The first newspaper headline of many.
1947
Jack’s first headline could only be a good one, as he beats Gladney Hoyle in the semi-final of the Huddersfield Area of the English Billiards Championship – a title which he clinched with a break of 111 to win 1152 – 1056 after 4 hours of play over two nights.
1948
Jack couldn’t get the better of Victor, but in those days, not many could. He had won the Huddersfield Billiards Championship 7 times in the previous 11 years. He made many breaks of 200 or more and eventually turned professional in 1950.
1948
It could be that Jack was reacting to his loss to Victor in the final of the English Area final, when the match was played over 8 hours. This comprised 2 afternoon and 2 evening sessions of 2 hours apiece.
1950
Leslie Driffield was the Yorkshire champion and the best amateur playing in the county at this moment in time. He made 6 century breaks, 1 of 99 and 9 over 50 to win by 1926 – 489. In London he beat Alf Nolan in the 1st round (Alf beat Jack in the 2nd round in 1953) and had a break of 444 in 50 minutes. The 2nd round saw him beat 17 year old Rex Williams, who turned professional the following year. In his 3rd round match he beat R.C. Wright to reach the semi-final, but lost it to J. Tregoning. Tregoning was runner up to Frank Edwards as he had been the previous year and was to be again the next year – ‘always the best man never the groom’.
1952
Jack gains revenge for his defeat two years earlier, when Ronnie beat him 600 – 425. The league handbook says the score this year was 600 – 575, not 558, but I don’t suppose Jack is too worried about that as he wins his first billiards championship. Ronnie had lost to Trevor Sisson the night before in the snooker championship.
1949
Jack was already playing snooker for Huddersfield in the Yorkshire League, but to be selected for Yorkshire against the old enemy was something else. They awarded a white rose badge to each player selected, and Jack put his on a jacket which he wore with pride.
1950
Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Having said that, Jack did well to run out with an unfinished break of 57 to reach his second final.
1952
This is the first of four years that Jack played in the Halifax Parish League for Rastrick Constitutional Club, and he met their “star” player in the final of the English Amateur Billiards Championship. Jack had played him the year before in the Yorkshire Inter-District League, beating him 200 – 43.
1952
This wouldn’t be the last record Jack made whilst playing in the Halifax & District Association.
Jack Mellor 