Willie Leigh

William Ernest Leigh^[1] was born in Derby in 1907.^[2] His father was the licensee of the Station Hotel, Derby.^[3] He won the 1923 under-16s British Junior English Billiards Championship, defeating Frank Edwards 600–482 in the final.^[4] By 1927, having received coaching from Joe Davis and others, Leigh had turned professional.^[5]

In 1933 he entered the World Professional Snooker Championship for the first time, taking a 4–0 lead against fellow debutant Walter Donaldson before Donaldson levelled the match at 4–4. The players were also tied at 8–8 and 10–10 before Donaldson won 13–11.^[6] Leigh did not enter the championship again before it was suspended from 1940 to 1945 due to World War II.^[7]He served for five years in the Royal Air Force.^[2] His second world championship entry was in 1946 World Championship.^[7] Against Stanley Newman in the qualifying competition, Leigh recovered from 11–14 to lead 15–14, Newman then taking the 30th frame to force a decider.^[8] With the scores at 29 points each in the last frame, and only the colours left, Leigh failed to complete a straightforward pot of the yellow ball, and Newman went on to win the match 16–15.^[7] Later that month, Leigh was defeated 6,782–8,972 by John Barrie in the UK Professional English Billiards Championship.^[9]

He entered the World Snooker Championship twice more, winning two qualifying matches each time.^[7] In 1947 he eliminated Herbert Francis 19–16 and Sydney Lee 25–10 before losing 14–21 to Kingsley Kennerley.^[7] At the 1948 championship he defeated Herbert Holt in the deciding frame, 18–17, and then, having trailed Barrie 5–9, won 14 of the next 16 and progressed with a 21–14 win. He lost on the black ball in the deciding frame against John Pulman, 17–18.^[7]

Leigh, one of whose brothers was footballer Syd Leigh, became a resident professional at a billiard hall in Nottingham, and provided coaching. He died on 20 November 1972, aged 65.^[10]