Ray Reardon

**Raymond Reardon MBE** (8 Oktoba 1932 - 19 Yuli 2024) ƙwararren ɗan wasan snooker ne na Welsh wanda ya mamaye wasanni a cikin 1970s, ya lashe Gasar Snooker ta Duniya sau shida kuma yana da'awar fiye da dozin sauran sunayen kwararru.Saboda duhu gwauruwa kololuwar haƙoran idonsa, ana yi masa lakabi da "Dracula".Har zuwa tsakiyar shekarunsa talatin, Reardon ya yi aiki a matsayin mai hakar kwal sannan kuma a matsayin dan sanda yayin da yake bin snooker a matakin mai son.Laƙabinsa a wannan zamanin sun haɗa da gasar Welsh Amateur Championship guda shida a jere daga 1950 zuwa 1955 da Gasar Amateur ta Ingilishi a 1964.Ya zama kwararre a 1967 kuma ya zama zakaran duniya a 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, da 1978; Ya kuma zo na biyu a 1982.Sauran manyan nasarorin da ya samu sun hada da gasar Pot Black na farko a cikin 1969, Masters na 1976, da Gasar ƙwararrun 'yan wasa na 1982.Dan wasa na farko da aka zaba a matsayin "lamba na duniya" lokacin da aka gabatar da martabar duniya a lokacin kakar 1976–77, ya rike mukamin na shekaru biyar masu zuwa.Ya sake samun babban matsayi a cikin 1982, bayan haka fom ɗinsa ya ƙi; ya fice daga cikin manyan 16 masu daraja bayan kakar 1986–87.
A shekara ta 1978, Reardon ya zama zakaran dan wasan snooker mafi tsufa a duniya, yana da shekaru 45 da kwanaki 203, tarihin da ya rike har zuwa gasar 2022, lokacin da Ronnie O'Sullivan ya lashe kambun duniya na bakwai yana da shekaru 46 da kwanaki 148.A lokacin ritayarsa, Reardon ya kasance shugaban kulob din golf na Churston Ferrers a Devon, inda ya kasance memba na sama da shekaru 40. Ya jagoranci O'Sullivan a shirye-shiryen yakin neman zabensa na 2004, yana taimaka masa ya dauke kambun duniya na biyu.An nada shi Memba na Order of the British Empire a 1985, ya mutu daga ciwon daji a watan Yuli 2024, yana da shekaru 91.
## Rayuwa
Dan Ben da Cynthia Reardon, an haife shi a ranar 8 ga Oktoba 1932 a cikin yankin ma'adinan kwal na Tredegar a Monmouthshire, Wales.Lokacin da yake da shekaru takwas, kawunsa ya gabatar da shi ga wani nau'in snooker, kuma a goma yana yin wasanni sau biyu-mako-mako a Cibiyar Tredegar Workmen da kuma kan teburin billiard mai fa'ida a gida.Da farko ya buga wasan billiard na Ingilishi maimakon snooker, wanda, a cewar marubutan Luke Williams da Paul Gadsby, sun taimaka wajen inganta ikonsa na ƙwallon ƙafa da tukwanensa.Lokacin da yake da shekaru 14, yana bin sawun mahaifinsa, Reardon ya ƙi zama a makarantar nahawu don zama mai hakar ma'adinai a Ty Trist Colliery.Ya sa fararen safar hannu yayin da ake hakar ma'adinai, don kare hannayensa don snooker. Ya yi hutun karni na farko a ranar haihuwarsa ta 17.A cikin Maris 1959, Reardon ya auri Sue, mai zanen tukwane.Bayan wani dutsen dutse da aka binne shi na tsawon sa'o'i uku, kuma tare da ƙarfafawar Sue, ya bar aikin hakar ma'adinai kuma ya zama ɗan sanda a 1960 lokacin da danginsa suka ƙaura zuwa Stoke-on-Trent a Staffordshire, Ingila.Yayin da yake aiki a cikin 'yan sanda, Reardon ya sami yabo don bajinta.A wani lokaci, ya kwance wa wani mutum da ke rike da bindiga.Wani kuma, ya haye wani saman rufin ƙanƙara ya faɗo ta cikin hasken sama akan wani ɗan fashi.
## Amateur sana'ar snooker
A cikin 1949, Reardon ya lashe taken News of the World Amateur kuma an ba shi sandar toka, wanda zakaran snooker na duniya sau 15, Joe Davis ya gabatar masa.Reardon yayi amfani da wannan alamar kusan shekaru 30 har sai da ya rabu ba da daɗewa ba bayan wasan karshe na gasar cin kofin duniya na 1978.Ya kai wasan karshe na 1949 – 50 a karkashin-19 Junior Championship, ya sha kashi 2–3 a hannun Jack Carney.Reardon ya fara lashe Gasar Amateur na Welsh a 1950, inda ya doke zakaran kare John Ford da ci 5–3 a wasan karshe, kuma ya rike kambun kowace shekara har zuwa 1955.Ya kai wasan karshe na Gasar Amateur na Ingila a 1956, inda ya jagoranci Tommy Gordon da ci 7–3 bayan rana ta farko, amma ya rasa abin da ya gani a farkon rana ta biyu kuma aka doke shi da ci 9–11.Reardon ya buga wani ɗan'uwansa mazaunin Tredegar, Cliff Wilson, a cikin jerin wasannin kuɗi kuma ya fuskanci shi sau da yawa a cikin gasa mai son.Gasar tasu ta jawo hankalin ɗaruruwan 'yan kallo kuma a cikin littafinsa na 1979, The Story of Billiards and Snooker, Clive Everton ya bayyana su a matsayin "mafi kusancin snooker na zamani wanda ya yi daidai da yaƙin kyautar knuckle."
Bayan ya sha kashi a zagayen farko na Gasar Amateur Championship a shekarar 1957, Reardon ya yanke shawarar daukar wani lokaci daga snooker mai gasa don yin aiki kan inganta wasansa.Daga baya ya shiga gasar zakara a 1964, lokacin da ya ci taken ta hanyar doke John Spencer da ci 11–8 a wasan karshe.
## Sana'a
**Zakaran wasan snooker na duniya sau shida**
Wannan nasara a 1964 ta kai ga gayyata zuwa rangadin Afirka ta Kudu tare da Jonathan Barron, wanda ya yi nasara sosai har aka ba Reardon damar komawa da yawon shakatawa a matsayin kwararre.Ya koma can ne bayan ya yi murabus daga aikin ‘yan sanda kuma ya zama kwararre a shekarar 1967.Lokacin da ya buga wasan Jimmy van Rensberg a cikin Kalubalen Afirka ta Kudu, Reardon ya lashe mafi kyawun wasannin wasanni uku da ci 2–1.
Fitowar farko da Reardon ya yi a Gasar Snooker ta Duniya ita ce a shekarar 1969 a wasan daf da na kusa da na karshe da Fred Davis a Stoke-on-Trent.Wasan ya yi musanyar dabaru da dadewa tsakanin 'yan wasan, wanda ya haifar da dadewar zaman da aka taba yi a gasar cin kofin duniya.Babu dan wasan da ya wuce sama da firam biyu har sai Reardon ya ci firam na 27 don jagorantar 15–12, bayan haka Davis ya ci firam shida a jere. Wasan mafi kyawun-na-49-firam ya tafi wurin yanke hukunci, wanda Davis ya ci nasara.A cikin Yuli 1969, BBC ta fara watsa shirye-shiryen Pot Black, gasa na matches guda ɗaya wanda ya shahara ga masu kallo tare da haɓaka bayanan martaba da samun ikon mahalarta.Reardon ya lashe jerin farko ta hanyar doke Spencer 88–29 a wasan karshe na firam daya.A London a watan Afrilun 1970, Reardon ya lashe gasar cin kofin duniya a karon farko, inda ya doke Davis a wasan kusa dana karshe, Spencer a wasan kusa da na karshe, da John Pulman da ci 37–33 a wasan karshe, bayan da ya jagoranci 27–14 kafin Pulman ya rage wasan. kai ga firam ɗaya a 34-33. A Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya na gaba, wanda aka buga a Ostiraliya a watan Nuwamba 1970, Reardon ya lashe dukkan wasanninsa na zagaye na hudu, kuma ya cancanci samun gurbi a wasan kusa da na karshe, inda Spencer ya kafa tazara mai nasara da shi a 25–7 kuma ya kare. wasan 34–15 gaba bayan matattun firam ɗin.[24][25] Reardon ya ci bugu na Oktoba 1971 na Park Drive 2000, ya doke Spencer 4–3 a wasan karshe bayan ya sanya na biyu a matakin zagaye-robin (bayan Spencer wanda ya fara). A cikin fitowar bazara ta 1972, ya yi hutu na 146 a cikin zagayen zagaye na biyu, wanda shine hutu mafi girma da aka taɓa samu a wasan gasa a wancan lokacin. Wannan ya kasance mafi girman hutu na aikin Reardon, saboda bai taba samun matsakaicin hutu na 147 a wasan gasa ba.
A Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya ta 1972, Reardon ya yi rashin nasara a wasansa na farko da ci 22–25 zuwa Rex Williams a wasan kusa da na karshe. Ya kai wasan karshe na Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya na 1973 a Manchester, inda ya doke Jim Meadowcroft 16–10, da Spencer 23–22. Ya rasa firam bakwai na farko na wasan karshe ga Eddie Charlton, amma ya ɗauki 17 na 23 na gaba don riƙe fa'idar fa'ida ta huɗu a 17 – 13 sannan ya ci gaba gaba zuwa jagorar 27 – 25. A wannan lokacin a wasan, ya koka da masu shirya wasan game da hasken talabijin da ke nunawa a kan abubuwan abubuwan; lokacin da masu shirya gasar ba su warware kokensa ba, sai ya tunkari masu daukar nauyin gasar ya yi barazanar janyewa daga gasar, bayan da aka canza fitilar. Reardon ya ci gaba da ci 31–29 zuwa ranar karshe, kuma ya ci 38–32 don neman kambun duniya na biyu.
Reardon ya kare kambun gasar cin kofin duniya a 1974, inda ya doke Meadowcroft 15–3, Marcus Owen 15–11 da Davis 15–3 kafin ya doke Graham Miles 22–12 a wasan karshe. A wata hira da aka yi da shi bayan wasan, Reardon ya nuna cewa bai taka leda ba a wasan karshe, amma Miles bai haifar masa da wani matsin lamba ba, ya kara da cewa: “Ba na jin farin cikin da na ji na yi nasara. shekaran da ya gabata." Ya kuma lashe 1974 Pontins Professional, yana jagorantar 9 – 4 a wasan karshe kuma ya lashe ta 10–9 bayan Spencer ya dauki firam biyar a jere don tilasta mai yanke hukunci.
A cikin 1975, Reardon ya kai wasan karshe na Masters na farko ta hanyar lashe 5-4 akan kwallon ruwan hoda da Williams a wasan kusa da na karshe, amma ya yi rashin nasara da ci 8–9 na karshe a hannun Spencer a kan bakar fata da aka sake gani. A Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya ta 1975 a Ostiraliya, ya yi nasara a wasan daf da na kusa da karshe da Spencer, 19–17, sannan ya kawar da Alex Higgins 19–14 a wasan kusa da na karshe don haduwa da Charlton a wasan karshe. Reardon yana jagorantar 16–8, amma Charlton ya lashe firam guda tara masu zuwa sannan ya ci gaba da ci 28–23 kafin Reardon ya ja baya bakwai daga cikin firam takwas na gaba don jagorantar 30–29. Charlton ya dauki firam na 60 don daura wasan amma Reardon ya lashe muhimmin firam na 61 don tabbatar da kambun duniya na shekara ta uku a jere. Mako guda bayan haka, a Pontins a Prestatyn, Wales, ya ci gaba da rike kambun Ƙwararru kuma ya lashe taken Buɗewar bazara. Reardon ya lashe Masters a cikin Janairu 1976, ya doke Miles 7–3 a wasan karshe. Ya samu gurbinsa a wasan karshe ta hanyar doke Pulman da ci 4–1 a wasan daf da na kusa da na karshe, a wasan da aka yi hutu mafi girma (Pulman ya hada) ya kasance 22 kacal, sannan Charlton da ci 5–4 a wasan kusa da na karshe.
A cikin 1976, Reardon ya lashe kambun duniya na biyar, inda ya doke John Dunning 15–7, Dennis Taylor 15–2 da Perrie Mans 20–10. A lokacin wasan karshe a Manchester da Higgins, Reardon ya koka game da hasken talabijin (wanda aka canza), ingancin tebur (wanda aka yi gyare-gyare a baya), da alkalin wasa (wanda aka maye gurbinsa). Higgins ya jagoranci farkon wasan, amma Reardon ya murmure zuwa 15–13 kafin ya ci 12 daga cikin firam 15 na gaba don cin nasara 27–16. Ya yi ikirarin taken ƙwararren Pontins na shekara ta uku a jere, inda ya doke Fred Davis 10–9 a gasar da wakilin Snooker Scene ya bayyana a matsayin mafi kyawun wasa na lokacin ƙwararru don "inganci, sha'awa da farin ciki". Duk 'yan wasan biyu sun yi hutu na karni a wasan, Reardon ya ja gaba zuwa 8 – 5 bayan ya rasa dukkan firam uku na farko, amma sai ya bukaci na karshe lokacin da Davis ya dauki maki zuwa 9 – 8. Har ila yau, Reardon ya ci gasar 1976 World Professional Match-play Championship a Ostiraliya, inda ya doke mai tallata taron Charlton da ci 31–24 a wasan karshe.
Reardon ya kai wasan karshe na Masters na 1977, inda ya doke Williams 4–1 a wasan kusa dana karshe da Miles 5–2 a wasan kusa da na karshe, amma ya sha kashi na karshe da ci 6–7 a hannun Doug Mountjoy. Hakanan ya kasance na biyu a gasar 1977 Benson & Hedges Ireland, ya yi rashin nasara da ci 2 – 5 a hannun Higgins. Nasarar nasarar Reardon a Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya ta ƙare a cikin 1977 a Gidan wasan kwaikwayo na Crucible a Sheffield, [a] lokacin da ya yi rashin nasara a hannun Spencer a wasan daf da na kusa da na karshe da ci 6–13; Wannan ne karon farko da ya sha kashi a gasar cin kofin duniya tun bayan da Williams ya sha kashi a wasan kusa da na karshe a shekarar 1972.
Reardon ya sake samun kambun duniya a shekarar 1978 a Sheffield; Bayan ya murmure daga 2–7 kasa ya doke Mountjoy da ci 13–9 a zagaye na 16 na karshe, ya doke Bill Werbeniuk da ci 13–6, Charlton 18–14, da Mans 25–18 a wasan karshe don daga kofin na shida da na karshe. lokaci. Reardon yana da shekaru 45 da kwanaki 203, shi ne dan wasan da ya fi dadewa a gasar Snooker ta Duniya, tarihin da ya dade har zuwa 2022 lokacin da Ronnie O'Sullivan ya lashe taken yana da shekaru 46 da kwanaki 148. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan kafa wannan rikodin, Reardon ya sake samun kambun Ƙwararrun Pontins, inda ya ɗauki shi a karo na huɗu cikin shekaru biyar, inda ya doke Spencer 7-2 a wasan karshe. A wannan shekarar, tsohon abokin hamayyarsa daga Tredegar, Wilson, ya lashe Gasar Amateur ta Duniya.
## MANAZARTA