Bill Werbeniuk

William Alexander Werbeniuk ( ; 14 January 1947 – 20 January 2003) was a Canadian professional snooker and pool player. Recognisable for his girth, he was nicknamed "Big Bill". Werbeniuk was a four-time snooker World Championship quarter-finalist and also a snooker UK Championship semi-finalist, reaching a career high world ranking of #8 for the 1983–84 season.

Early life

Werbeniuk was born on 14 January 1947 in Winnipeg. His paternal grandfather had immigrated to Canada from Ukraine; his father, according to Werbeniuk, "was one of the biggest fences in Canada" and "committed armed robberies, peddled drugs, every larceny in the language."

Career

Werbeniuk won the Amateur Championship in 1973, with a 16–15 victory against Robert Paquette after being 12–15 behind. This qualified him for the North American Amateur Championship. Doctors advised Werbeniuk to drink alcohol to counteract a familial benign essential tremor. Later in his career he also took propranolol, a beta blocker, to cope with the effects of his alcohol consumption on his heart.

Werbeniuk was reported to have successfully claimed the cost of six pints of lager before every match as a tax deductible expense.

28 pints of lager and 16 whiskies over the course of 11 frames during a match against Nigel Bond, in January 1990 – after which Werbeniuk then consumed an entire bottle of Scotch to "drown his sorrows" after losing the match.

Trick shot

In another incident, playing against Joe Johnson, Werbeniuk made what the announcer termed the "pot of the century" when he potted a long red by jumping the cue ball so that it bounced in front of and over an interposing red, knocking the object red in. Later in the match, he had an unusual fluke, when he missed a simple brown to the top corner, but it cannoned out of the pocket, off the opposite cushion and into the centre pocket on the same side.

Use of propranolol

Werbeniuk was ranked 8th in the world in 1983 where he lived with his mother and brother.

Performance and rankings timeline

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"

! Tournament

! 1973/ 74

! 1974/ 75

! 1975/ 76

! 1976/ 77

! 1977/ 78

! 1978/ 79

! 1979/ 80

! 1980/ 81

! 1981/ 82

! 1982/ 83

! 1983/ 84

! 1984/ 85

! 1985/ 86

! 1986/ 87

! 1987/ 88

! 1988/ 89

! 1989/ 90

! 1990/ 91

! 1991/ 92

| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Ranking

| align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|No ranking system

| align="center" |14

| align="center" |17

| align="center" |12

| align="center" |10

| align="center" |9

| align="center" |8

| align="center" |14

| align="center" |17

| align="center" |24

| align="center" |33

| align="center" |47

| align="center" |UR

| align="center" |146

| colspan="50" | Ranking tournaments

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Grand Prix

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|WD

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | UK Championship

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Non-Ranking Event

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Classic

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Non-Ranking Event

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|3R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | British Open

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Non-Ranking Event

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" |

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD

| colspan="50" | Non-ranking tournaments

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | The Masters

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Irish Masters

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Matchroom League

| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|Not Held

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| colspan="50" | Former ranking tournaments

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Canadian Masters

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Non-Ranking

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Non-Ranking

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | International Open

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NR

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not Held

| colspan="50" | Former non-ranking tournaments

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Norwich Union Open

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | World Matchplay Championship

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Holsten Lager International

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Canadian Masters

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Padmore Super Crystalate

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Pontins Camber Sands

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | International Open

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Ranking Event

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | UK Championship

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Ranking Event

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Classic

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Ranking Event

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Tolly Cobbold Classic

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="20"|Tournament Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | British Open

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Ranking Event

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | New Zealand Masters

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="10"|Tournament Not Held

| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|W

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Australian Masters

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not Held

|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Pot Black

| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament Not Held

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;"

! colspan="6"|Performance Table Legend

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ

| lost in the qualifying draw

| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|#R

| lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)

| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| lost in the quarter-finals

| align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF

| lost in the semi-finals

| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F

| lost in the final

| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W

| won the tournament

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|DNQ

| did not qualify for the tournament

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|A

| did not participate in the tournament

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|WD

| withdrew from the tournament

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NH / Not Held || means an event was not held.

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NR / Non-Ranking Event || means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.

| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|R / Ranking Event || means an event is/was a ranking event.

Career finals

Non-ranking finals: 4 (2 titles)

{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col" width="80"|Outcome

!scope="col" width="5"|No.

!scope="col" width="50"|Year

!scope="col" width="250"|Championship

!scope="col" width="200"|Opponent in the final

!scope="col" align="center" width="100"|Score

!scope="col" class="unsortable" width="30"|

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner

|1.

|align="center"|1973

| Canadian Professional Championship

|align="center"|

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

|1.

| align="center" | 1983

| The Classic

| Steve Davis

| align="center" | 5–9

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

|2.

| align="center" | 1983

| New Zealand Masters

| Doug Mountjoy

| align="center" | 1–0

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

|2.

| align="center" | 1983

| Australian Masters

| Cliff Thorburn

| align="center" | 3–7

| align="center" |

Team finals: 4 (1 title)

{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col" width="80"|Outcome

!scope="col" width="5"|No.

!scope="col" width="50"|Year

!scope="col" width="250"|Championship

!scope="col" width="100"|Team/partner

!scope="col" width="100"|

!scope="col" align="center" width="70"|Score

!scope="col" class="unsortable" width="30"|Ref.

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 1.

| align="center" | 1980

| World Challenge Cup

| Canada

| Wales

| align="center" | 5–8

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 1.

| align="center" | 1982

| Canada

| England

| align="center"|4–2

| align="center"|

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 2.

| align="center" | 1986

| World Cup (2)

| Canada

| Ireland "A"

| align="center" | 7–9

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 3.

| align="center" | 1987

| World Cup (3)

| Canada

| Ireland "A"

| align="center" | 2–9

| align="center" |

Amateur finals: 7 (5 titles)

{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col" width="80"|Outcome

!scope="col" width="5"|No.

!scope="col" width="50"|Year

!scope="col" width="250"|Championship

!scope="col" width="200"|Opponent in the final

!scope="col" align="center" width="100"|Score

!scope="col" class="unsortable" width="30"|

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 1.

| align="center" | 1973

| Canadian Amateur Championship

| Robert Paquette

| align="center" | 16–15

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 2.

| align="center" | 1973

| North American Amateur Championship

| Cliff Thorburn

| align="center" | 26–22

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 3.

| align="center" | 1974

| North American Amateur Championship (2)

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 1.

| align="center" | 1975

| Canadian Amateur Championship

| Cliff Thorburn

| align="center" | 1–11

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 4.

| align="center" | 1975

| North American Amateur Championship (3)

| Cliff Thorburn

| align="center" | 11–9

| align="center" |

!scope="row" style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 2.

| align="center" | 1976

| Canadian Amateur Championship (2)

| Cliff Thorburn

| align="center" | 2–9

| align="center" |