John Spencer
Snooker player
Died when: 70 years 296 days (849 months)Star Sign: Virgo
John Spencer (18 September 1935 – 11 July 2006) was an English professional snooker player who won the World Snooker Championship title at his first attempt in 1969, the year that the event reverted to a knockout tournament.
He won the world title for the second time in 1971, and was the first player to win the championship at the Crucible Theatre when it moved there in 1977.
Spencer was the inaugural winner of both the Masters and the Irish Masters tournaments, and was the first player to make a maximum 147 break in competition, although this is not recognised as an official maximum because the pockets on the table did not meet the required specifications.
Spencer was born in Radcliffe, Lancashire.He started national service when he was 18 years old, and did not then play snooker for 11 years.
He won the English Amateur Championship in 1966, before turning professional in February 1967.He won over twenty tournaments in all, including three editions of Pot Black.
His cue action included an unusually long backswing which gave him immense cue power, allowing him to develop shots using deep screw from long-distance and maximum side spin.
He was a snooker commentator for BBC television for 19 years, and chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for seven years.
Spencer's later playing career was blighted by the ocular version of myasthenia gravis, with symptoms including double vision.He died in a hospice in Bolton at the age of 70 from the effects of stomach cancer.
