You wouldn’t blame Steve Davis for being annoyed about the snooker match he is asked about the most.
The dominant player of the 1980s, who played such a pivotal role in the growth of the sport, won the World Championship six times in the decade. Yet the final people most want to talk about is one he epically lost to Dennis Taylor in 1985.
The ‘Black Ball Final’, which saw Taylor fight back from eight frames down and win the deciding frame on the final colour after midnight, remains etched in British sporting folklore. And it’s one Davis – a great pal of Taylor’s – remains more than happy to discuss, almost 40 years on.
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“I don’t tire of talking about it,” Davis tells Daily Star Sport. “I think it’s a fascinating subject. The fact it was David vs Goliath, as it was billed.
“The person who was dominant at the time against someone who wasn’t supposed to win. If I’d have been watching on the television, I’d have been supporting Dennis as well! We also love the underdog, don’t we?”
The pair still travel round the country talking about that iconic match as part of their popular exhibition tour.
“Obviously a lot of people, and a lot of the players, weren’t even born when that happened. Me and Dennis are very aware of the fact it is of a certain era, but it was still nice to be part of that,” he adds modestly. “There are people who say we should move on from that. But I suppose it is like the 1966 World Cup and Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile. There are moments in any sport that can’t go away so there’s no point trying to sweep it under the carpet. It’s actually something to celebrate, just like Luca [Brecel] winning last year.”
However, it is an accusation about that famous final that grates with him the most – the ludicrous allegation from some conspiracy theorists that the result was fixed in a bid to elevate the standing of the sport. Therefore, the most satisfying of his six Crucible crown was his last, in 1989, when he crushed John Parrot 18-3.
Davis explains: “That gave me the most satisfaction. Obviously it wasn’t great for John as it was very one-sided. However, a final doesn’t always stay one-sided. Remember, I was eight frames up on Dennis so you have to keep pressing on from in front. I was playing some good stuff that year and I felt totally in control.
“Some stupid people over the years, after I lost to Dennis, have said, ‘you let him win, it was fixed for TV’. It’s absolute rubbish from people who don’t really know how sport works.
“So when I beat John 18-3, I would say, ‘if the game you think was fixed was fixed, do you really think they’d make a final end 18-3? They’ve got no answer to that.
“That’s the only part of losing to Dennis Taylor in ’85 that annoys me, the occasional idiot who still thinks to this day it was fixed.
“It’s disrespectful to snooker, it’s disrespectful to Dennis, it’s disrespectful to me and it’s disrespectful to all the fans who turned up to watch an exciting match.”
Another theory Davis would stoutly challenge is the notion snooker has declined since during his heyday in the 80s. The 66-year-old adamant it is far bigger, and is still growing.
“I’m forever astonished at how big the game is getting now,” he says. “It’s quite funny because, in the UK, the other question that is asked is, ‘snooker’s not doing as well anymore, is it?’ That happens quite often.
“But it’s actually doing far better than it has ever done, it’s just that some people aren’t following it like they used to. There’s a world out there that is following it far more than maybe little old Britain does.
“Viewing figures worldwide now far surpass the amount of people who saw it in ’85. It’s moved on, it’s on another level. I also point out that the World Championship and next year’s Masters are sold out. The people who buy the tickets don’t even know what match they’re going to see!
“The continual growth of snooker is just fantastic. It’s a great time to be a pro, particularly a successful one. They really are in demand worldwide. And it was nice to be one of the people who started it off. In the 80s, we were the first players to really start travelling abroad.
“It presents an interesting challenge for the powers that be, but a good problem to have. Now Covid’s finished, we’ve got a full calendar and different countries saying, ‘we’d like an event’. So anyone who thinks snooker is on the way out should look at where it’s now being played.”