David Taylor, a semi-finalist in the 1980 World Championship, has entered the qualifiers for snooker's showpiece event some 30 years on.
Taylor, 66, will face Bournemouth's Paul Wykes in the first preliminary round at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield on February 26.
Known as 'The Silver Fox', Taylor was a mainstay of TV snooker in the boom years of the 1980s.
He turned professional in 1965 and competed on the circuit until 1997, spending ten seasons in the elite top 16 and attaining a highest ranking of seventh in the 1981/82 season.
His only ranking final appearance came at the 1982 Jameson International, where he lost 9-6 to Tony Knowles.
He is also the reason it says Dennis Taylor and not D. Taylor on the World Championship trophy.
In addition, Taylor was commentating - very excitedly - with John Pulman when Steve Davis compiled the first televised 147 break at the 1982 Lada Classic.
Since retiring, Taylor has run a guest house in Cheshire. He also had a brief spell on the WPBSA board.
19 comments:
It's great to see David back. He's a great personality, something that's sadly lacking from today's game.
I suspect David Taylor had black hair before he went on the board of the WPBSA but got the mandatory criticism from certain factions in the game and went grey overnight.
What's happened to Tony Knowles this year?
As a former member of "the Silver Fox fan club" it is good to have David back!
It is interesting to note that if David had won the decider in his 1982 world champs match with Patsy Fagan he would of reached a much higher world ranking - indeed a quarter final result that year would have moved him to 4th ahead of S Davis!
Can't see past him for the title. Absolute certainty
No wonder the journos say snooker is dieing when this is the latest news...
I remember Taylor had been in another final (losing 3-9 to Hendry) in the early 90's. Was it a ranking event?
to 1.13am. It isn't the latest news, it's a bit of light hearted fun. Something that some of the posters on here will find very hard to comprehend. Snooker isn't dying, let's see if you still think the same thing in a years time.
David Taylor was a real livewire, probably the reason snooker was so popular in the 80's.
I would think the re-emergence of Barry Hearn has woken this sleeping giant of the game and its credit to all concerned that he is back.
Always nice to see the old favourites - does this mean that players like David have kept paying membership fees over the years? Or do they have a kind of lifetime membership? About time they brought back the seniors world championship - complete with handicaps for players off the tour for the longer periods.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hi Dave
How are you! The Silver Fox was a fair player but of all the veterans of the eighties the one that lost his way was Tony Knowles.
Tony showed such a wonderful cue action, that all commentators especially Ole Jack and Steady Eddy repeatedly remarked on his “Beautiful Follow Through”. The amazing point is: Tony didn’t play with a follow through, but a lovely “Push through the ball Cue Action”.
The “Follow Through” was the in word of all coaches, and a must, for every learner. So all snooker commentators without exception used the expression on average fifty or sixty times each TV session recorded on snooker.
Tony Knowles heard the expression so often that he (Tony) started to play with a “Follow Through” action instead of his past natural cue action.
For the record: Follow Through is never mentioned now; nor excused for since shortly after the UK championship in York a few years back. Mr hey you
Anyone know where I can find a proper draw? The one of Global-Snooker and WorldSnooker are both messed up and hard to understand.
Sharting: The Fine Art Method of Follow Through.
A secret is not a secret if shared.
Mr Hey You...you don't half talk a load of balls...
It's entertaining drivel though!
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Mr 8:43, Hello Dave
Thanks mister for the compliment of “Entertaining Drivel” or was it “Balls”? My purpose in writing is always under the banner of the “Fine Art” snooker copyright.
Please notice mister that no one ever questions my “Claim to © fame” though the Dave Den blog is often visited by knowledgeable people seeking original Snooker “Know How”.
The right reverent Barry’s pledge of “Transparency” followed by “Complete Honesty” is (to me) a promise too far; as the integrity of the game has already been comprised for some time.
The infantile habit of “Closing our Eyes” and it will go away doesn’t work in adult life.
Mr hey you
The Fine Art copyright--Sorry
The word wrong mister is
Compromised. the word means to settle for half or part "Truth".
Mr hey you
"Follow through" vs "push through"... there seems little difference between these two concepts to me. Both of these involve moving the tip of the cue beyond the physical point at which the cueball is struck.
Care to elaborate on why the first one infringes your copyright and the second one doesn't?
My other question is - if you have a genuine copyright, why do you use an alias, Mr Hey You?
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
How are you lad! I am really sorry that you have dropped another couple of my posts as they were replies to Mr 7:10; I expect Dave it must be on borderline legality as opposed to unsavoury remarks I may have made.
The game is really based on the copycat principle of “Watch Me” and I’ll show you again, and don’t forget to follow through ,plus "Keep your head still".
I hope Dave that “The Mechanics of the balls” and the introduction of “Snooker Physics” will not require conformation from a gaggle of physicists. Mr hey you.
Dear Mr Hey You,
What a shame - you don't appear able to answer two very sensible questions. I am beginning to suspect that (shock horror) there is no secret to be wasted and (even more shock horror) there is no copyright!
Ah well...back to my old Steve Davis book on how to play snooker...
Mr. 7.10
im still a young guy only;40 now ,lol, loved snooker in the days yourself and the other legends were playing. always be in my memory , take care.
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