During this year’s World Snooker Championship, we’ll be recalling some of the most memorable moments that took place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
In 1992, Jimmy White headed to the Crucible in arguably the best form of his career and again in search of the trophy that would ultimately become elusive from his grasp.
The “Whirlwind” narrowly lost in the final of the UK Championship just before the turn of the new year and continued that kind of form with ranking event triumphs in both the British and European Opens in February and March.
In the previous decade, White had already been involved in plenty of dramatic moments in the sport’s spiritual home but the ones worth remembering usually involved White on the receiving end – like Alex Higgins’ wonder break in 1982, or Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry inflicting more pain on his attempt to land the holy grail.
On April 22nd of 1992, White gave himself and his army of fans a precious frame to savour by becoming only the second player in the tournament’s history to compile a 147.
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Against close pal Tony Drago in the first round that year, the then 29 year-old potted 15 reds and 15 blacks to set up the opportunity and, even though he typically provided a few additional nerves to keep his supporters either on the edge of their seats or behind the covers, duly sunk the remaining colours for the maximum.
It would prove to be White’s only career 147 in competitive play, to date at least, but he could hardly have saved it for a more fitting setting.
A lot of reminiscence on White’s illustrious career focuses on the near misses and his failure to lift the World Championship title but it’s important to remember his accomplishments too – of which there are many, with this 147 ranking high up on the list.
This article has been updated and was originally published on April 22nd, 2018.
