Chris Ross (snooker player) explained

Chris Ross
Birth Date:1932
Professional:1976–1983

Chris Ross (1932–2013) was a former professional snooker player.[1]

Career

In 1968, Ross reached the final of the English Amateur Championship, finishing as runner-up after being defeated 6–11 by David Taylor.[2] At the 1973 Norwich Union Open, he defeated Marcus Owen 4–3,[3] before losing 0–4 to professional Eddie Charlton in the second round.[4]

In 1976, he won the English Amateur Championship with an 11–7 victory over Roy Andrewartha in the final. Later that year, he participated in the 1976 IBSF World Snooker Championship and won four of his seven round-robin group matches, which was not enough to qualify for the knockout stage.Straight after the IBSF World Snooker Championship, Ross was accepted as a professional by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.[5]

Between the English Amateur Championship in April 1976 and the IBSF World Championship in November of that year, Ross was vomiting three or four times a day, and after returning from the World Championship he later found himself unable to pick up a cue. He retired from playing snooker until adopting a different stance, and an unusual style of grip on the, with his wrist underneath the implement.

In his first professional match, Ross was whitewashed 0–11 by Cliff Thorburn in a qualifying round match for the 1977 World Snooker Championship. In the 1977–78 snooker season, he defeated Jack Karnehm 5–4 in the first qualifying round for the 1977 UK Championship before losing 1–5 to Graham Miles in the second qualifying round. The only other tournament he played in was the 1978 World Snooker Championship, where he lost 1–9 to Pat Houlihan.[6] He did not record any match wins in the following two seasons;[6] He also played in the 1980 UK Professional English billiards championship, losing 933–1,093 to Bernard Bennett.

In his qualifying match for the 1981 World Snooker Championship, Ross found that his was unsteady and that he was unable to control his properly, and conceded his match against Tony Knowles when trailing 0–7.[7] Although he played in several tournaments over the next couple of seasons, his only match win came with a 6–5 victory over Bert Demarco at the 1982 Scottish Professional Championship. In 1983, Ross resigned his membership of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.[8] He died in 2013, aged 80.[9]

Career highlights

Outcome Year Championship Opponent in the final Score Ref.
Runner-up1968English Amateur Championship6–11
Winner1976English Amateur Championship11–7

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kobylecky, John . 2019 . The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018 . Kobyhadrian Books . 210–211 . 978-0993143311 .
  2. Book: Everton, Clive . 1985 . Snooker: The Records . Guinness Superlatives Ltd . Enfield . 0851124488.
  3. Web site: 1973 Norwich Union Open. https://web.archive.org/web/20030126140611/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/NU73.HTM. dead. 26 January 2003. Global Snooker Centre. 4 December 2017.
  4. News: Charlton 4–0 in snooker . The Sydney Morning Herald . 27 Nov 1973 . 13 .
  5. News: Everton . Clive . Potting on the agony, ruining the style . The Guardian . London . 18 December 1979 . 21.
  6. Book: Hayton . Eric . Dee . John . 2004 . The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History . Rose Villa Publications . Lowestoft . 978-0954854904 . 863.
  7. News: . Snooker . The Guardian . London . 4 April 1981 . 24.
  8. The new professionals . Cue World . Transworld Publications . Mitcham Junction. August 1983 . 5.
  9. Web site: Bennett . Charlie . Tributes to 'crème de la crème' of local snooker . getsurrey.co.uk . 2 July 2013 . 2 November 2020 . 9 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201009114122/https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/other-sport/tributes-crme-de-la-crme-4721773 . live .