Not many reports for this season either. The first report comes from well into the season in March, and mentions the final of the Open Billiards League between Holme Institute and Netherton Con, which was played at Newsome WMC. In the English Amateur Snooker Championship, John Spencer had reached the final for the third year running and was to play the final at the Huddersfield Town Hall on 15th and 16th April. John turned professional the following year and won his first of three World Championships in 1969.
With the other two reports being of the Huddersfield Billiards Championship, I will let you read them directly rather than transcribing them.
We had a report that Gladney Hoyle is again playing for Huddersfield in the Yorkshire Inter-District League against Wharfedale. In the match Brian Cousen played first and beat K. Hutchinson 200 – 168, running out with an unfinished break of 50. Jack was on second and made a break of 49 with his first visit to the table against an old rival, E. Enoch. He was on fine form and with further breaks of 52 and 61 unfinished, won easily 200 – 27.
Gladney played last against Burnham and showed what a tremendous player he was, with a break of 157 to win 200 – 37. It had been some time since a break of this standard had been made in the Yorkshire League, and all present expressed the opinion that it was billiards at its best. A 600 – 248 win has put Huddersfield in the running for the league title, last won in 1959. With no other reports we do not know why Gladney was playing, as he had retired from the team back in 1959. As I said, we do not have any more reports for this season and only know from a report in the following year that they did win the title. It cannot be just a coincidence that Huddersfield have again won the title – after seven years in the doldrums – just as Gladney returned to the side. His presence is not only a boost to the team but, I would guess, also put the opposition under pressure knowing what a player he was.
I’ve gone again to the Billiards and Snooker magazine to see what I could find out about what went on in Huddersfield during the season. There were two editions of the magazine which had news of Huddersfield and its players. The June edition had a front page picture of players and officials at the English Amateur Snooker Championship Final that was held at the Huddersfield Town Hall. The July edition’s Editorial had a piece praising the organisation that led to the Championship being such a success, and mentions Leonard Oldham in particular for the work he did.
As well as the Editorial in the July edition there was a large piece in “The Yorkshire Scene” which mentioned all of the competitions that came under the Yorkshire Association’s umbrella. As well as Huddersfield hosting the English Snooker Championship Final, Lindley Liberal Club hosted the Yorkshire Billiard Championship Final.
It goes on to give a brief report of the final and also mentions the losing semi-finalist, one being Jack, – something he kept quiet. Plus it confirms what I’ve already said: that Huddersfield won the Yorkshire Inter-District Billiard League.
Even though Jack didn’t reach a final himself, Huddersfield did have two finalists: one was Brian Cousen who won the billiards handicap competition.
The other finalist was Bryan Almond who unfortunately lost in the snooker handicap.
The Billiards and Snooker magazine is proving a useful addition to the story, particularly as Jack’s enthusiasm to cut out and save newspaper reports dwindles after 20 years of doing it. Although Jack isn’t as prominent as he was, Huddersfield Billiards and Snooker is still a force to be reckoned with in the Yorkshire competitions as new and younger players take his mantle.
Jack Mellor 