World Snooker pays tribute to Mike Watterson who brought World Championship to Crucible Theatre
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/03/19 4:18pm
Mike Watterson, the man who brought snooker's World Championship to the Crucible Theatre, has died aged 76.
The Sheffield venue has become synonymous with the sport's biggest tournament since Watterson, a former player turned promoter, opened negotiations to stage the event there after his wife noticed while watching a play that it could be an ideal snooker venue.
A joint statement from World Snooker and WPBSA chairmen Barry Hearn and Jason Ferguson read: "Mike made a huge contribution to the history of our sport. Without him, the World Championship may never have been staged at the Crucible, and he played a vital role in the creation of many other tournaments.
"On behalf of World Snooker and WPBSA we send our condolences to his family at this sad time."
Watterson was a professional player during the 1980s, with a peak world ranking of 34th, a highest break of 140 and competitive wins over Alex Higgins and Perrie Mans.
He then became a promoter in snooker and other sports including darts and had a spell as chairman of football club Derby.
