It is understandable that, by this time, Jack seems to have lost his appetite for saving reports, particularly now that his playing days at the top level are over. It isn’t long before Jack is mentioned, not as a player, but as a “past” player – something which continues to this day.
Even at the ripe old age of 66, Jack is still fondly remembered in the world of billiards and snooker. When he returned to Huddersfield he played in the veterans league, just as I am now doing: like father, like son.
A few years have passed since Jack saved anything, so we now find ourselves in 1981. It’s been quite some time since I wrote the very first page of this chronicle, but you may remember that one of the first names I mentioned was that of Willie Smith. In this report it says that Jack played him in an exhibition, with Leonard Oldham remembering that Jack made a break of over 200. Willie Smith was not impressed with Jack, saying that it was he who was supposed to be giving the exhibition – not Jack.
We are still in 1981, and Tommy Donlan has reached the semi-final of the Yorkshire Billiards Championship. Jack gets a mention as being the last Huddersfield man to win it, back in 1962. In the other semi-final are Dennis Watson, who defeated Tommy in the final three years ago, and Ian Williamson. Tommy has already lost to Watson in the Yorkshire League and to Williamson in the English Billiards Championship earlier this season. It would appear as if Tommy has a big challenge on his hands.
No mention of Jack in this clipping from 1983, but it is still one that belongs in this story and one that Jack would want me to put in. Leonard Oldham’s obituary tells of a man who worked so tirelessly behind the scenes for billiards and snooker at local, county and national level. I think he and Jack were good friends, with a friendship that built up over many years, celebrating mutual respect and the love of a simple but brilliant game.
We have fast forwarded to April 1987 now and Peter Muff, (I’m not sure if he is a relative of Victor Muff) reflects on the same month but 28 years ago. The picture that I have already copied and shown you of Jack playing, and losing, to Cyril Cadwell in the 1959 Huddersfield Billiards Championship Final.
Jack Mellor 