Canadian Club Masters 1976 Semi Final Alex Higgins v John Pulman (quality is a bit static at times)

[@digeme69]

Alex Higgins was born on 18th March 1949 therefore it seemed fitting to upload another Higgins video today

[@FIVE-0-APOCALYPTO]

much appreciated, thank you. I subscribed.

[@flappospammo]

Brilliant video thx 🙏

[@philparmenter53]

Hugh pockets then compared with today's

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

Pulman wants a lot of snookers. "He is 81 behind with just 35 on the table" . Shades of Ronnie here getting match practice whilst chasing a hopeless cause. In all seriousness, this was the age when players were trying to sell the game to the public, so as per someones comment earlier, short changing the public by conceding wasn't really the done thing.

[@fensterputzernuernberg]

Fred Dinance has escaped from area 51 ?

[@azngoku666]

from back when you could have 1 person commentate a sport instead of needing ernie and bert everywhere

[@AD-kv9kj]

I loved a bit of Ted Lowe for his voice, but to be fair, he did just describe a "kick" from dirt/chalk on the cueball as "a small explosion"... 😂 The refs didn't even bother to mark the cueball when cleaning it and just shoved it back wherever they thought it roughly was. At least today they know what they're talking about and aren't a load of amateurish drunk old farts and nonces, desperately addicted to ciggies and even crack.

[@daverogers4195]

Where did the nonce part come from ?

[@CA-ee1et]

@@daverogers4195 Lord alone knows. He repeats the phrase in another comment.

[@Wally-H]

Are most of the crowd dead? Some unbelievable pots by Alex and they don't applaud. he really was in imperious form here, potting balls from all angles and playing some decent safety when he had to. Pullman was past his prime but certainly no mug, yet he was blown off the table by The Hurricane.

[@qazzell]

Alex higgins matches are like gold dust..Always wanted to see pullman play aswell..Thanks for the upload 👌

[@digeme69]

No problem 👍

[@alanmctavish4802]

Thancks for the upload stephen trevor. Alex higgins matches are gold dust. He looks like a nice wee polite school boy here lol but brilliant to watch

[@johndean8295]

I liked snooker then more ..players played with more side as tables were slower

[@tomjc147]

I will say this after watching the first two frames, Pullman certainly never knew when he was beaten! 😂 Snookers very own equivalent to the Black Knight from Monty Python... Pullman now needs 87 snookers... Pullman: I've had worse, tis only a flesh wound 🤪

[@MegaChabrol]

Been watching a few of these videos from the old days it seems like the players never conceded frames unless there was only the black on, horrendous from a spectator point of view, imagine if someone tried that today! The rest of the players would campaign for them to be removed from the circuit.

[@mark1968]

Love how they cleaned the cue ball. Just pick it up, wipe it and plonk it back. No marker, nothing.

[@Bloxdio_God]

No fuss

[@markdrinkwater1508]

36:29 is why Higgins was the greatest player of all time. He could do anything with the cue ball. People talk about Trump today, but look at this shot, with the old heavy balls and cloth, it is pure genius, he made magic happen on the snooker table. People talk about todays higher scoring and consistency, but you can't compare different eras. If he were a young player in todays game, with all the guidance and professionalism, of course he'd be able to compete and win, as would Reardon and Spencer, they were masters of the game and had every shot in the book. Spencer and Higgins created shots, their colossal screw shots the full length of the table are the stuff of legend, Higgins played virtually every shot with screw and side, and was the first player to master the screw with reverse side. Legend!

[@andrewharman787]

Spot on. Being a winner is a mindset. People should listen to what ROS says about Reardon - total respect.

[@johnmc3862]

Higgins caused a revolution in snooker.

[@markdrinkwater1508]

@@pauljohnbodie5631Not the most consistent but that was a personality issue, a matter of discipline, but in terms of genius and talent, nobody could do what Higgins did on a snooker table, just ask Ray, John, Steve, Ronnie, Stephen or Jimmy. Best in terms of titles lifted, no, best in terms of genial magic, he's the all-time champ.

[@markdrinkwater1508]

@@pauljohnbodie5631 None of those you mention could manipulate the cue ball like Higgjns could, he was special because of the pots he took on that others simply do not, I've watched them all for many decades and there is nobody who takes on very difficult pots like Higgjns did, then or now, down the rails at pace, full length screw backs, crazy angled pots and accutest angles at pace into the middle pickets, he played like no other and played positional shots like no other, he threw away some big finals because of this, but when he reigned it in a bit, he beat everybody, his game was good enough to beat anybody, just ask them,, ask Davis, Jimmy, Ronnie, Henry who the only true snooker genius was, who made magic happen, they'll explain it to you, then go and take your meds.

[@markdrinkwater1508]

@@pauljohnbodie5631 You're a nut and I gave up on that essay two lines in. All I'll say is go and watch the video of Ronnie trying to emulate the Higgjns legendary blue and gets nowhere near it after countless attempts, Jimmy fared a bit better but neither could emulate the shot.

[@Laneykl4lyf]

Wow Alex really was quick in the 70s.

[@cjns5253]

He was at his best in the mid to late 70s

[@alanmctavish4802]

C jns@ you might be right. I was thinking the same there. He should have won the world title 3 times at least in the 70s

[@alanmctavish4802]

C jns@ for me in any sport its about entertaiment before whos the best just by there record? A good record to me doesnt mean anything really. But a cant get fed up with a guy who can entertain you all day.

[@johnmc3862]

@@cjns5253 80’/81’.

[@horemopik2152]

Keep up the good work man,love these snooker videos,especially Alex Higgins. Im a millenium but love watching him play,my favourite player and to most of the people I guess.Genius.

[@wombra8314]

you're a what?

[@neilhurn2685]

Millennial you mean

[@bonkersbeast]

Really enjoying these old matches, thanks for uploading. It's amazing how the game has changed. No ball marker, ref using higgins' cloth, players sitting on the stairs!

[@stanleyharrison7031]

these balls are mad heavy. would be interesting to see modern players have a go at playing with these

[@topneorej]

With pockets like buckets I bet they can beat the tournament highest break of 80 XD

[@johnmc3862]

@@topneorej pockets like buckets, you are thinking of pool.

[@topneorej]

@@johnmc3862 No, snooker pockets were bigger in those days compared to modern tables. Pool pockets also got smaller over years, yet are still much larger than snooker.

[@mariogmajner6549]

@@topneorej The modern tables have bucket pockets.

[@topneorej]

@@mariogmajner6549 That is simply not true. In pool AND in snooker the pockets are smaller then 30 years ago. It's a fact, do your research.

[@bazsully4205]

Rip Alex thanks for the memories growing up in the 80s 👍🎱🎱🎱🙏

[@chrisbland6942]

Note to all: There only one “l” in Pulman.

[@weavethehawk]

I love how the ref just picks up the cue ball to clean it, nothing to mark the position of the cue ball, cleans the cue ball, then plonks it down somewhere close to where it was.

[@bobsmodelrailways]

The roots of Snooker were working Mens’ Clubs and “approximation” was never queried, or an issue. Imagine how many untelevised games were played over the years in smoke filled rooms with unknown brilliant snooker players - who walked away with a free pint for winning! 😆

[@weavethehawk]

@@bobsmodelrailways The roots of snooker, where the game developed, even the name, was during the British Raj in India. It was eventually played in working men's clubs, still is, but we can thank the top brass of the British forces in India for inventing and developing the game.

[@bobsmodelrailways]

@Mick Weaver granted Mick. I should have said “as we know it today”.. I wonder if it is still popular in India?

[@weavethehawk]

@@bobsmodelrailways - there doesn't appear to be any Indian or Pakistani players on the world snooker tour. Maybe cricket became too big to allow competition by any other sport.

[@aitzazkazmi8323]

@@weavethehawk Pakistan is going very good with snooker..every street has its own snooker club..we have great players here... Lot better than the one who played against hendry yesterday and is ranked 82 at this time but players here don't have much of international exposure.. But they make good amount of money in local championships and tournaments.

[@albertcross4275]

I played Alex on May 21 1979 in Lee on solent British legion club, and he was amazing, 85, 104, 106, 110, my team friend Peter page, beat him on the pink. The atmosphere that night was something very special thinking about it now................Rip Alex and Peter.

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

1.37. Did the referee just pick the white up to clean it with a towel Alex gave him, and without marking the position of the white? Just so funny!

[@tullmonkey]

@@snookeringu2tonightu231 It was slightly out when he replaced it.

[@londonlady1966]

@Montgomery15 Snooker Videos Which part of Gosport?

[@yankorusev]

Higgins is a genius and superb to watch

[@johndean6355]

A lot of these players today play plain ball and bore me a bit,Higgins plays with so much side and style ,

[@seancyco9446]

What an enjoyable match that was to watch. Higgins not wasting any time at all to get back to the table for his next shot...R.I.P Higgins.. Good upload👍

[@MrChippiechappie]

God Pullman was CRAP!

[@CA-ee1et]

3:38 "Where's the cue ball...?" Where's Virgo?

[@swammpwatter]

Honestly licking the ball is disgusting lol

[@snookasus]

Maybe deinterlace the video for a next upload. Deinterlacing is, that the squirrel lines will be perfect

[@digeme69]

You're probably right, the majority of my videos are very good quality but I copied this from someone who had recorded it like that and there is only so much time I'll dedicate to doing this.

[@matthewphilip1977]

Horrible, jabby, cue action Higgins had. Okay, against 70s opposition it was effective enough, and occasionally in the 80s, but it was ugly snooker. Hardly any backswing, and jabby, awkward striking. Great when White, and Hendry and Ronnie came along, putting a bit of beauty into the game.

[@alanmctavish4802]

Higgins the master! John pulman won the world title 10 times. But tbh did he really have any great competiton in the 1950s and 60s, a dont believe so. And when joe davis won it 26 times and fred davis 36 times a think. How many players were there back then? About 16 and any one else that wanted a game lol. Round about 1969 the bbc were talking about axing the game from the tv. Becouse there was no money in it, the game wasnt going any where, no one was that interested in it. And it was boring and so slow to watch! So the bbc gave it another few years but the game looked doomend. A mean how could it get any better? And colour tv was in as well, but the bbc wanted to see money and lots of it. Then in 1972 the bbc had found a miracle? That miracle had a name, it was alex higgins. At his first attempt he won the 1972 world title having just turn pro that year also. It was some feat, but alex was some player and one no one had seen before or since! After that the bbc knew they had some one special although the final of 1972 wasnt on film clive everton said "its just a shame it wasnt on film becouse its the greatest performance i have ever seen on a snooker table, alex was just brilliant and in the last session he just ran over spencer to win 36-31 it was breathtaking" so after 72 alex was a big draw selling out halls and any where he played in 2 hours. So the bbc went from axing it to having to find alot bigger plus better arena's as the audiences that alex now played to and for wanted value for money as alex was now in huge demand and people went from paying into cheap halls to buying tickets for arena's, while alex single handidly dragged an edwardian sport that was going nowhere fast all through the 1970s and by the early 1980s alex had made the game bigger than football. Almost every young boy wanted a 6ft snooker table for xmas. Or 5ft, 4ft, 3ft, and these tables were selling by the millions all over the world, they even made electronic small tables about 8 inches all round, they were great. The 6ft table was by far the most comon? Becouse there big for a boy age 8 or 9 and not too big to fit in a bedroom council house, i remember thinking when i first saw mine? God this looks big? Bigger than i thought it would be. But all the sizes sold big style! The 5ft was just as comon maybe? Then 4ft, 3ft, a think 3ft was the smallest table. My friend had a 7ft table and it looked more than a foot longer than my 6ft table, it was huge! Maybe too big becouse we could hardly get space to play a shot. And a 12ft full size well seemingly they were really hard to buy back then in 1982 and they cost a small fortune. When alex stopped playing around 1993 a think? I stopped watching the game! But then watched again when ronnie started playing. Players like steve davis, thorburn, griffiths, even ray reardon, mountjoy, tony knowles, white, hendry, ronnie, dennis taylor, meo, spencer, john higgins, selby, robertson, ding, williams, charlton, and all the rest have alex higgins to thank for where they are today and so many of them have already paid holage to alex for that in there own way! If there was a really hard pot to make and your life depended on it then alex would be the one to pot it!!!!!! Rip alex and thanks

[@ysgol3]

The deep screw with side on the black at about 14.45 is stunning - so much power and control with those heavy old snooker balls and that slow cloth. And there's no applause for it, and daft old Ted Lowe, who knew nothing about the game despite commentating on it for decades, said nothing!

[@markdrinkwater1508]

And idiots say that Higgins wouldn't have beaten todays players. His talent and ease of potting and brilliant use of side is unmatched. When flowing he was greatest player by a country mile - inconsistency or not.

[@baz810]

Brilliant upload, thank you. How snooker has changed. Love the personal feel here...I reckon if one of the players needed the loo, they'd be allowed to get one of those blokes to take their shot for them! Loved Alex. A genius. Pulman's best was before my time but one of the best ever commentators...along with the brilliant Ted Lowe of course - I never tired of listening to him Was just reading that Pulman died on Christmas day following a fall down the stairs 😢

[@matthewlawrenson3628]

The actual quality of the play apart, it's very interesting to see how this match was directed by (I presume) some anonymous guy from Yorkshire TV. In a way, it's quite refreshing to see a departure from the "line up shot - pull focus - cut to reaction" cliches we've seen for many years, though you can see why TV snooker settled on those standard shots.

[@mickharrison9004]

How did he not win another title in these early years ,I was too young to remember not sure we had a tv lol.

[@markleaning107]

What a player first ever snooker player to blow me away

[@nigelcolman2489]

The late John Pullman. I only remember him as a player from the days of Pot Black as l believe he had retired in the early 80s.

[@digeme69]

He retired 1981 and mainly did commentary for ITV after that

[@charltt]

@@digeme69 Very rare to find footage of Pullman on KZbin

[@andyhumphrey9351]

how the hell did you get this match. always wanting to watch alex play in the 70,s just heard stories he made century breaks in 90secs etc.

[@digeme69]

There are a few collectors out there that have old footage, one in particular has a mountain of it but as far as I know he isn't selling/trading any footage at present and hasn't done for a while. This video would've originally come from him no doubt and I managed to copy it from someone else. The majority of my videos are pretty good quality, some excellent but this was a little bit sticky but that was how it was recorded. As for Higgins making 100s in 90 seconds or so I'm not so sure that's even possible, 2 m 30 seconds maybe. I believe the fastest 100 made in a match is by Tony Drago at 3m 31 seconds in 1996 v John Higgins and I saw a newspaper piece once when Mark Bennett said he was the fastest player and could make 100s in under 3 minutes

[@robrob2982]

100 in 90 seconds? The minimum number of shots to make a century break is 14. That is a shot just under every 6.5 seconds. No way is that possible on a full size table without hitting a moving ball

[@andyhumphrey9351]

@@robrob2982 well errm Tony drago has also done it..

[@andyhumphrey9351]

@@robrob2982 my mistake it was 60 break in 90secs. Drago made a century in 3mins.

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

1.37 - Did the referee just clean the white with a towel Alex gave him and do it without marking where the white ball was? How funny!

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

In the absence of ball markers, which I don't believe has been invented let alone manufactured, surely 2 coins would have done the job!

[@topneorej]

@@snookeringu2tonightu231 Landed on the moon, but didn't invent the ball marker yet XD

[@stevenedwards1298]

"Here ref, use my manky towel with god knows what on" "Cheers mate. I think the ball went aboouut, here."

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

I've no doubt it was out. It was a complete guess. The ball marker was invented by a guy who was asked to make one by a referee. The guy who made it then put into full production as he owned a plastic moulding company. I guess no one saw it as a problem until then!

[@petermernagh9991]

@@snookeringu2tonightu231 wouldn't exactly be the type of product that would have big sales though really

[@alanmctavish4802]

Tavy@ in the 1970s the pockets were smaller and what alex did at 33.29 shows hes the greatest player ever. A though john pulman was going to keep playing after the lights went off and every one even alex went home. Even at 2-0 and 80-4 points down when alex got down to the pink and black pulman was still thincking about playing on. even though hes well beaten and out the tournament. I thought what it is it with this guy? Stubborn or what. Or just cant accept defeat. Alex walked all the way back to the crowd and then had to walk all the way back down to shake pulmans hand. Pulman shouldv walked up to alex. Any way the man was crap. Just becouse he win the world title 10 times against and in a time with the worse players ever to play the game. If alex had been born ten years earlier you wouldnt of heard of pulman, reardon, spencer, alex took the game to a higher level pushing reardon and spencer out the game and pulman as well. A mean that pot at 33.29 potting that red hard right along the cushion and screwing the white back at least 11 feet, when has any one seen pulman, reardon and spencer do a shot like that. And in a time with smaller pockets!!! Rip alex

[@anthonyhazell4026]

I lost interest in Snooker when Alex stopped playing, I got interested again when Ronnie got good. Players like Ronnie, Alex and Jimmy are what made snooker watchable and entertaining.

[@cjns5253]

This was a prime Higgins mid to late 70s

[@MrMickyboyblue]

THanks for uploading

[@Casey-Jones]

All the audience wearing ties

[@andrewharman787]

Rare footage of Pulman - shame he was so poor in this.

[@mickharrison9004]

Alex wearing bow tie here 😂

[@ianwilliamson2980]

Higgins like a werewolf here.

[@christiano8088]

Is that dicky davis?

[@doctorsocrates4413]

snooker looked much more raw then but far more interesting to watch...Golden period of snooker.

[@mikerusby]

0.24k :)

[@seanmckinley4964]

Alex Higgins the reason I started watching snooker made snooker in my opinion such an exiting great player a joy to watch Rip Alex

[@sidneygreen9120]

Higgins had it made playing all the auld team, but along came interesting and really spoilt the party 🎉 🍾 🍻 🤯

[@sjs260563]

Fred!

[@joriah69]

Hehe, word of the match..’getatable’..what frame? Who coined that fab word, made me giggle, what a fab match an I met these both greats as a nipper, early 70’s cheers

[@flappospammo]

Alex is in another league , potting amazing . Pullman can’t seem to hit anything, vastly overrated

[@albertcross4275]

John pullman simply outclassed, by Alex........ 🐟🐟👍👍

[@thegallerian]

In fairness to Pullman he's 53 here.

[@flappospammo]

Pullman was world champion when there were only 2 players in the tournament in the 60s , nuff said

[@opal_forest3942]

I think the best of Alex higgens was before snooker bacame famous

[@kennethtalbott2233]

i love the way the ref cleaned the cue ball and didn't use a marker when he replaced it. just his initiative and experience which is good enough.....

[@ChrisOwenGuitar]

I remember when they used to put a coin on the table to mark the spot, many years ago.

[@kennethtalbott2233]

@@ChrisOwenGuitar yes i remember that. the most inaccurate way to do it. a simple bit of waste pipe with a cut out would do the job a treat.

[@Muninman]

The marker came in around 82/83 from memory

[@steveryder1442]

Stephen, do you have any footage of Alex from the 1987 & 1988 World Championship at all?

[@snookeringu2tonightu231]

2nd frame, Pulman trails Higgins by 98 pts to 22 and they still play on, each missing ridiculously easy pinks in the process! Oh how innocent snooker was back then!

[@paulhiggins1577]

for pullman to have won the world title there must have been only 8 in the tournament with 7 of them women

[@daveborder7751]

With these two playing the pub taps were probably run dry.

[@soapyvanshoey3179]

Just horrendous positional play and pullman missing simple shots

[@mikekavalerchik5226]

Alex always grabbing the cue ball shtick

[@ianwilliamson2980]

Higgins gets a cloth to wipe the ball lol .some different now.

[@JongleurJ10]

According to the commentator one red was not "get-attable".

[@paxconsciente3352]

pulman really playing on 81 behind? lmfao

[@FIVE-0-APOCALYPTO]

after his opening shot, its easy to see why pullman was a champion

[@MrReviewer]

Great video

[@digeme69]

Thanks!

[@ianwilliamson2980]

Old pulley a ten time world champion

[@darren2514fv]

Ted Lowe also did Snooker for Indoor League

[@FIVE-0-APOCALYPTO]

were the pockets bigger back then?

[@ritchwaghorn6541]

Wow Pullman never gave up did he !

[@jefferydaley7789]

Why do they keep playing when there's no chance to win with Higgins so far in front?

[@digeme69]

Different era and was done more for the crowd so they didn't feel short changed

[@kshgarg147]

14:46 what an insane shot!

[@MrBendibus]

£1000 for the tournament winner. A lot of money in 1976.

[@topneorej]

Money was still backed by gold in those days.

[@darenwilliams5858]

Didn't they bother to concede in those days ?

[@digeme69]

Not really as it was more for the crowds enjoyment(If you can call it that) to give them value for money!

[@ju.snooker]

36:25

[@andrewharman787]

Stephen - great uploads, many thanks. Do you have the remaining matches in this tournament?

[@digeme69]

Not at the moment but there is short footage of the final here on youtube kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJyQmICBpqZni5o

[@andrewharman787]

@@digeme69 cheers

[@carbonateddippingjam4970]

Interesting that the players didn't concede in those days. Thank goodness that's no longer the case.

[@digeme69]

I think it may have been more to the point that the matches were short and maybe it was more for entertainment

[@chrisbland6942]

It just wasn't the done thing in those days. If the match was a best of 7 then the paying audience expected to see seven complete frames. Early concessions would be construed as short changing them.

[@johnmc3862]

@@digeme69 Indeed, a televised match was probably rare enough.

[@dazburnside7340]

Presenter at the start looks like Fred Dineage

[@carbonateddippingjam4970]

That's because it is.

[@digeme69]

Says so in description of video :-)

[@chrisbland6942]

The great John Pulman, whowon his first World Championship in 1957 and held it until beaten by John Spencer in 1969. Fair to say he’s past his best here, or just out of form.

[@chrisbland6942]

@Montgomery15 Snooker Videos The professional game barely existed during that period but there's no doubting Pulman's authenticity as a great player. He came pretty close to beating Fred in the finals of 1955 and 56. He also staged an incredible recovery in the 1970 final against Reardon, 13-27 down to trail only 32-31. He even reached the semi-finals at the Crucible at the age of 53. It's just a pity the game turned into a closed shop in the mid-50's - Joe Davis was largely to blame for that - when some of the great amateurs of the day: Pat Houlihan, Cliff Wilson, Geoff Thompson, Ronnie Gross and the Owen brothers, could've breathed new life into the professional game.

[@garychapman4294]

When Pulman was commentating in the 80's the MC introduced him to the audience " He wasn't World Champion for 11 years for nothing ' "next to nothing ' Pulman injected

[@garychapman4294]

The first cue I had bought for me as 11 year old was a John Pulman Halex County two piece

[@chrisbland6942]

@@garychapman4294 I've still got one of those. It has four ornamental dots inset. Not bad cues really.

[@matthewlawrenson3628]

@@garychapman4294 Ironically, Pulman was pretty much the equal of Higgins in the sexual misadventure / drinking stakes. Though nowhere near of the fighting and destruction potential.

[@Inspiresa1]

Ted Lowe was a terrible commentator

[@williambriggs79]

Wow! I've never seen Pullman play before.

[@topneorej]

And you can see why...

[@flappospammo]

He wasn’t much cop was he ? Alex wiped the floor with him

[@mattwarrilow]

Wow northern snooker centre - what a place and history

[@joebragg3114]

think theyve still got those carpet tiles!

[@joebragg3114]

imagine how good higgins might have been were he to aim for each shot and stay on it before he went for the next one.

[@ethanberry9846]

Then i dont think you would have the same player and almost certainly wouldnt of got the name hurricane..