkby of Halifax in his semi-final by 600 – 278, which would have been a very sweet win given what the Halifax League did to him and Jack. Unfortunately, Harold was not at his best and was unable to bring the trophy back to Huddersfield as he lost in the final to Emmott by 1000 – 663.
I can’t remember reading about Jack ever entering the Yorkshire Snooker Championship before, but he did this year. Perhaps he feels he had more time due to not playing in the Halifax League and all the competitions they ran. There are 50 entries for this competition with 6 from Huddersfield, and Jack is at home in the first leg to J. Wood of Bradford. We do not have any scores of the match and don’t even know if he won, but Jack and Wood are not included in the draw for the quarter finals.
Jack’s opponent in the Huddersfield Billiards Championship is Wilson Radley of Skelmanthorpe, who he beat in the Yorkshire Championship and ended with a comfortable lead after the first leg. He went on to win that match which was the only one I have reports of, as the next report says he is in the semi-final against Jack Firth. Again, no reports, but Jack wins to reach his third final in three years against last years runner up, Willie Mills. The last time this happened was back in 1941 & 1942 when Victor Muff beat Harry Brook on both occasions.
Jack was trying to win the title three years in succession, a feat that only the great Victor Muff had managed. It didn’t start well for him as Mills had a break of 53 to lead 110 – 42, but he took the lead at 119 – 115 and never lost it for the duration of the match. Jack played his best billiards of the night with consecutive breaks of 57 and 70 to lead at the interval 301 – 212. They exchanged breaks for the next nine visits to the table as Mills made 36, 29, 27, 23 and 22; Jack replied with 45, 39, 27, 23 and 20. The score at this point was 448 – 354 and Jack extended this to 490 – 389, but Mills kept on trying and reduced the margin to 548 – 483. A 22 by Jack carried him nearer his target and Mills last chance went in a break of 33 when he failed at a difficult in-off white in the middle pocket. Jack thus emulated Victor Muff with a hattrick of victories in successive years with a 600 – 533 win, and Mills had a little satisfaction of losing by only 67.
Huddersfield Town had won the division one title three years in succession back in the 1920’s, so how fitting that their manager, Bill Shankly, would present Jack with his trophy that year. The final was part of the sixth Huddersfield Billiards Week when Joe Davis kicked things off by playing exhibition games against young Huddersfield hopefuls. At billiards he plays David Hollinson of D.B. Tractors and at snooker it is Les Howbridge of Lepton Liberal, Ken Bottomley of Lockwood Conservative and Peter Fisher of Paddock C & B.C. A day that these young men will surely remember for the rest of their lives
In the Huddersfield Snooker Championship Jack had to fight hard to beat D. Booth of Crosland Moor Liberal Club, says the report. His next opponent is J. Boyle of Oakes WMC and after the first leg he was behind by 2 frames to 1, but he went on to win and reach the semi-final where he would play Clifford Percival. We have no report of the match but Jack lost – which is no surprise as his snooker game isn’t as good as it was in his early days of playing. Clifford is known more for his snooker play, has won the title 5 times and is a regular in the Huddersfield side that plays in the Yorkshire league.
Jack Mellor 