A View from the 50's...
The Billiard player 1950
A view of a Leicestershire rising star, as it first appeared in the 'The Billiard Player' of July 1950.
A LEICESTERSHIRE STAR - REGINALD C WRIGHT,
of Barwell, is not as well known in billiards circles outside his own county, as he deserves to be.
He was born at Earl Shilton in 1915, and learned the game at the Social Institute where his father was steward.
He was then 11. At 14 he made his first hundred and his father engaged a coach for him. Wright then began working in a local hosiery
factory, and used to get up at 5 to practice before starting work at 8. Every spare minute he could find he spent on the table.
At 16, he made his first 200, and about that time, Walter Lindrum and Joe Davis played a match at Leicester.
Wright was fascinated by the magical close-cannon play and began to practise this phase of the game.
In the same year, he had the distinction of opposing the famous Australian in an exhibition match at Earl Shilton.
Wright entered the Amateur Championship - he had made such progress - in 1932-3 (aged 17) and put up a fine fight against none other than
Frank Edwards, losing only by 396, 1,127 - 1,523, and making breaks of 98 and 88, average 12.82 and 17.83.
The following year he again competed and met another famous player J. H. Beetham (semi-final Nottingham Area).
The result was; Wright 1,073 (17.5, breaks 117, 96);
Beetham 847 (13.7). In the Final he beat W. H. Starr, 1,973 - 1,962, best break, 89. In London (C.P.), Wright beat W. J. Thorne
(Torquay) 2,518 - 1,544 and in the next round again came up against Edwards, who, however, was in great form and with 8 centuries
(highest, 202) won by 3,187 - 2,050. Wright's best being 102 and 99.
This was the year of the amateur record for nurseries, 103 (Sydney Lee).
In 1939, Wright's brother was called up, and he himself got married, so opportunities for serious play dwindled, and he had little
till after the war.
His brother was boy champion, and also Leicestershire champion, at the age of 16. He now lives at Boston, and
made a break of 243 recently.
Reginald Wright intends to enter for the Amateur Championship this year, and hopes, to quote his
words, to "give a better account of himself". Most players would be glad to do as well!
Here are some of his best achievements:-
Hinckly & District Championship (at 15); breaks of 324, at 16, and 384 at 17.
Leicestershire Champion several times, made the record break, 208, in 1933. At 19, Wright won the "News Chronicle"
Challenge Cup with a break of 449.
At age of 20, made (his highest) break, 525, in 25 minutes. He had a run 160 close-cannons in a break of 380. In a thousand-up, made breaks of
345, 245, 234. Best break in match play; 408 at Nottingham against J. H. Beetham. Has scored 1,000 points in an hour's play.
Made 350 and 280 in consecutive visits, also five 100 breaks in 30 minutes. In 55 minutes scored 711 points, with consecutive
breaks of 79, 345 & 274 (average 177).
All these breaks were made in exhibition matches. In 1949 Wright reached the Final of the
Individual Club & Institute Championship at first attempt, losing to Victor Muff, after a great struggle (best breaks: Muff, 123 ;
Wright, 124).
In a recent exhibition game (against Beetham), Wright scored 680 to 87 in 1½ hours, with breaks of 146, 120, 111, 89,
66 & 64.
A remarkable record! Billiards enthusiasts will look forward to Wright's re-appearance in the Championship.
More on the Wright family can be found at -
A Family History