1962–63 Television Tournament (snooker)

The 1962–63 Television Tournament was a pro-am invitational snooker tournament, featuring eight players. There were four professional participants, and four amateurs. All four professionals lost in the opening round. The tournament was won by Jonathan Barron, who defeated Ron Gross 4–3 in the final. The event was also referred to as the "ITV tournament" and the "BACC Television Tournament".

1962–63 Television Tournament
Tournament information
VenueNational Liberal Club
CityLondon
CountryEngland
Organisation(s)Billiards Association and Control Council
FormatNon-ranking event
Final
Champion Jonathan Barron (ENG)
Runner-up Ron Gross (ENG)
1965 →

Schedule and handicaps

The intention had been for four professionals to compete against the four semi-finalists from the 1962 English Amateur Championship, but one of the amateurs, Alan Barnett, was unavailable. Geoff Thompson, holder of the world record amateur break, replaced Barnett. The schedule of matches was published in the Billiards Association and Control Council's magazine, The Billiard Player, in August 1962.[1] The players were assigned a handicap as shown in parentheses, receiving the relevant number of points at the start of each frame. The professional players are indicated with an asterisk. All matches were played at the National Liberal Club.[2] The matches were broadcast on ITV.[3]

MatchDatePlayers
120 October 1962 Fred Davis (ENG)* (receive 0) v  Ron Gross (ENG) (receive 18)
210 November 1962 Jackie Rea (NIR)* (receive 10) v  John Price (WAL) (receive 21)
31 December 1962 Rex Williams (ENG)* (receive 10) v  Geoff Thompson (ENG) (receive 21)
422 December 1962 Kingsley Kennerley (ENG)* (receive 10) v  Jonathan Barron (ENG) (receive 21)
Semi-final 112 January 1963Winner of match 1 v Winner of match 3
Semi-final 22 February 1963Winner of match 2 v Winner of match 4
Final23 February 1963Winner of Semi-final 1 v Semi-final 2

Results

Gross defeated Davis 3–0 in their match, with Davis then winning the two "dead" frames.[4] The match between Rea and Price went to a deciding frame, with Price prevailing.[5] Williams played poorly as he lost 0–3 and the two dead frames to Thompson.[6] Barron won 3–1 against Kennerley, and also won the dead frame.[7] Snooker historian Clive Everton attributes the losses by all the professional players in the tournament to the lack of opportunities for professionals to participate in competitive events, at a time when the playing standards between professionals and top amateurs were comparable.[8]

In the semi-finals, Gross eliminated Thompson 3–2,[9] and Barron defeated Price 3–1.[10] The final, between Barron and Gross, was a rematch of the 1962 English Amateur Championship final, which Gross had won 11–9.[11] Gross won the first frame, before Barron took a 3–1 lead and Gross levelled the match at 3–3. Barron won the deciding frame convincingly, to take the title.[12]

Players in bold denote match winners.

Quarter-finals
Best of 5 frames 		Semi-finals
Best of 5 frames 		Final
Best of 7 frames
         
 Fred Davis (ENG) 0
 Ron Gross (ENG) 3
 Ron Gross (ENG) 3
 Geoff Thompson (ENG) 2
 Rex Williams (ENG) 0
 Geoff Thompson (ENG) 3
 Ron Gross (ENG) 3
 Jonathan Barron (ENG) 4
 Jackie Rea (NIR) 2
 John Price (WAL) 3
 John Price (WAL) 1
 Jonathan Barron (ENG) 3
 Kingsley Kennerley (ENG) 1
 Jonathan Barron (ENG) 3

Final

Scores in bold indicate winning frame scores.[12]

Final: Best of 7 frames.
National Liberal Club, London, 23 February 1963
Jonathan Barron
4–3 Ron Gross
34–71, 97–26, 91–21, 98–14, 58–64, 30–82, 88–12

References
  1. "Television tournament". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. August 1962. p. 15.
  2. "Television snooker". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. August 1962. p. 9.
  3. "Barron in ITV snooker tournament semi-final". Cornish Guardian. 10 January 1963. p. 11.
  4. "Gross beats Fred. Davis in B.A. & C.C. Television Tournament". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. November 1962. p. 16.
  5. "B.A. & C.C. Television: Price beats Rea". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. December 1962. p. 7.
  6. "B.A. & C.C. Television Tournament: Geoff. Thompson's easy win over Rex Williams". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. January 1963. p. 10.
  7. "Jonathan Barron completed sequence". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. February 1963. p. 10.
  8. Everton, Clive (1986). The History of Snooker and Billiards. Haywards Heath: Partridge Press. p. 65. ISBN 1852250135.
  9. "Ron Gross in television final". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. February 1963. p. 9.
  10. "Barron (Mevagissey) beats John Price (Tredegar) to enter B.A. & C.C. television final". The Billiard Player. Billiards Association and Control Council. March 1963. p. 10.
  11. "Snooker: Barron and Gross to meet again". Cornish Guardian. 10 January 1963. p. 11.
  12. "Snooker: Barron has revenge in ITV final". Cornish Guardian. 28 February 1963. p. 11.
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