Ray Reardon

Ray Reardon, MBE ( born October 8, 1932 in Tredegar, Wales, UK) was 1967-1992 professional snooker player.

Career

Ray Reardon first worked since he was 14 years as a miner. He paid close attention to the safety of his hands, as he then was already interested in the snooker sport and even practiced.

He won in 1949 at the age of 17 years, the Amateur World Championships. His successes in the amateur field brought him over time sponsors, so that as of 1967 he has focused exclusively on snooker and turned pro. In 1970, he won his first World Snooker Championship with a 36:33 - Final victory over the Englishman John Pulman.

1976 Snooker world rankings was introduced, initially calculated from the results of the World Championships of 1974 and 1975. As Reardon won at the World Championships in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978, he was logical, the first world ranking leader of snooker history. He could claim ( up to and including the 1980/81 season ) until the Canadian Cliff Thorburn ousted him from No. 1 this position by its excellent results in the World Cup tournaments for five years.

The following year Reardon was back on top of the world rankings again, by his runner-up title at the 1982 World Cup, however he the world rankings after leadership was only one year from again. ; this time to Steve Davis. As a result, he slipped in the world rankings shrinking. He fell out of the top 16 in 1987, until finally he ended his active career in 1992.

In his successful career, he won numerous other tournaments in addition to his six world titles: he won in 1979 and 1980 along with Terry Griffiths and Doug Mountjoy as a team Wales to the World Cup. 1981 and 1983 the team made each again into the finals, but lost to the team from England. The prestigious Masters Reardon could win in 1976 and 1983. He also won twice in his career at the Pot Black Cup (1969 & 1979).

During his last World Cup win in 1978, he broke, 46 years old, in force since 32 years age record of Joe Davis. A record which is valid until today.

In 2011 he was inducted into the Snooker Hall of Fame.