32 Facts About Ray Reardon

Raymond Reardon was a Welsh professional snooker player who dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning the World Snooker Championship six times and claiming more than a dozen other professional titles.

Until his mid-thirties, Reardon worked as a coal miner and then as a police officer while pursuing snooker at an amateur level.

Ray Reardon turned professional in 1967 and became World Champion in 1970,1973,1974,1975,1976, and 1978; he was runner-up in 1982.

In 1978, Ray Reardon became the oldest world snooker champion, aged 45 years and 203 days, a record that he held until the 2022 event, when Ronnie O'Sullivan won his seventh world title at the age of 46 years and 148 days.

Ray Reardon remains the oldest player to win a ranking event, which he accomplished in 1982, aged 50 years and 14 days.

Ray Reardon retired from professional competition in 1991, aged 58, never having achieved a maximum break in tournament play; his highest in competition was 146.

Ray Reardon mentored O'Sullivan in preparation for his 2004 World Championship campaign, helping him lift his second world title.

The son of Ben and Cynthia Ray Reardon, he was born on 8 October 1932 in the coal mining community of Tredegar in Monmouthshire, Wales.

Ray Reardon primarily played English billiards rather than snooker, which, according to authors Luke Williams and Paul Gadsby, helped improve his control of the and his.

Ray Reardon wore white gloves while mining, to protect his hands for snooker.

Ray Reardon made his first century break on his 17th birthday.

In 1949, Ray Reardon won the News of the World Amateur title and was awarded an ash cue stick, presented to him by 15-time world snooker champion, Joe Davis.

Ray Reardon used this cue for almost 30 years until it came apart shortly after the 1978 World Championship final.

Ray Reardon played a fellow Tredegar resident, Cliff Wilson, in a succession of and faced him several times in amateur tournaments.

That victory in 1964 led to an invitation to tour South Africa with Jonathan Barron, which proved so successful that Ray Reardon was offered the opportunity to return and tour again as a professional.

Ray Reardon returned there after having resigned from the police force and turned professional in 1967.

Charlton took the 60th frame to tie the match but Ray Reardon won the vital 61st frame to secure the world title for the third successive year.

Aged 45 years and 203 days, Ray Reardon was the oldest winner of the World Snooker Championship, a record that lasted until 2022 when Ronnie O'Sullivan won the title aged 46 years and 148 days.

At the Professional Players Tournament, Ray Reardon set a record as the oldest winner of a ranking tournament at the age of 50 years and 14 days.

Ray Reardon lost to John Campbell in the first round of the 1986 World Championship, and to Davis in the second round in 1987.

In 1985, Ray Reardon left his wife Sue, with whom he had two children, to live with Carol Covington.

Ray Reardon told reporters from the Daily Mirror that Sue had been "fully informed" of his eight-year affair with Covington.

Aged 58 and having slipped to 127th in the provisional rankings, Ray Reardon halted his playing career, mentioning that he had not entered any tournaments for the following season because the qualifying event dates clashed with his exhibition commitments on the holiday camp circuit, but adding that "even if it were feasible, [he] wouldn't play" except in invitation or seniors events.

Ray Reardon advised Ronnie O'Sullivan on the way to his 2004 World Championship victory, giving him psychological and tactical help.

In January 1976, Ray Reardon was the subject of an episode of the British TV show, This is Your Life, the guests including Spencer, Charlton, Higgins, Pulman, Miles, Thorburn, Jackie Rea and Joyce Gardner.

Ray Reardon appeared on the snooker-themed game show Big Break several times.

Ray Reardon was a castaway on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in 1979, and chose a set of golf clubs and balls as his luxury item.

Spencer stated in his autobiography that he was never friendly with Ray Reardon, and suggested that he was "the sort of person who could laugh 24 hours a day if it was to his advantage".

Ray Reardon was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 Birthday Honours for services to snooker.

Ray Reardon resided in Devon, and was the president of the golf club in Churston, a position that he had held since 2001, having been a member since the 1970s.

Ray Reardon made a playing appearance at a Snooker Legends evening in Plymouth in July 2010.

Ray Reardon died of cancer on 19 July 2024, at the age of 91.