Rate it!

1 votes

Snooker historian Chris Turner looks back at a week in history that saw Jimmy White take the rather bizarre decision to change his name to Jimmy Brown.

February 7, 1977 MOUNTJOY WINS ON DEBUT

Doug Mountjoy made his first appearance as a professional. Having just won the World Amateur title he received a last-minute invitation to play in the Benson & Hedges Masters at the New London Theatre and he made a winning start with a 4-2 victory over former world champion, John Pulman, in the first round.

February 7, 1996 JIMMY HAS NO REPLY

In the quarter finals of the Benson & Hedges Masters at the Wembley Conference Centre, Stephen Hendry set a new record by scoring 487 points without reply against Jimmy White. Although John Higgins broke the record in the 2005 Grand Prix, this figure remains the highest for any non-ranking event.

February 8, 1998 WILLIAMS TAKES MASTERS TITLE AFTER RE-SPOT

Having trailed 6-9 in the final of the Benson & Hedges Masters at Wembley, Mark Williams clawed his way back against Stephen Hendry to force a decider. Leading 56-34 Stephen missed a brown and Mark cleared up to force a re-spot and clinched the match with the ninth shot on the black. This was the first time the final of a professional tournament had been decided on a re-spotted black since the inaugural Masters of 1975.

February 8, 1998 THREE MAXIMUMS IN ONE DAY

At the Matchroom Club in Llanelli, Mathew Stevens, Ryan Day and Tony Chappel each made a 147 maximum during the Buckley's Bitter Challenge.

February 8, 2002 RONNIE AND JIMMY PULL IN THE CROWDS

The largest daytime snooker audience for over 20 years, in excess of 2,500, watched Jimmy White beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-5 in the quarter finals of the Benson & Hedges Masters at Wembley.

February 8, 2004 HUNTER CLINCHES FINAL FRAME MASTERS WIN AGAIN.

At Wembley, Paul Hunter recovered from 2-7 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9 for his third Masters title, all having been won by the same score.

February 8, 2005 WHITE BECOMES BROWN!

As part of a sponsorship deal with a sauce manufacturer, Jimmy White (pictured) stunned the snooker world by announcing that he had changed his name to 'Jimmy Brown'. However the change proved to be short-lived and he quickly reverted to his more familiar name.

February 9, 1980 GRIFFITHS WINS MASTERS AT FIRST ATTEMPT.

Terry Griffiths won the Benson & Hedges Masters title at, the Wembley Conference Centre, with a 9-5 victory over former champion Alex Higgins who was appearing in the final for the third year in a row. Terry was competing in his first Masters.

February 9, 1992 FOURTH SUCCESSIVE MASTERS FOR HENDRY

Stephen Hendry clinched his fourth successive Benson & Hedges Masters title at Wembley and for the third time, his victim' in the final was John Parrott who he defeated on this occasion 9-4.

February 9, 1997 DAVIS REGAINS MASTERS TITLE AFTER 9 YEARS

At Wembley, Steve Davis reclaimed the Benson & Hedges Masters title with a 10-8 victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan, appearing in the final for the third year in a row. It was Steve's third Masters title and came nine years after his second. The final was briefly interrupted by snooker's first streaker.

February 9, 2003 WILLIAMS VICTORY ENDS BENSON & HEDGES ERA

The final Benson & Hedges sponsored Masters was won by Mark Williams who claimed the title for the second time with a 10-4 victory over Stephen Hendry whom he had also beaten when he won the title for the first time.

February 10, 1978 FIRST MASTERS TITLE FOR ALEX

At the New London Theatre, Alex Higgins won his first Benson & Hedges Masters title with a 7-5 victory over Terry Griffiths. This was the first of four successive appearances in the final for Alex who won again in 1981.

February 10, 1985 STEVE DAVIS RETAINS ENGLISH PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

Steve Davis, who was the defending champion, again won the Tolly Cobbold English Professional Championship which was being contested for the first time since 1981. In the final, at the Ipswich Corn Exchange he beat Tony Knowles 9-2.

February 10, 1985 MACLEOD IS SCOTTISH PRO CHAMPION AGAIN

At Marco's Leisure Centre in Edinburgh, the Scottish Professional Championship final was a repeat of the previous one, in 1983, with Murdo MacLeod again beating Eddie Sinclair, this time by the margin of 11-2.

February 10, 1988 REYNOLDS WINS ENGLISH PRO TITLE.

At the Corn Exchange in Ipswich, Dean Reynolds claimed the English Professional Championship beating Neal Foulds 9-5 in the final.

February 10, 1991 HALLETT LETS IT SLIP AS HENDRY CLAIMS MASTERS HAT-TRICK

Mike Hallett led Stephen Hendry 7-0 and 8-2 in the final of the Benson & Hedges Masters at Wembley but the Scot staged a remarkable comeback to win 9-8 and claim the title for the third year in a row.

February 10, 2002 HUNTER DOES IT AGAIN!

In another amazing recovery, Paul Hunter won the Benson & Hedges Masters for the second year running. Mark Williams had led 5-0 but Paul came back to win 10-9 and become only the third player to successfully defend this title.

February 10, 2008 MURPHY RETAINS MALTA CUP.

In Portomaso, Shaun Murphy successfully defended the Malta Cup with a 9-3 victory over Ken Doherty although the event was not a ranking event this season.

February 11, 1870 COOK WINS FIRST WORLD BILLIARDS CROWN

William Cook defeated John Roberts Sr. 1200 1083 at London's Guildhall to become the first World Billiards champion.

February 11, 1977 DEBUTANT DOUG TAKES MASTERS TITLE

Playing in his first ever tournament as a professional, Doug Mountjoy walked away with the Benson & Hedges Masters title at the New London Theatre. In the final he defeated the defending champion and reigning world champion, Ray Reardon, 7-6.

February 11, 1989 PARROTT WINS FIRST EUROPEAN OPEN

The first ever ICI European Open, held in Deauville, France, also provided John Parrott with his first ranking title. In the final he defeated Terry Griffiths 9-8.

February 11, 1990 BACK-TO-BACK MASTERS FOR HENDRY

Stephen Hendry became only the second player to retain the Benson & Hedges Masters title. In the final, for the second year running, he beat John Parrott, this time 9-4.

February 11, 1996 HENDRY CLAIMS SIXTH MASTERS

At the Wembley Conference Centre, Stephen Hendry, regained the Benson & Hedges Masters title after missing out for the previous two seasons. He claimed the title for the sixth time by defeating the defending champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan, 10-5 in the final.

February 11, 2001 PLAN B' TAKES HUNTER TO MASTERS TITLE!

Finding himself 2-6 down to Fergal O'Brien after the first session of the Benson & Hedges Masters final, Paul Hunter retired to his hotel room with his girl friend for what he called Plan B'. Revitalised, he returned to record four centuries and clinched a 10-9 victory.

February 12, 1980 VIRGO WINS IN BOMBAY

In Bombay, John Virgo, followed his UK Championship triumph by taking the Gaware Paints Bombay International title. He beat Cliff Thorburn 13-7 in the final of this eight man invitation event.

February 12, 1988 GRIFFITHS WINS THIRD WELSH PRO

At the Newport Centre, Terry Griffiths won the Senator Windows Welsh Professional Championship for the third time in four years beating Wayne Jones 9-3 in the Final.

February 12, 1988 McLAUGHLIN CLAIMS IRISH PRO TITLE.

Jack McLaughlin was the surprise winner of the Irish Professional Championship at Antrim Forum. In the final he overcame the defending and six times former champion, Dennis Taylor, 9-4.

February 12, 1995 RONNIE BECOMES YOUNGEST MASTERS CHAMPION

At the age of just 19 years and 69 days, Ronnie O'Sullivan became the youngest ever winner of the Benson & hedges Masters beating John Higgins 9-3 in the final at the Wembley Conference Centre.

February 13, 1994 McMANUS' FIRST MAJOR TITLE ENDS HENDRY'S MASTERS RUN

Stephen Hendry's 23 match unbeaten run in the Benson & Hedges Masters was finally ended by Alan McManus. After losing in six previous finals and eleven semi-finals, Alan prevented Stephen winning his sixth successive title with a clearance of 76 in the seventeenth and final frame to give him his first major title since turning professional.

February 13, 2000 MATTHEW TAKES MASTERS AS KEN MISSES MAXIMUM

Matthew Stevens added the Benson & Hedges Masters title to the Regal Masters he had won earlier in the season with a 10-8 victory over Ken Doherty at Wembley. There was double disappointment for Ken who looked certain to record the event's second ever maximum when he missed the final black off its spot.

Chris Turner / Eurosport