Horace Lindrum facts for kids
Joe Davis and Lindrum shaking hands before the 1946 World Championship final
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| Born | 15 January 1912 Sydney, Australia |
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| Died | 20 June 1974 (aged 62) Dee Why, Sydney, Australia |
| Sport country | Australia |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | 1952 |
Horace Lindrum (born Horace Norman William Morrell, 15 January 1912 – 20 June 1974) was a famous Australian professional player. He was great at both snooker and English billiards. Horace Lindrum won the 1952 World Snooker Championship. He beat Clark McConachy from New Zealand in that event.
However, this tournament was a bit unusual. Only two players took part because many others chose to play in a different event. This other event was called the 1952 World Professional Match-play Championship. Even so, Lindrum was a top player. He won the Australian Professional Billiards Championship many times, starting in 1934. He was often seen as the second-best player in the world, right after Joe Davis. Lindrum played in three World Snooker Championship finals against Davis, but he never quite managed to win those.
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Horace Lindrum's Amazing Career
Starting Out in Snooker
Horace Lindrum was born in Sydney, Australia, on January 15, 1912. His mother, Clara, was also a champion snooker player. His uncle, Walter Lindrum, was a famous billiards player.
Horace showed his talent early. He made his first "century break" in snooker when he was just 16. A century break means scoring 100 points or more in one turn. At 18, he made a "four-figure break" in billiards. This means scoring over 1000 points in one turn.
In 1931, when he was 19, Lindrum won the Australian Professional Snooker Championship. He beat Frank Smith. He won a rematch against Smith too. Three years later, in 1934, he also won the Australian Professional Billiards Championship. He beat his uncle Fred, who had held the title for a long time.
Playing Against Joe Davis
In 1934, Joe Davis, a four-time World Billiards Champion, came to Australia. He played against Horace's uncle, Walter Lindrum. After that, Davis agreed to play Horace in an unofficial snooker World Championship match. This big match took place in Melbourne.
Lindrum started strong, winning the first two frames. But Davis soon took the lead. The match was long, with many frames played over several days. In the end, Davis won the match. Even though Lindrum lost, it showed he could compete with the very best.
Competing in England
Horace Lindrum moved to England in 1935 and stayed for several years. He played in many important tournaments there. He often played against Joe Davis, who was considered the best player at the time.
In 1936, Lindrum reached the World Snooker Championship final against Joe Davis. Lindrum played very well and even led the match at times. But Davis, known for his strong finishes, won the last ten frames in a row to win the championship.
Lindrum also played in the 1936 Daily Mail Gold Cup, a snooker competition. He finished second behind Davis. He continued to play many exhibition matches against Davis, often getting a head start in points.
In 1937, Lindrum again reached the World Snooker Championship final against Joe Davis. It was another close match. Lindrum led for a while, but Davis fought back and won. These matches showed how skilled Lindrum was, even if he didn't win the title against Davis.
Lindrum returned to Australia for a short time in 1937. He then came back to England to play more tournaments. He didn't enter the 1938 World Snooker Championship because he disagreed with some rules. However, he still played exhibition matches against Davis.
World War II and Return to Play
Lindrum returned to Australia in 1939. He planned to go back to England later that year, but World War II started. Because of the war, he couldn't return until 1945.
In 1946, Lindrum reached the World Snooker Championship final for the third time. Once again, he faced Joe Davis. Davis won the match, but Lindrum proved his consistent skill by reaching the final so many times.
Lindrum continued to play in the World Championship in 1947 and 1951. He reached the semi-finals both times, losing to Walter Donaldson.
Winning the World Championship in 1952
The 1952 World Snooker Championship was very unusual. Only two players entered: Horace Lindrum and Clark McConachy. This happened because of a disagreement between player groups and the sport's governing body. Many players chose to boycott the event and play in a different championship instead.
Horace Lindrum was the only active professional player to enter the official championship. He won the long match against McConachy quite easily. Even though many people saw the other championship as the "real" one, Lindrum officially became the World Snooker Champion. He was the only Australian to win this title until Neil Robertson won it in 2010.
Later Life and Retirement
By 1957, Horace Lindrum decided to stop playing competitively. He became an exhibition player, traveling around Australia and South Africa. He often called himself the "undefeated world champion."
In 1963, a snooker association in Australia asked him to return to competitive play. They hoped his return would make the sport more popular again. Lindrum agreed and won the Australian Open that year.
Horace Lindrum passed away on June 20, 1974, in Sydney, Australia. He died from a lung illness. He was survived by his wife, Joy, and their two daughters.
Images for kids
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Joe Davis and Lindrum shaking hands before the 1946 World Championship final
