# Steve James (snooker player)

Stephen James (born 2 May 1961 in Cannock) is an English retired professional snooker player.

## Career

James became a professional snooker player in 1986 based on his results in the Professional Ticket Tournaments in 1985. A former postman, the high point of his career was his sole ranking title – the Classic in 1990, beating Australian Warren King 10–6 in the final. His world ranking peaked at number seven the following season, the best of his five seasons in the top sixteen.
On 14 April 1990, in his match against Alex Higgins at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, James became the first player to produce a 16-red total clearance in competitive play. In other words, he potted 16 reds and 16 colours consecutively, followed by all the coloured balls in order: a situation that was only possible because he was awarded a free ball before any red had been potted.
A year later he reached the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship, beating defending champion Stephen Hendry in the quarter-finals. He was defeated in the semi-final by Jimmy White.
James became wealthy through snooker, but was banned from driving in 1996, and in 1998 declared himself bankrupt after spending £700,000 on "fast living", even having to sell his practice table. His financial problems saw him turn to drinking heavily. A diabetic, James missed the British Open in 2004 due to a kidney infection.

## Performance and rankings timeline

| Tournament | 1986/ 87 | 1987/ 88 | 1988/ 89 | 1989/ 90 | 1990/ 91 | 1991/ 92 | 1992/ 93 | 1993/ 94 | 1994/ 95 | 1995/ 96 | 1996/ 97 | 1997/ 98 | 1998/ 99 | 1999/ 00 | 2000/ 01 | 2001/ 02 | 2002/ 03 | 2003/ 04 | 2004/ 05 | 2005/ 06 |
| Ranking | | 66 | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 37 | 44 | 64 | 62 | | | | 85 |
| Ranking tournaments |||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Prix | LQ | 1R | 2R | 1R | SF | 3R | 3R | 3R | 1R | SF | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | A | A | LQ | LQ |
| UK Championship | LQ | LQ | 2R | 1R | 2R | QF | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | LQ | LQ | A | A | LQ | LQ |
| Malta Cup | Not Held | Not Held | 1R | SF | 3R | 2R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 2R | LQ | NH | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | LQ | A | A | LQ | A |
| Welsh Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | QF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | A | 1R | WD |
| China Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | LQ | WD |
| World Championship | LQ | QF | 1R | 2R | SF | 1R | 2R | 2R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A |
| Non-ranking tournaments |||||||||||||||||||||
| Pot Black | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | 1R | SF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A |
| The Masters | A | A | A | 1R | QF | 1R | QF | QF | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | A | LQ | A | A |
| Former ranking tournaments |||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Masters | NR | NR | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Hong Kong Open | NR | NR | NH | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Classic | LQ | 1R | 2R | W | 1R | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Strachan Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Dubai Classic | Not Held | Not Held | NR | 3R | 2R | SF | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| German Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | LQ | 2R | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Malta Grand Prix | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Thailand Masters | NR | NR | Not Held | Not Held | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | NR | Not Held | Not Held |
| Scottish Open | LQ | 3R | SF | 3R | Not Held | Not Held | 3R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | LQ | A | A | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| British Open | 2R | 2R | 1R | SF | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ | A | A | WD | NH |
| Irish Masters | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | A | A | LQ | NH |
| Former non-ranking tournaments |||||||||||||||||||||
| English Professional Championship | 2R | LQ | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Shoot-Out | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| World Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| European Challenge | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | QF | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Thailand Masters | A | Not Held | Not Held | Ranking | Ranking | QF | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | NR | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Hong Kong Challenge | A | A | A | NH | QF | QF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Indian Challenge | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | QF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Scottish Masters | A | A | NH | A | SF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Belgian Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | QF | Not Held | Not Held | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| World Matchplay | Not Held | Not Held | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Belgian Challenge | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Irish Masters | A | A | A | A | QF | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | Ranking Event | NH |
| Indian Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | F | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Pontins Professional | A | A | A | A | A | W | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
Performance table legend :
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi–finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | event was not held. |
| NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | event is/was no longer a ranking event. |
| R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | event is/was a ranking event. |
| MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | event is/was a minor-ranking event. |
* ↑ From the 2010/2011 season it shows the ranking at the beginning of the season.
* 1 2 New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking.
* 1 2 He was an amateur.
* ↑ The event was also called the LG Cup (2001/2002–2003/2004)
* ↑ The event was also called the European Open (1988/1989–1996/1997 and 2001/2002–2003/2004) and Irish Open (1998/1999)
* ↑ The event was also called the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)
* ↑ The event was also called the Australian Masters (1986/1987–1987/1988 and 1995/1996) and Australian Open (1994/1995)
* ↑ The event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989), Thailand Classic (1995/1996) and Asian Classic (1996/1997)
* ↑ The event was also called the German Open (1995/1996–1997/1998)
* ↑ The event was also called the Asian Open (1989/1990–1992/1993) and Thailand Open (1993/1994–1996/1997)
* ↑ The event was also called the International Open (1986/1987–1989/1990 and 1992/1993–1996/1997) and Players Championship (2003/2004)

## Career finals
### Ranking finals: 1 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1990 | The Classic | Warren King | 10–6 |

### Non-ranking finals: 3 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1992 | Pontins Professional | Neal Foulds | 9–8 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1992 | Indian Masters | Steve Davis | 6–9 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 2004 | Challenge Tour - Event 3 | Brian Salmon | 2–6 |

### Pro-am finals: 3 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1985 | Warners Open | David Roe | 4–2 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1992 | Pontins Spring Open | Declan Hughes | 2–7 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1993 | Pontins Spring Open (2) | Mike Hallett | 6–7 |