Jack Karnehm
Encyclopedia
Jack Karnehm was a British
snooker
commentator, who was regularly heard on BBC
television from 1978 until 1993, and a former amateur world champion and professional national champion at the game of English billiards
.
karnehmwas also a profesional snooker and billiards player.
Besides his commentary, perhaps his major contribution to the game was his development of the swivel-lens glasses, which enabled Dennis Taylor
to win the World Snooker Championship in 1985
. These were spectacles which were set at a compensatory angle, so the player could look along the shot through the optical centre of the lens.
The originals had been designed by Theodore Hamblin, and pioneered by Fred Davis in 1938. Karnehm, who had served a five-year spectacle-making apprenticeship, made many pairs in his family business, but his upside-down design was a considerable improvement - it offered wider peripheral vision - and helped Taylor win the 1985 world title. It has helped countless players since.
Despite being best known to snooker audiences, Karnehm's passion was billiards. As a non-professional player, he was a ten-time London Amateur Billiards Champion, and also won the English Amateur Billiards Championship in 1969. That October, he took the World Amateur Champion title.
Karnehm turned professional in 1970, reaching the world finals in 1971 and 1973, losing to Leslie Driffield and Rex Williams
respectively.
In 1980, Karnehm beat Williams to win the UK Billiards Championship, his only professional title.
Karnehm also turned professional in snooker in 1971, his best result came losing 5-4 to chris ross in the uk championship of 1977
Karnehm was also a noted snooker coach and in 1985 released an instructional video, Understanding Modern Snooker.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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 :...
commentator, who was regularly heard on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television from 1978 until 1993, and a former amateur world champion and professional national champion at the game of English billiards
English billiards
English billiards, called simply billiards in many former British colonies and in Great Britain where it originated, is a hybrid form of carom and pocket billiards played on a billiard table. Billiards is less well known as "the English game", "the all-in game" and "the common game".The game is for...
.
karnehmwas also a profesional snooker and billiards player.
Besides his commentary, perhaps his major contribution to the game was his development of the swivel-lens glasses, which enabled 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...
to win the World Snooker Championship in 1985
1985 World Snooker Championship final
The 1985 World Snooker Championship final, commonly known as the black ball final, was played on the weekend of 27/28 April 1985 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It was contested between defending World Champion Steve Davis and Northern Irishman Dennis Taylor, appearing in his second...
. These were spectacles which were set at a compensatory angle, so the player could look along the shot through the optical centre of the lens.
The originals had been designed by Theodore Hamblin, and pioneered by Fred Davis in 1938. Karnehm, who had served a five-year spectacle-making apprenticeship, made many pairs in his family business, but his upside-down design was a considerable improvement - it offered wider peripheral vision - and helped Taylor win the 1985 world title. It has helped countless players since.
Despite being best known to snooker audiences, Karnehm's passion was billiards. As a non-professional player, he was a ten-time London Amateur Billiards Champion, and also won the English Amateur Billiards Championship in 1969. That October, he took the World Amateur Champion title.
Karnehm turned professional in 1970, reaching the world finals in 1971 and 1973, losing to Leslie Driffield and Rex Williams
Rex Williams
Rex Williams , son of Minnie Roberts and William Williams, is a retired English professional snooker and billiards player.Williams was an excellent junior player in both snooker and billiards. His professional career began in 1951, during a period of decline in snooker...
respectively.
In 1980, Karnehm beat Williams to win the UK Billiards Championship, his only professional title.
Karnehm also turned professional in snooker in 1971, his best result came losing 5-4 to chris ross in the uk championship of 1977
Karnehm was also a noted snooker coach and in 1985 released an instructional video, Understanding Modern Snooker.