Steve Davis OBE

Born 22 August 1957

Nationality: English

6 times World Champion (1981,1983-84,1987-89), winner of 53 professional titles including 28 ranking titles.

Professional: 1978-2014

Highest ranking: 1

 

Steve Davis was probably the first true professional snooker player in the modern meaning of “professional”. Not that his contemporaries were unprofessional, far from it, but most of them, at the time, had come to professional snooker having previous earned a living in another trade and had learned snooker mainly by playing it in social clubs. Steve never considered anything but snooker after school, and, under supervision of his father, studied the game in an almost scientific manner in order to become as technically flawless as he could.

Davis compiled more than 300 competitive century breaks,including the first officially recognised televised competitive 147 maximum break at the Lada Classic in 1982 against John Spencer. He also was the first player to complete snooker’s Triple Crown by winning the UK Championship, Masters, and World Championship in the same season (1987/1988).

Steve’s longevity was remarkable and he was still playing snooker at a high standard well into his 10th. At the 2010 World Championship he famouly reached the QF, having knocked out the defending champion, John Higgins in the previous round.

Steve’s association with Barry Hearn, his manager and friend, had a profound impact on the development of snooker as an international and commercially viable sport.

Steve’s only contribution to the WSS Tour came in 2018, He accepted to replace Stephen Hendry in the draw of the 2018 Seniors Irish Masters and went on to win the event, beating Jonathan Bagley in the Final.

Wikipedia profile