Maximum Glory creates snooker history

Crucible History Created
By
David John Stevenson

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Cliff Thorburn’s epic 147 at the Crucible theatre. Since then there have been seven maximums made at the world snooker championships but one man has become Sheffield’s maximum king.

Steve Davis may have dominated the event in the 1980s and Stephen Hendry in the 1990s but it is the 2001-2004 World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan who has dominated the stage with the magic of the maximums.

In 1997 as a raw talent against Mick Price he compiled the first of his maximum hat trick at the theatre of dreams. To this day it is the fastest recorded televised 147 compiled in 5 minutes 30 seconds.

Then in 2003 in his first round match against Marco Fu he made the second of his triplets, the surprise was that he walked away with £157,000 for the highest break and a maximum but he was knocked out by Fu in the last 32.

Now in 2008 he did it again this time in the last 16 against former World Champion Mark Williams in the frame to give him the match.

Also by adding this new jewel to his maximum crown it brought the ninth game of perfection to his professional career surpassing seven time world champion Stephen Hendry who is now second in the list with a respective 8.

As well as this he pocketed £157,000, but created history again by being the first man to make three maximums in a season. The first being against Ali Carter in the Welsh Open, the deciding frame against Mark Selby in the Semi-Finals of the UK Championship and finally topped off with his maximum glory against Williams at the world championship.

In his post match interview O’Sullivan played the praise down saying: “It’s a great feeling and I’m very happy but to get one at Sheffield is fantastic.”

One other historical moment O’Sullivan has put in the record books is that he is the first man in ranking tournaments to knock in the magic number twice in a season to clinch the match winning frame. The first time was against Mark Selby to win 9-8 to reach the UK Final which he won but also at the Crucible to defeat Mark Williams 13-7.

Also this year Cliff Thorburn has come across from his native Canada to Sheffield to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of his maiden 147 at the crucible. It seems rather fitting that twenty five years on that the magic 147 has come around yet again.


Maximums at the Crucible
Cliff Thorburn (1983)
Jimmy White ( 1992)
Stephen Hendry ( 1995)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1997)
Ronnie O’ Sullivan (2003)
Mark Williams (2005)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2008)