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Steve James (snooker player)

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Sport country
  
Name
  
Steve James

Role
  
Snooker player

Career winnings
  
£758,213

Highest ranking
  
7

Century breaks
  
72


Steve James (snooker player) Snooker Memories on Twitter Steve James a future ranking event

Born
  
2 May 1961 (age 62) Cannock, Staffordshire (
1961-05-02
)

Highest break
  
143 (1999 UK Championship)

Professional
  
1986–2003, 2004–2006

Stephen "Steve" James (born 2 May 1961) is a retired English professional snooker player.

Contents

Tony knowles steve james jason weston


Career

A former postman, the high point of his career was his sole ranking title – the Mercantile Credit Classic in 1990, beating Australian Warren King 10–6 in the final. His world ranking peaked at number seven the following season, the best of his five seasons in the top sixteen.

On 14 April 1990, in his match against Alex Higgins at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, James became the first player to produce a 16-red total clearance in competitive play. In other words, he potted 16 reds and 16 colours consecutively, followed by all the coloured balls in order: a situation that was only possible because he was awarded a free ball before any red had been potted.

A year later he reached the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship, beating defending champion Stephen Hendry in the quarter-finals (it was six years before anyone else beat Hendry in the tournament: Ken Doherty in 1997). He was beaten in the semi-final by Jimmy White, with whom he shares his birthday (James is one year older).

James became wealthy through snooker, but was banned from driving in 1996, and in 1998 declared himself bankrupt after spending £700,000 on "fast living", even having to sell his practice table. His financial problems saw him turn to drinking heavily. A diabetic, James missed the British Open in 2004 due to a kidney infection.

He was the first player ever to score two centuries on his Crucible debut, including a 140, the second highest by a debutant of all time. In addition to 1991, he reached the quarter-finals on his debut in 1988, and the last 16 on three further occasions

Ranking wins: (1)

  • The Classic – 1990
  • Non-ranking wins: (1)

  • Pontins Professional – 1992
  • References

    Steve James (snooker player) Wikipedia