Steve James (snooker player)

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Steve James

Born	May 2, 1961 (1961-05-02) (age 47)
Nationality	English
Professional	1986 -
Highest ranking	7 (1991/1992)
Highest break	142 (Matchroom League 1992)
Tournament wins
Ranking	1

Stephen James (born May 2, 1961) is an English professional snooker player.

[edit] Career

The high point of his career was his sole ranking title - the Mercantile Credit Classic in 1990, beating Australian Warren King 10-6 in the final. His world ranking peaked at number seven the following season, the best of his five seasons in the top sixteen.

On April 14, 1990, in his match against Alex Higgins at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, James became the first player to produce a 16-red total clearance in competitive play. In other words, he potted 16 reds and 16 colours consecutively, followed by all the coloured balls in order: a situation that was only possible because he was awarded a free ball before any red had been potted.

A year later he reached the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship, beating Stephen Hendry in the quarter-finals (it would be 6 years before anyone else would beat Hendry in the tournament; Irishman Ken Doherty had the honour in 1997). He was the only player in the 1990s to beat Hendry at the Crucible while not already a World Champion. He was beaten in the semi-final by Jimmy White, with whom he shares his birthday (James is one year older).

He is the only player ever to score two centuries on his Crucible debut, including a 140, the second highest by a debutant of all time. In addition to 1991, he reached the quarter-finals on his debut in 1988, and the last 16 on three further occasions