PLAYER PROFILES

Peter Shelley (Stoke-on-Trent)

Some players are said to be made, but Peter Shelley was surely born to our game, arriving into this World in 1941 at his grandparents home, the Stafford Constitutional Club. Grandfather was the club Steward and a very decent player, while Peter's father, a farmer, was also a handy cueist and even now, at the age of eighty-seven, still enjoys a game of billiards twice a week. When Peter went to school he lived with his grandparents during the week, and, from the age of eleven, would practice for two hours in the early morning and a further hour in the evening on the club tables. At thirteen he became the youngest ever British Boys Snooker Champion and two years later he captured the British Boys´ titles at both snooker and billiards. During this period he won many local and regional junior events and even played against Horace Lindrum and Joe Davis in exhibition games.

He chose Hotel Management and Catering for a career. This led to him moving around various parts of England, but also had the effect of considerably curtailing his playing opportunities. After holding management posts in hotels and golf clubs, Peter secured his present position as General Manager of "The Reardon" complex at Stoke-on-Trent. At The Reardon, Peter has ample opportunity to demonstrate his exceptional talent both on the billiard table and in the kitchen - visitors to the annual ranking tournament at the club are perhaps attracted equally by the day's play and the culinary delights on offer.

Peter's playing record is extensive and impressive; many County and regional titles, three times English Grand Master Billiards winner, three times finalist is both the English Amateur Billiards Championship and the National C.I.U. Championship, regular England International and three times a contender in I.B.S.F. World events, in Bangalore (1990), the Walter Lindrum Centenary event in Melbourne (1998) and Carlow, Ireland (1999), where he reached the quarter-final stage. He is a fast and fluid player, brilliant rather than methodical and always looking to approach the top-of-the- table. On four occasions he has made a break in excess of five hundred, the highest being a match run of 589. His highest break this year? Only 472! Peter has not played competitive snooker since 1988 but has to his credit a match break of 138 and, in practice, the magical 147.

He is the Chairman of the English Amateur Billiards Association and is a staunch supporter of the principle of amateur billiards.