By Elliott West
Introduction
Born in 1912, Leslie Driffield was an English World Champion player of billiards. He won the World Amateur Billiards Championship title twice, in 1952 and 1967 and the Billiards and Snooker Control Council version of the World Professional Championship, played on a challenge basis, in 1971 and 1973.
Career
Leslie started playing billiards at 12 and by the age of 13 was making century breaks. Driffield took up a career as an executive, working at Ellerby Foundry. Away from work, he nurtured his skill for billiards, practicing on a 6 x 3 table at home and then playing and practicing at the YMCA for 23 years. Coached by George Nelson, Leslie went on to win his first English Amateur Championship and then won the Yorkshire Championship in 1937, 1938, 1950 and 1951 and the Leeds Championship in 1949.
In his 1952 English Amateur Championship final, Leslie played Herbert Beetham, a mineral water manufacturer. 98 points behind, Driffield’s cue tip fell off and he had to use a reserve cue. The game seemed lost with Leslie only scoring 31 points in first six visits to the table but Driffield then dug deep and fought back, scoring a 142 break, leaving him 174 points behind at the end of the first session. Reconvening, Driffield miraculously won the final by 101 points, 2,894-2,793.
Known for his concentration and tenacity as a player, Leslie Driffield was a Captain in the Royal Engineers during World War Two and his skills payed off when he was chosen to play in Calcutta, India in the 1952 World Championship. He was the only player in the tournament to win all his matches, netting 8,538 points for and 4,254 points against, raising the trophy as a result. India seemed to be this player’s lucky charm because before leaving the country, he went on to win the all-India Billiards Championship, beating William Ramage of Scotland, 3002-2256 and also won the all-India Snooker Championship. Laden with a tranche of trophies, Driffield had to leave the originals in India in fear of having problems getting them through customs. He had to instead, take replicas of them back to the United Kingdom. Leslie went on to win numerous titles including the 1967 World Championship in Columbo, where he was again, unbeaten.
Career Titles
- English Amateur billiards champion 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1967
- 1952 World Amateur Billiards Champion
- 1958 World Amateur Billiards Championship runner-up
- 1967 World Amateur Billiards Champion
- 1971 World Professional Billiards Champion (Challenge basis, Billiards and Snooker Control Council)
- 1973 World Professional Billiards Champion (Challenge basis, Billiards and Snooker Control Council)
Summary
Leslie Driffield was a master of craft and had an illustrious career as a billiards player. Driffield was a grinder and never feared being behind in a match, often clawing the match back and taking the title. This man was still winning titles in the 1970s, proving a longevity in this cue sport and was actively playing billiards into his old age. Driffield passed away in 1988, aged 76.
