By Elliott West
Introduction
Sport often produces upsets and snooker is no exception. In 1982, Steve Davis looked favourite to take the World Championship for a second year in a row. Davis had sensationally won his first title in 1981, playing some blistering snooker and denying Doug Mountjoy of the trophy by beating him 18-12. However no one would have predicted what would ensue in his first round match at the Crucible against Tony Knowles. Now dubbed the ‘Crucible Curse’, so called because the champion is able to retain his title, Davis had to accept a painful 10-1 defeat, a defeat that would take many years to come to terms with.
The First Round Thriller
Davis surrendered his world crown as Knowles proved that the daydreams of aspiring players can come true if they work hard enough at their games. Davis’s year as champion had made him Britain’s highest paid sportsman but like every other champion since the event moved to the Crucible in 1977, his twelve month term of office was not to be extended.
The jinx of the Crucible may be more the jinx of being world champion. The transition from sportsman to superstar for twelve months brings toils that no one had yet able to pay.
The year in the life of Steve Davis since he left the Crucible theatre in 1981 had been one of constant travel, constant public appearances and constant pressure. Some of those pressures may not have been self imposed – or management imposed. The desire to make the most of his fame and public appeal involved him in a great deal of show business style razzmatazz which gave him little time to be himself, to think or remain aware of who he was or what he was becoming.
Davis’s pre-tournament preparation had given him no time to think or even remain aware of who he was or what he was becoming. Steve’s pre-tournament preparation had given no time for self-consideration or analysis. In addition to his usual round of matches, exhibitions and sundry appearances, he had been promoting his new instructional book.
“Before last year’s championship I was travelling even more. What makes me say I wasn’t affected is that I have enjoyed it so much” said Davis after his defeat but even that remark gives the game away : he had come to rely less on the game for enjoyment than on the by-products his skills had achieved. Exposed to a wider variety of experiences than he used to be, he inevitably compromised the standards of dedication and preparation which earned him snooker’s number one position.
Knowles obeyed the golden rules of big occasion snooker: don’t miss anything easy: don’t do anything stupid. His performance was thoroughly competent; his mental attitude in accepting the chance for media glory presented by Davis’s lack of form was admirable. Davis, drained dry by his accumulation of pressures, tried his hardest but he was only the husk of the dominant figure he had been in early season.
Summary
Tony Knowles’ win against Steve Davis in the first round of the 1982 World Championship was a surprise but not a total surprise. This lad from Bolton had been knocking on success’s door for some time. He may have been a pin up off the table but on it, he was ruthless and was an opponent that many feared being drawn against. Knowles made it to the quarter-finals in 1982, losing to Eddie Charlton 13-11. Perhaps this loss just fired Steve Davis up because he went on to dominate the tour for the majority of the 1980s, winning tournaments in their droves.
