Joe Davis English professional snooker player. Date of Birth: 15.04.1901 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Joe Davis
2. Early Career and Victories
3. The Rise of Snooker
4. Continued Success and Retirement
5. Legacy and Achievements

Biography of Joe Davis

Joe Davis was an English professional snooker player and one of the organizers of the first World Snooker Championship. He was also the creator and developer of the game Snooker Plus. Davis began his rise to the top of the billiards world at the age of 13 when he won a local amateur championship. He continued to progress and eventually gained professional status at the age of 21.

Early Career and Victories

Joe Davis became known long before his snooker championship. In 1922, at the age of 21, he competed in the World Billiards Championship, but was defeated by Tom Newman. Davis showed potential in English billiards as well, winning four championships in total. However, his main goal was to become a snooker champion. Despite reaching the finals twice, he was defeated both times by Walter Lindrum from Australia. In 1934, Davis made the final decision to leave the sport and pursue new achievements in another discipline.

The Rise of Snooker

Joe Davis became seriously interested in snooker in 1926, although he had played the game before. Together with his friend Bill Camkin, they developed proposals for a professional World Championship. Their idea was soon accepted by the Billiards Association and Control Council (BA & CC), and the main tournament of the year started in November. Out of ten players, Joe emerged as the best once again. On his way to his first major victory, he defeated Joe Brady 10-5, Albert Cop 16-7, and Tom Dennis 20-11. Davis' superiority over his opponents was evident and he deservedly won the championship. The winner's prize was £6.10, and Joe bought the championship cup with his own money, as there were no sponsors at that time. Despite the lack of financial rewards, Davis continued to play and promote snooker.

Continued Success and Retirement

In the following year, Davis successfully defended his title, easily defeating Fred Lawrence 16-13. In the same year, he also achieved a historic milestone by making the first century break. In the three subsequent World Championships, Joe faced little resistance from his opponents, particularly Tom Dennis, whom he defeated with a significant lead each time. In 1932, a surprise finalist emerged in the form of New Zealander Clark McConachy, but even he couldn't stop Davis, who won 30-19. The eighth World Championship final posed a challenge for the seemingly invincible Englishman, as he once again faced Newman and narrowly secured victory. Joe passed his first serious test and a year later made the first officially registered century break in the World Championship - 110 points. However, this record did not last long, as Davis achieved a break of 137 in the 1937 tournament. Despite the hard-fought victory, Joe won the game with a three-game advantage out of thirty-two wins. By 1940, Davis had won thirteen major titles, but his fourteenth victory almost eluded him. In the final match against his younger brother Fred, Joe won by a hair's breadth with a score of 37-36. This was the first World Championship final decided by a tiebreaker. Unfortunately, the tournament was canceled due to the outbreak of World War II before Joe could reach the significant milestone of fifteen consecutive titles. He finally achieved this feat six years later, defeating Australian Horace Lindrum 78-67 in the final. After this championship, Joe Davis decided to retire from professional snooker at the age of 62. The reason for this decision remains unknown, although some believe that he feared losing his status as the unbeatable fifteen-time world champion.

Legacy and Achievements

Throughout his career, Davis made approximately seven hundred century breaks, with three exceeding 140 points. He won fifteen consecutive World Championship titles, a record that remains unbeaten to this day. Though the competition was not as fierce during his time, Joe Davis played a significant role in the development and advancement of snooker for many decades. His only real rival was his younger brother, Fred Davis, who never managed to claim the championship title from Joe.

Joe Davis received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963. Despite his retirement, Joe continued to set new records in snooker. In 1955, at the age of 62, he achieved the impossible in the game by making the maximum break, and in 1962, he became the first person to make a century break on television. Davis passed away in July 1978, just two months after his younger brother's triumph at the World Championship.

Throughout his career, Joe Davis left an indelible mark on snooker, securing his position as an unbeatable champion during his time and contributing greatly to the development of the sport.