Imagine it’s 1984 and a veteran actor such as Donald Sutherland was interested in watching a frame of snooker. He turns up and watches perhaps one of the best frames of snooker he could ever hope to see, all while trying to understand what was exactly happening. Well, this was the case as the father of Jack Bauer bore witness to an absolute Instant Classic at the 1984 Masters.
It was the tenth edition of the Masters and the atmosphere was already lively as Kirk Stevens and Jimmy White went head-to-head to determine who would reach the final of the event. White was in the lead for the whole match, yet many will probably choose to remember the magic of the ninth frame. White broke off, and Stevens took care of the rest.
The break itself wasn’t exactly memorable in the sense that Stevens was constantly running out of position and had to make recovery pots. Instead, it was a well-constructed break where Stevens always had a grip on his cue ball control. There were two shots which stuck out to me during the maximum break.
Firstly, after splitting the reds, his shot on the ninth red was one that I don’t think we would see players attempt these days. Even if current players were on course for a 147, they most likely would play this next shot in order to play position for a baulk colour or the blue. Stevens, on the other hand, confidently played his shot to allow the cue ball to travel up and down the table to fall near the black.
The next shot and perhaps the most recognised in the break was the positional shot from green to brown as he was clearing the colours. After falling short of his intended destination following a rest shot on the yellow, Stevens found himself on the baulk line parallel to the green. The brown was above its spot and Stevens expertly judged the pacing of this shot to recoil off three cushions and fall near the brown. Four shots later and the roof came off the place.
This is still such a highlight to this day because it was only the third 147 made in competition by this point. Steve Davis and Cliff Thorburn were the only ones before Stevens to have accomplished this feat in a professional tournament. And after each shot, the anticipation of the crowd was palpable as they were witnessing a spectacle that had only been seen a couple of times before. The event, the players involved, the unforgettable white suit and the perfect break – an Instant Classic. White would go on to win the Masters that year as well as reach his first World Championship final.
Like this Short? Click here to read: Alex Higgins: The 69 Break – Instant Classic
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