Prescot & District Billiards & Snooker League
Stories
Send us your war stories. It can be anything from the past
to do with snooker or billiards. Could be something that happened to you or a
friend, in a match or just a funny you want us to know about. We’ll print the
best ones here.
Here’s one to get the ball rolling about 20 years ago about good
old Sid Lane
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Sid Lane was one of the finest characters in
Liverpool and was well known by many. He was a great billiards player and has
some cracking sayings. He couldn’t half tell a story and was great company.
Sid was also part of Huyton Cons for many years and will be missed by many I
know. Ian Brumby and I were lucky enough to be with him
at Pontins the year he made his record-breaking century. We weren’t really
sure how old he was (not sure if he knew himself actually) but he must have
been well into his mid 60’s. Somehow, upstairs, on the crappiest tables you
could play on, and with about another 100 people in the room in what can only
be described as a cattle market, Sid strolled around the table, hanky in back
pocket, and made the best 101 break you’ve ever seen. The long stuff came out
three times to roll reds in down the cushion and he must have went into the
pack about five or six times just nudging the odd one out each time. Only a
tricky yellow with the spider spoiled the total clearance. Never-the-less it
was a 101 break by probably the oldest amateur in the world to ever make one.
Guinness book of Records people let me know if it’s been beat. Strange thing
was, (and this is true) it had been 44 years since he last made a snooker century
that was in 1939. Someone then announced on the tannoy we could be due for
another world war then. He loved his snooker and billiards and loved to
have a bet. He definitely considered himself a good judge of a player and
given the number of money matches he won and bet on, who could argue. Ian
Brumby and I would travel all over the UK playing in various events and money
matches with Sid and these are times we’ll never forget. |
Probably the most famous money match though was
with Ian against a former professional and English Amateur snooker Champion.
The match was to be played over two legs, home and away. In the first they
played first to best of eleven frames or first to 6 frames for £500. In the
first match Ian went 5-1 down and was all but beat. Sid, trying to claw some
of his money back, decided to ask the oppositions manager did he fancy having
£25 a frame from here on in. After all, the match was practically lost and he
might get £25 quid back if he was lucky. For sure, the most he could lose was
another £25. They shook hands and another bet was on. Being the gritty never-say-die type, Brumby won the
next frame to make it 2-5 so Sid had £25 quid back at least. The, he won
another, and another and another. Now it was 5-5 and Sid had at least £100
saved and now might even win the match. Ian played great and also won the
last frame. So that’s 5 x £25 for each frame making £125 and another £500 for
the actual original bet on the match so Sid won £625 from what looked like a
lost cause. Needless to say the opposition wasn’t very happy. A week later was the return match was for another
£500 and was also first to 6 again. Ian was flying and this time it was he
who went 5-1 up. The opposition’s manager scurried over and asked Sid if this
time he could have £25 a frame from here on in. Sid coughed then said, “ You can F*** Off ! - Classic! Ian won 6-1 by the way. |