On this week: Jan 24-30

January 24, 1999 – WALES WIN FIRST NATIONS CUP
The first Nations Cup, which signalled the return of team snooker to the professional game for the first time since the 1996 World Cup, was won by Wales. Their quartet of Darren Morgan, Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale had a 6-4 victory over the Scottish Team of Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Alan McManus and Chris Small at the Telewest Arena in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

January 25, 1886 – BIRTH OF WILLIE SMITHWillie Smith, who won the World Billiards title in 1920 and 1923 and was twice runner up to Joe Davis for the World Professional Snooker title, in 1933 and 1935, was born in Darlington. He has a place in history as the man against whom Joe Davis made the first official maximum break.

January 25, 1998 – FIRST RANKING TITLE FOR PAUL HUNTER
A 9-5 victory over John Higgins in the final of the Welsh Open at the Newport Centre gave Paul Hunter (pictured) his first world ranking title.

January 25, 2004 – DAVIS TURNS BACK THE CLOCK AND ALMOST WINS IN WALESSteve Davis made it to his first ranking final for nine years as he met Ronnie O’Sullivan for the Welsh Open title at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff. A rejuvenated Davis was on the brink of victory when he led 8-6 but Ronnie claimed the last three frames to win a title that had previously eluded him.

January 26, 1979 – MANS WINS FIRST WEMBLEY MASTERS
The first Benson & Hedges Masters to be played at the Wembley Conference Centre was won by South African, Perrie Mans. A great single ball potter, Perrie’s poor positional play was legendary and he beat Alex Higgins 8-4 in the final without making a break of 50!

January 26, 1991 – JIMMY TAKES THE BIG MONEY IN WORLD MASTERS
The one-off Mita World Masters at the NEC near Birmingham was won by Jimmy White who took snooker’s first £200,000 prize with a 10-6 victory over Tony Drago. This was a ‘Wimbledon’ style tournament featuring men’s, ladies’, doubles and mixed competitions with both amateurs and professionals competing on equal terms.

January 26, 1992 – ASIAN OPEN GOES TO DAVISSteve Davis beat Alan McManus 9-3 in the final to win the 555 Asian Open in Bangkok. This was in fact the only ranking title that Steve won in Asia although he won many invitation events out there.

January 26, 2003 – THIRD REGAL WELSH FOR HENDRY
After a gap of six years, Stephen Hendry reclaimed the Regal Welsh Open title at Cardiff International Arena in the final year of Regal sponsorship. In the final he beat twice former winner, Mark Williams 9-5 to claim the title for the third time.

January 27, 2002 – SECOND REGAL WELSH TITLE FOR HUNTER
At the Cardiff International Arena, Paul Hunter took the Regal Welsh Open title for the second time with a 9-7 victory over another two-time winner, defending champion, Ken Doherty.

January 28, 1979 – REARDON WINS FORWARD CHEMICALS FINAL
At the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, Ray Reardon beat John Spencer 9-6 in the final of the Forward Chemicals Tournament. This was a four-man round robin event in which all players met three times at various venues around the country rather like the premier League. The other two involved were Alex Higgins and Doug Mountjoy. The event was discontinued after just one season.

January 28, 1984 – STEVENS HITS MASTERS MAXIMUM
Canadian, Kirk Stevens compiled only the third 147 break in competition against Jimmy White in their Benson & Hedges Masters semi final at Wembley Conference Centre. It would be another 23 years

January 28, 2001 – DOHERTY CLAIMS SECOND REGAL WELSH TITLEKen Doherty won the Regal Welsh Open for the second time when he beat former champion, Paul Hunter, 9-2 in the final at Cardiff International Arena.

In an exhibition in Trim, Ireland, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White both made 147s – in successive frames!

January 29, 1984 – JIMMY IS THE MASTER OF WEMBLEYJimmy White won the Benson & Hedges Masters at the Wembley Conference Centre. In the final he beat Terry Griffiths 9-5.

January 29, 1989 – HENDRY’S FIRST MASTERSStephen Hendry won the first of five successive Benson & Hedges Masters titles when he beat John Parrott 9-6 at Wembley Conference Centre. He was making his debut in the event.

January 29, 1995 – DAVIS RETAINS REGAL WELSH
At the Newport Centre, defending champion, Steve Davis retained the Regal Welsh Open title beating John Higgins 9-3 in the final. That was Steve’s 28th and last ranking title.

January 29, 1999 – SECOND MAXIMUM FOR RONNIE
In the quarter finals of the Regal Welsh Open at Cardiff International Arena, Ronnie O’Sullivan made his second 147 break in his match against James Wattana.

January 30, 1871 – THIRD WORLD BILLIARDS TITLE FOR JOHN ROBERTS Jr.John Roberts Jr. won the World Billiards title for the third time when he defeated Joseph Bennett 1000-637.

January 30, 1976 – REARDON GOES ONE BETTER TO TAKE MASTERS
Having been runner up the year before, Ray Reardon went one better in the final of the second Benson & Hedges Masters at the New London Theatre. He beat Graham Miles 7-3 to take the title for the only time and he remains the event’s oldest champion at 43 years and 114 days.

January 30, 1983 – THORBURN PREVAILS IN MASTERSCliff Thorburn won the first of his three Benson & Hedges Masters titles with a 9-7 victory over Ray Reardon at Wembley Conference Centre. It was the third time that former champion Ray had lost in the final.

January 30, 2000 – HIGGINS SNATCHES VICTORY FROM LEE’S GRASP
In the final of the Regal Welsh Open at Cardiff International Arena, John Higgins trailed Stephen Lee 5-7 and 6-8 but Lee scored just 21 points as John took the last three frames to snatch victory.