Jackie Rea
Encyclopedia
Jack 'Jackie' Rea is a retired snooker
player from Northern Ireland
.
Rea was born in Dungannon
, County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. He won every Northern Irish professional snooker title from 1947 to 1971 (except once in 1952) until the emergence of Alex Higgins
and Dennis Taylor
.
His best performance was winning the 1955 News of the World Championship beating Joe Davis
in the final. He was also runner up in the 1957 World Matchplay Championship losing to John Pulman
.
He was one of the original players in the Pot Black
series from 1969. Rea was in his prime during a period when snooker players had to rely on exhibition bookings for their income. He made his exhibitions attractive by using comedy during them, thereby influencing later players such as John Virgo
and Dennis Taylor
.
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 :...
player from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Rea was born in Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He won every Northern Irish professional snooker title from 1947 to 1971 (except once in 1952) until the emergence of Alex Higgins
Alex Higgins
Alexander Gordon "Alex" Higgins , also known by his nickname of Hurricane Higgins, was a Northern Irish professional snooker player who was twice World Champion and twice runner-up. Higgins earned the nickname The Hurricane because of his speed of play...
and Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Winner of two ranking events, he is best known for winning the 1985 World Championship, beating World number one Steve Davis on the final black in one of the sport's most memorable finals...
.
His best performance was winning the 1955 News of the World Championship beating Joe Davis
Joe Davis
Joe Davis, OBE was a British professional player of snooker and English billiards....
in the final. He was also runner up in the 1957 World Matchplay Championship losing to John Pulman
John Pulman
John Pulman was an English professional snooker player who dominated the game throughout the 1960s....
.
He was one of the original players in the Pot Black
Pot Black
Pot Black was a British series of snooker tournaments televised by BBC, that played a large part in the popularisation of the modern game, from 1969 to 1986. The event was revived in the form of several one-off tournaments throughout the 1990s and up to 2007...
series from 1969. Rea was in his prime during a period when snooker players had to rely on exhibition bookings for their income. He made his exhibitions attractive by using comedy during them, thereby influencing later players such as John Virgo
John Virgo
John Virgo is an English former professional snooker player and more recently a snooker commentator and TV personality.- Career :...
and Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Winner of two ranking events, he is best known for winning the 1985 World Championship, beating World number one Steve Davis on the final black in one of the sport's most memorable finals...
.
Tournament wins
- Northern Ireland Professional Champion 1947–49, 1951–72
- News of the World ChampionshipNews of the World ChampionshipThe News of the World Championship was the premium snooker tournament of the 1950s and widely considered as being more important than the world championship due to the involvement of Joe Davis.-History:...
1955