John Pulman facts for kids
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| Born | 12 December 1923 Teignmouth, Devon, England |
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| Died | 25 December 1998 (aged 75) Northampton, England |
| Sport country |  England |
| Professional | 1946–1981 |
| Highest ranking | 7 (1977/78) |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | 8 times; 1957, and won 7 challenges from 1964–68 |
John Pulman (born 12 December 1923, died 25 December 1998) was a famous English professional snooker player. He was the World Snooker Champion for many years. He first won the title in 1957. Then, he kept it for seven more times between 1964 and 1968. He played against other great players like Fred Davis and Rex Williams.
He became a professional player in 1946. Before that, he won the English Amateur Championship. Pulman also won the News of the World Snooker Tournament three times. He was known for his attacking style of play. Later in his career, he used more defensive tactics.
Towards the end of his playing career, Pulman became a television commentator. He stopped playing professionally in 1981. This was after he broke his leg in a traffic accident. He passed away in 1998. In 2011, he was added to the World Snooker Hall of Fame. This honor is for players who have won many world championships.
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John Pulman's Early Life
John Pulman was born in Teignmouth, Devon, England. His father was a master baker. In 1929, his family moved to Plymouth. His father bought a billiard hall there.
John started playing billiards at age nine. His father taught him how to play. By age twelve, he made his first "century break" in billiards. This means he scored 100 points in one turn. As a teenager, he also played snooker in local leagues. He was also a swimming champion at school.
In 1938, Pulman went to a billiards championship. He accidentally left his cue on the train. He had to pick a new cue at the event. He used that same cue for the rest of his career. During World War II, he worked for a short time making wings for Spitfire planes.
Snooker Career Highlights
Starting as a Professional (1946–1955)
In 1946, Pulman won the English Amateur Championship. He was only 20 years old. This made him the youngest winner since 1916. After this win, he decided to become a professional player. He got advice from Joe Davis, who was the World Champion at the time.
Pulman practiced snooker for eight hours a day. He wanted to play as well as the top professionals. He started wearing special glasses for snooker. These were similar to the ones worn by Fred Davis.
Pulman first played in the World Snooker Championship in 1947. He lost in the first round. In 1948, he won his qualifying matches. He made it to the main part of the championship. He also did well in the 1948 Sunday Empire News Tournament. He finished second behind Joe Davis.
In the 1949 World Snooker Championship, Pulman reached the semi-finals. He lost to Walter Donaldson. He also played in the News of the World Snooker Tournament. This was a round-robin event. He was runner-up in 1951. Then, he won the tournament in 1954.
Becoming World Champion (1955–1968)
Pulman reached the final of the World Championship in 1955. He played against Fred Davis. Davis won the match. Pulman made three "century breaks" during the final. Davis beat him again in the 1956 final.
Pulman won the News of the World Snooker Tournament for the second time in 1957. He won all five of his matches.
In 1957, Pulman won his first World Championship title. He beat Jack Rea in the final. The tournament did not get much attention. Snooker was not as popular then. Pulman continued to play exhibition matches to earn money.
In 1964, the World Snooker Championship started again. It was set up as a "challenge" event. Pulman, as the last champion, had to defend his title. He beat Fred Davis to keep his title. Later that year, he also beat Rex Williams.
In 1965, Pulman won his title again. He beat Fred Davis in a very close match. He also beat Rex Williams and Fred Van Rensburg that year. In 1966, he defeated Fred Davis for a third time. Pulman won his eighth world title in 1968. He beat Eddie Charlton in that match.
Later Career and Retirement (1968–1998)
In 1969, the World Snooker Championship changed its format. It became a knockout tournament. This is seen as the start of modern snooker. Pulman lost in the first round to John Spencer.
He reached the final of the 1970 World Snooker Championship. He lost to Ray Reardon. In 1972, he reached the quarter-finals. He lost to Alex Higgins. Later in 1972, Pulman was in a car accident. He recovered quickly. He was runner-up to Alex Higgins in an invitational event.
In 1973, he reached the final of the 1973 Norwich Union Open. He lost to John Spencer in a very close match. Pulman reached the semi-finals of the World Championship again in 1977. This was the first time it was held at the Crucible Theatre. He lost to John Spencer.
After 1977, he did not win another World Championship match. He continued to enter until 1982. In 1976, snooker world rankings were introduced. Pulman reached his highest ranking of seventh in 1977/1978.
Pulman's book, Tackle Snooker This Way, was updated in 1974. He stopped playing professionally in 1981. This was after he broke his leg in an accident. He then became a snooker commentator for ITV. He continued to commentate until he passed away.
John Pulman died on 25 December 1998. He was 75 years old.
Playing Style and Impact
John Pulman was an emotional player. He sometimes showed his frustration during matches. In his early career, he played very offensively. But in the 1970s, he started using more defensive tactics. Fred Davis noted that Pulman became a stronger player as he grew more patient.
Pulman was quite tall for a snooker player in his time. He was 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall. He used a special stance that helped him use his height and reach.
Many people believe Pulman helped save snooker. He was world champion during a time when the sport was not very popular. Commentator Ted Lowe said Pulman's exciting play helped the game when it needed it most.
Alex Higgins, a two-time world champion, looked up to Pulman. He called Pulman "invincible" when he was growing up. Higgins admired Pulman's potting skills and tactics. Ray Reardon also praised Pulman's all-around game. John Spencer liked how well Pulman used a "rest" (a tool to help reach shots).
In 2011, John Pulman was one of the first players added to the World Snooker Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was to the sport.
Performance and Rankings Timeline
| Tournament | 1946/47 | 1947/48 | 1948/49 | 1949/50 | 1950/51 | 1951/52 | 1952/53 | 1953/54 | 1954/55 | 1955/56 | 1956/57 | 1957/58 | 1958/59 | 1959/60 | 1963/64 | Oct 1964 | Mar 1965 | Nov 1965 | Dec 1965 | Apr 1966 | Mar 1968 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Empire News Tournament | Not Held | 2nd/5 | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||
| Professional Matchplay Championship | Tournament Not Held | 1R | SF | SF | F | F | W | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||
| News of the World Snooker Tournament | Not Held | 6th/8 | 2nd/8 | 5th/9 | 6th/9 | 1st/9 | 7th/9 | 4th/6 | 1st/6 | 2nd/6 | 3rd/4 | 3rd/3 | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||
| Conayes Professional Tournament | Tournament Not Held | W | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | LQ | QF | SF | QF | SF | A | Tournament Not Held | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | ||||||||
| Tournament | 1968/69 | 1969/70 | 1970/71 | 1971/72 | 1972/73 | 1973/74 | 1974/75 | 1975/76 | 1976/77 | 1977/78 | 1978/79 | 1979/80 | 1980/81 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Open | Tournament Not Held | A | F | QF | 1R | 2R | A | A | ||||||
| UK Championship | Tournament Not Held | WD | 2R | 1R | 1R | |||||||||
| The Masters | Tournament Not Held | QF | QF | 1R | QF | A | A | A | ||||||
| Yamaha Organs Trophy | Tournament Not Held | RR | LQ | |||||||||||
| Park Drive 2000 (Spring) | Not Held | RR | RR | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||
| Park Drive 2000 (Autumn) | Not Held | RR | RR | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||
| Men of the Midlands | Not Held | RR | RR | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||
| World Masters | Tournament Not Held | RR | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||
| Norwich Union Open | Tournament Not Held | F | QF | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||
| Watney Open | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||
| Canadian Club Masters | Tournament Not Held | SF | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||
| Holsten Lager International | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Not Held | |||||||||||
| Pontins Camber Sands | Tournament Not Held | QF | NH | |||||||||||
| Pontins Professional | Tournament Not Held | QF | QF | QF | F | RR | A | A | A | |||||
| World Championship | QF | F | RR | QF | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | SF | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | |
| Tournament | 1968/69 | 1969/70 | 1970/71 | 1971/72 | 1972/73 | 1973/74 | 1974/75 | 1975/76 | 1976/77 | 1977/78 | 1978/79 | 1979/80 | 1980/81 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World ranking | No ranking system | 15 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 19 | ||||||||
| Performance Table Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament | NH | not held |
Career Finals
Amateur (1 title)
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1946 | English Amateur Championship | Albert Brown (ENG) |
5–3 |
Non-ranking finals: 26 (15 titles)
| Legend |
|---|
| World Championship |
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1948 | Sunday Empire News Qualifying Tournament | Kingsley Kennerley (ENG) |
League | |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1948 | Sunday Empire News Tournament | Joe Davis (ENG) |
League | |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1951 | News of the World Snooker Tournament | Alec Brown (ENG) |
League | |
| Winner | 2. | 1954 | News of the World Snooker Tournament | Joe Davis (ENG) |
League | |
| Runner-up | 3. | 1955 | World Professional Match-play Championship | Fred Davis (ENG) |
35–38 | |
| Runner-up | 4. | 1956 | World Professional Match-play Championship (2) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
35–38 | |
| Winner | 3. | 1957 | News of the World Snooker Tournament (2) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
League | |
| Winner | 4. | 1957 | World Professional Match-play Championship |  Jackie Rea (NIR)} |
39–34 | |
| Runner-up | 5. | 1958 | News of the World Snooker Tournament (2) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
League | |
| Winner | 5. | 1964 | World Snooker Championship (2) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
19–16 | |
| Winner | 6. | 1964 | World Snooker Championship (3) | Rex Williams (ENG) |
40–33 | |
| Winner | 7. | 1964 | Conayes Professional Tournament | Fred Davis (ENG) |
League | |
| Winner | 8. | 1965 | World Snooker Championship (4) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
37–36 | |
| Winner | 9. | 1965 | World Snooker Championship (5) | Rex Williams (ENG) |
25–22 | |
| Winner | 10. | 1965 | World Snooker Championship (6) |  Fred Van Rensburg (RSA) |
39–12 | |
| Winner | 11. | 1966 | World Snooker Championship (7) | Fred Davis (ENG) |
5–2 | |
| Winner | 12. | 1968 | World Snooker Championship (8) |  Eddie Charlton (AUS) |
39–34 | |
| Runner-up | 6. | 1970 | World Snooker Championship (3) |  Ray Reardon (WAL) |
35–38 | |
| Winner | 13. | 1972 | Championship Plate |  Cliff Thorburn (CAN) |
16–13 | |
| Runner-up | 7. | 1972 | Ford Series Tournament | Alex Higgins (NIR) |
2–4 | |
| Runner-up | 8. | 1973 | Norwich Union Open | John Spencer (ENG) |
7–8 | |
| Winner | 14. | 1973 | Championship Plate | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) |
16–12 | |
| Runner-up | 9. | 1974 | Championship Plate | John Spencer (ENG) |
5–15 | |
| Runner-up | 10. | 1975 | Canadian Open | Alex Higgins (NIR) |
7–15 | |
| Winner | 15. | 1976 | Castle Professional |  Patsy Fagan (IRL) |
League | |
| Runner-up | 11. | 1977 | Pontins Professional | John Spencer (ENG) |
5–7 |
