John Smyth (snooker referee)
Encyclopedia
John Smyth was one of snooker
's leading referees in the 1970s and 1980s. He officiated in two World Snooker Championship
finals, including the first to be held at the Crucible Theatre
in 1977. The second came in 1982 when Alex Higgins
won his second world title. He also oversaw the match in which Kirk Stevens
compiled a maximum 147 break at the 1984 Wembley Masters.
driver. He was Piccadilly line
snooker champion six times, before becoming a referee in 1978. He retired from the circuit in 1996. Shortly afterwards, he looked back on his career and said "I spent 28 years on the Underground, but gave it all up when snooker began to get big on television
. John Street
, John Williams
, and myself, got more and more work as the circuit grew. In the end, my employers saw more of me on TV than they did at work. People told me it was daft to give up the Tube, and that I'd never earn a living from snooker. They said it would never last on TV, but they were wrong."
In 1977, Smyth was instrumental in the formation of the Professional Referees' Association, and was PRA president at the time of his death in 2007. He died of cancer at the age of 78 on 4 January 2007 at his home in Chesterfield
.
one of his career highlights.
"I'd got to know Kirk when he first came over", Smyth remembered in 1998. "He didn't have much money, so I used to drive him to the exhibitions around the country for about 18 months, while he got himself settled. "There were something like 2,500 people packed into the arena, some of them standing. Kirk and Jimmy were such popular players that the atmosphere was incredible. It was like nothing else."
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 :...
's leading referees in the 1970s and 1980s. He officiated in two 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...
finals, including the first to be held at the Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
in 1977. The second came in 1982 when 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...
won his second world title. He also oversaw the match in which Kirk Stevens
Kirk Stevens
Kirk Stevens is a Canadian professional snooker player.Stevens started playing young, achieving his first aged just 12. He turned professional aged 20, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship aged 21...
compiled a maximum 147 break at the 1984 Wembley Masters.
Background
Born in Ireland, Smyth worked as a London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
driver. He was Piccadilly line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
snooker champion six times, before becoming a referee in 1978. He retired from the circuit in 1996. Shortly afterwards, he looked back on his career and said "I spent 28 years on the Underground, but gave it all up when snooker began to get big on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. John Street
John Street (snooker referee)
John Street was a professional snooker referee. He refereed at all the major televised tournaments beginning in the 1970s up until his retirement. His final match was at the 1997 Benson and Hedges Masters final when Steve Davis defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 after trailing 8-4...
, John Williams
John Williams (snooker referee)
John Williams is a retired Welsh snooker referee. He presided over eleven World Championship finals, including the 1985 final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis.-Early life:...
, and myself, got more and more work as the circuit grew. In the end, my employers saw more of me on TV than they did at work. People told me it was daft to give up the Tube, and that I'd never earn a living from snooker. They said it would never last on TV, but they were wrong."
In 1977, Smyth was instrumental in the formation of the Professional Referees' Association, and was PRA president at the time of his death in 2007. He died of cancer at the age of 78 on 4 January 2007 at his home in Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
.
Experiences
He officiated at the first 13 Masters events in London, with Stevens' maximum against Jimmy WhiteJimmy White
James Warren "Jimmy" White MBE is an English professional snooker player. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind" and popularly referred to as the "People's Champion", White is a multiple World Championship finalist renowned for losing each of the six finals he contested.White's extensive list of achievements,...
one of his career highlights.
"I'd got to know Kirk when he first came over", Smyth remembered in 1998. "He didn't have much money, so I used to drive him to the exhibitions around the country for about 18 months, while he got himself settled. "There were something like 2,500 people packed into the arena, some of them standing. Kirk and Jimmy were such popular players that the atmosphere was incredible. It was like nothing else."