Snooker’s greatest stars have told their stories in a new book exploring the sport’s history – written by one of its leading broadcasters.
Commentator David Hendon’s new book “Pots of Gold” was released for sale at the end of September.
The book gives an insightful take on some of the key stages in snooker’s story. Starting from its early working-class upbringing and to becoming a global sport with millions of prize money on offer.
Hendon has been involved in snooker for decades as a writer, journalist, commentator and podcast host. He is now a household name within the sport to many fans across the world.
During a special appearance on World Snooker Tour’s official podcast “Snooker Club”, Hendon said the book is not a “Wikipedia result list”. But one of interviews, insight and stories.
It tells the story of snooker’s early days and reminisces the days of the “snooker boom” in the 1980s. This was when the sport became hugely popular off the back of the introduction of colour TV.
Contributors include Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Virgo, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson – and many more.
Hendon said: “It’s very much speaking to a lot of the people that have been involved. And a lot of players and former players.
“It’s their stories about being there. What it was like to win the World Championship. What was it like to be part of that UK boom (in the 1980s). There’s a lot of personal stories. It also tells the story how it started as a very British game and now been exported to the world.”
David Hendon – ‘Snooker owes Joe Davis’
In addition, Hendon also paid tribute to Joe Davis – snooker’s first ever world champion and dominant player between the 1920s and 40s. The commentator said Davis wrote the rule book of snooker, got it going and that the sport “owed him”.
Hendon said: “Joe Davis the first world champion tried to get the World Championship up and running (but) billiards was the big sport in those days. He wrote to them (the billiards governors) and said ‘I think snooker could take off’ and they said ‘well we don’t’.
“Thankfully he persevered or otherwise we would not be sat here now. In the early he days, he ran it. And he didn’t have anyone to learn from – he didn’t have TV. We owe him a lot.”
BBC snooker presenter Hazel Irvine has hailed the book a “terrific piece of work, bursting with colourful stories and observations about a sport loved by so many”.
Pots of Gold is on sale now. It is published by Swift Press.
