Six-time snooker world champion Ray Reardon dies at the age of 91
The Welshman was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time
Six-time world snooker champion Ray Reardon has passed away at the age of 91.
Reardon, who has been regarded by many as one of the greatest snooker players of all time, passed away on Friday night (July 19th) following a lengthy cancer battle.
The Welsh snooker star came to dominate the World Championship during the 1970s, and earned the moniker "Dracula" due to his widow's peak hairstyle.
Reardon helped to popularise the sport once again, earning millions of fans for his professional skill and jovial humour away from the table.
Initially working in the police, in 1967 he made the decision to leave the force and make a career in snooker.
He quickly rose through the ranks to win his first championship in 1970, against John Pulman in London's Victoria Hall.
After winning the competition, Ray would go on to win the competition five more times - in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978 respectively.
His final major tournament win broke records as he became the oldest World Champion, at the age of 45; this was only broken in 2022 by then-46-year-old Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Ray remains the oldest winner of a ranking title, bearing Jimmy White in the final of the 1982 Professional Players Tournament aged 50.
A few months later he beat White again to win the 1983 International Masters, his last title.
For his services to the sport, Ray was awarded an MBE in 1985, and was later inducted into the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2011.
Fellow snooker champion Mark Williams led the tributes to the sporting legend, saying: "Ray is one of the best sports people ever from Wales and the best snooker player.
"He’s one of the reasons why a lot of us started playing. He put snooker on the map, alongside Alex Higgins, Jimmy White and Steve Davis.
"Anyone playing now owes them a lot because they brought popularity to the game. He is a real inspiration."