On the 20 June, 1974, the Australian professional snooker and billiards player, Horace Lindrum, passed away. 

Born Horace Norman William Morrell in 1912 in Paddington, Sydney. New South Wales.

Horace made his first snooker century at the age of 16, and in 1934, won the Australian Professional Billiards Championship, defeating his uncle Fred who had held the title since 1908.

Lindrum arrived in England in 1935 and stayed until his return to Australia in1939. On his arrival he played a week-long billiards match against Tom Newman at Thurston’s Hall, which he won by 8,348 to 7,883 after conceding Newman a 2,000 head start.

Lindrum, who made over a 1,000 century breaks in his career, was regarded the second best snooker player in the world behind Joe Davis, and played in the major British tournaments, including three World Championship finals against Davis, in 1936,1937 and 1946, losing all three.

In 1952 Lindrum comfortably won the 145-frame World Championship, Lindrum by 94–49, which was only contested by himself and New Zealander, Clark McConachy, following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players’ Association (PBPA) and the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC).

Lindrum died at the Delmar Private Hospital, Dee Why, Sydney from bronchial carcinoma aged 62.

20 June, 2019