We played 'professionally' 30 years ago !

I came across this while trawling through some old posts under "General Bar Billiards Discussion".

(After some research on the Champion-of-Pub-Champions Competition I too stand corrected: MrMike007 points out that it was Brighton's Tommy Walters and not Bob Bungard whom he played in the Final the night that he played the "brave shot". And he and Tommy agreed to split the prize money before they started the final. The prestige was of course in winning and becoming a Sussex champion.)

This is what else I have been able to find out:

1. The first year it was run was 1979, and the last one 1983.

2. The 1982 competition had a total prize fund of £1008. The Final for the last 32 players was staged at the Inland Revenue Club, Worthing on Sunday 13th June. Bob Bungard of the Spotted Cow (Angmering) beat John Cutler of the Gratwicke Arms, Littlehampton in one semi-final and John Slee (Bell, Horsham) beat Gary Ridley (Crabtree, Lancing) in the other Semi.
Bungard was champion and received £300, Slee received £200 for being runner-up. Ridley won the third place play-off for £100 and Cutler received £40 along with the four losing quarter-finalists. There was £50 for the non-league player making the furthest progress and £50 for the best lady. The House landlord of the winning player got £25 and all those who had made the 32 got a trophy to keep. Raffle proceeds went to the "South Atlantic fund" (I have read all this off the programme).

3. The last-ever winner was Chris Ellmers of Mid Sussex (formerly of Brighton) who won as his prize his travelling expenses to/from Jersey later that year. The prize fund had been drastically reduced as the entry was down, and the finals night was dispensed with.

So - there you have it: sponsorship existed in the game as far back as 30 years ago........before many of our modern-day superstars were even born !

[barneybear]

I bet Ridley didn't get the beers in with his winnings

[Mark James]

I remember the 1982 competition described above by tommo, when as a fresh-faced young novice I was one of the players who qualified for the last 32.

To do so, I had won the house championship at the Warwick Arms, Worthing (still a pub but no longer a BB venue) This alone required me to win 5 matches. Then there were 2 further rounds played on neutral tables.

When I played in the last 32 I was soundly thrashed by Gerry Smith, who was a big fellow from somewhere in Mid Sussex, I'm certain tommo will recall him.

I do vivdly remember, however, the letter from the organisers notifying me that I'd qualified for the finals, which said that the total initial entry to the various qualifying house events totalled some 2300 competitors!

[Sparky]

Nov 18, 2009 18:15:02 GMT Mark James said:

I remember the 1982 competition described above by tommo, when as a fresh-faced young novice I was one of the players who qualified for the last 32.

To do so, I had won the house championship at the Warwick Arms, Worthing (still a pub but no longer a BB venue) This alone required me to win 5 matches. Then there were 2 further rounds played on neutral tables.

When I played in the last 32 I was soundly thrashed by Gerry Smith, who was a big fellow from somewhere in Mid Sussex, I'm certain tommo will recall him.

I do vivdly remember, however, the letter from the organisers notifying me that I'd qualified for the finals, which said that the total initial entry to the various qualifying house events totalled some 2300 competitors!

I believe he played for the Green Man, Horsted Keynes, but as you say Tommo will know.

[Mario]

tommo, I think you'll find the trophy for this old comp is now the Sussex Masters trophy.

Also remember we played the Tarratt Trebles for money.

Nov 16, 2009 23:56:01 GMT barneybear said:

I bet Ridley didn't get the beers in with his winnings

Surprise, surprise - I'm pretty sure that Sleezy didn't either ! ;D

Nov 18, 2009 23:20:27 GMT Sparky said:

I believe he played for the Green Man, Horsted Keynes, but as you say Tommo will know.

Correct, Gerry was also captain of the Mid Sussex side which managed a shock appearance in the One Day Interleague Final of 1986 (but which went on to lose 2-5 to Littlehampton).

Nov 18, 2009 23:36:26 GMT Mario said:

tommo, I think you'll find the trophy for this old comp is now the Sussex Masters trophy.

Also remember we played the Tarratt Trebles for money.

Hi Steve,
Yes we never did get to play you in that Final, did we, as the sponsorship was withdrawn at the last minute. >:( Although ten years have passed, I still have John Turner and Nick Hayes on standby. ;)

I would be interested to know who all the winners of the C-of-P-Champions were in the five years it was held. Would they be shown on the Masters Trophy ?

[Mario]

Clive, no not all the past winners were on the cup only Bob Bungard for the final 2 years, I think 83 & 84, Tupps or Mark would know more than me.

[jan]

I played at the finals night of this competition in I think 1979. Won the house championship at the Black Horse, Lewes and then had to play three rounds on neutral tables, third of which involved going somewhere out Hastings way to play Eddie Pilbeam who was at the time Lewes singles champion. He gave us a lift out there and it was very quiet in the car on the way back after I beat him.

Can't remember where they held the finals, possibly somewhere in Horsham? Lost in the first round by missing a ball off a very spiteful side cushion to lose what would have been a game-winning break. Sorry state of affairs when I have clear recollection of this, but can't remember things that happened last week... Anyway, I won the £50 for the lady player going furthest in the competition, which was a very tasty sum of money 30 years ago.

Just to give closure on this one, the results of my research are on here (on the Horsham website):

www.horshambarbilliards.co.uk/page35.html

And yes, Jan, you're mentioned at the end of the clipping on the 3rd event.