Bill Werbeniuk
Encyclopedia
William Alexander "Bill" Werbeniuk (icon; 14 January 1947 – 20 January 2003) was a Canadian
professional snooker
and pool player. Recognisable for his girth
, he was nicknamed "Big Bill". Werbeniuk pioneered the style of shot in which a is hit powerfully, with the hit enough to all the way back into .
Werbeniuk was noted for the copious amounts of alcohol he consumed before and during matches – up to 30 pints of lager per day. He said that he generally drank around six pints of lager before a match and then one pint for each frame. He said he did this to counteract familial benign essential tremor
. Later in his career he also took propranolol, a beta blocker
to cope with the effects of his alcohol consumption on his heart.
A memorable incident occurred during a televised World Championship Match against David Taylor
at the Crucible. Werbeniuk attempted to stretch across the table, but due to his size was having some difficulty. Eventually, the inevitable happened and he split his trousers. The ripping noise it made caused many in the audience, including his opponent, to laugh out loud. Werbeniuk took it in good humour, asking the audience "who did that?" as if insinuating that the noise was attributed to flatulence.
In another instance, playing against Joe Johnson
, Werbeniuk made what the announcer termed the "pot of the century" when he a long red by the cue ball so that it bounced in front of and over an interposing red, knocking the red in. Later in the , he got an unusual , when he missed a simple to the corner, but it out of the pocket, off the opposite cushion and into the on the same side.
Werbeniuk was ranked
as high as 8th in the world in 1983 and reached the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship
four times before propranolol was banned in snooker competition, as it was classified as a performance-enhancing drug by the International Olympic Committee
, the anti-doping rules of which were adopted by World Snooker because snooker is expected to become an Olympic sport. Werbeniuk insisted that his use was medicinal only and under doctor's orders, but was fined and sanctioned anyway. He played his last professional snooker match in 1990. A bankruptcy
order was made against him in 1991. Towards the end of his life, he played professional pool, as propranolol is not forbidden by the World Pool-Billiard Association
and other pool governing bodies.
He died of heart failure on 20 January 2003, six days after his 56th birthday.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
and pool player. Recognisable for his girth
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, he was nicknamed "Big Bill". Werbeniuk pioneered the style of shot in which a is hit powerfully, with the hit enough to all the way back into .
Werbeniuk was noted for the copious amounts of alcohol he consumed before and during matches – up to 30 pints of lager per day. He said that he generally drank around six pints of lager before a match and then one pint for each frame. He said he did this to counteract familial benign essential tremor
Essential tremor
Essential tremor is a slowly progressive neurological disorder whose most recognizable feature is a tremor of the arms that is apparent during voluntary movements such as eating and writing...
. Later in his career he also took propranolol, a beta blocker
Beta blocker
Beta blockers or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, beta-adrenergic antagonists, beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists or beta antagonists, are a class of drugs used for various indications. They are particularly for the management of cardiac arrhythmias, cardioprotection after myocardial infarction ,...
to cope with the effects of his alcohol consumption on his heart.
A memorable incident occurred during a televised World Championship Match against David Taylor
David Taylor (snooker player)
David Taylor is a semi-retired English professional snooker player. He won the World and English Amateur Championships in 1968, before the success of those wins encouraged him to turn professional. Although an excellent player, Taylor never quite reached the very top of the game...
at the Crucible. Werbeniuk attempted to stretch across the table, but due to his size was having some difficulty. Eventually, the inevitable happened and he split his trousers. The ripping noise it made caused many in the audience, including his opponent, to laugh out loud. Werbeniuk took it in good humour, asking the audience "who did that?" as if insinuating that the noise was attributed to flatulence.
In another instance, playing against Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson (snooker player)
Joe Johnson is an English former professional snooker player. He is best known as the surprise winner of the 1986 World Championship.- Career :...
, Werbeniuk made what the announcer termed the "pot of the century" when he a long red by the cue ball so that it bounced in front of and over an interposing red, knocking the red in. Later in the , he got an unusual , when he missed a simple to the corner, but it out of the pocket, off the opposite cushion and into the on the same side.
Werbeniuk was ranked
Snooker world rankings
The snooker world rankings are the official system of ranking professional snooker players to determine automatic qualification and seeding for tournaments on the World Snooker Tour. They are maintained by the sport's governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association...
as high as 8th in the world in 1983 and reached the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
four times before propranolol was banned in snooker competition, as it was classified as a performance-enhancing drug by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, the anti-doping rules of which were adopted by World Snooker because snooker is expected to become an Olympic sport. Werbeniuk insisted that his use was medicinal only and under doctor's orders, but was fined and sanctioned anyway. He played his last professional snooker match in 1990. A bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
order was made against him in 1991. Towards the end of his life, he played professional pool, as propranolol is not forbidden by the World Pool-Billiard Association
World Pool-Billiard Association
The World Pool-Billiard Association is the international governing body for pocket billiards . The group was formed in 1987, and was initially headed by a provisional board of directors consisting of representatives from Japan, the United States, Sweden, and Germany...
and other pool governing bodies.
He died of heart failure on 20 January 2003, six days after his 56th birthday.
External links
- Werbeniuk's profile at Global Snooker Centre