Pierre "Perrie" Mans (25 October 1940 – 13 September 2023) was a South African professional snooker player. He first won the South African Professional Championship in 1965 and lifted the title 20 times. Mans won the Benson & Hedges Masters in 1979 and reached the final of the World Championship in 1978.
He was also the 1991 South African Eightball champion, beating Robbie Grace.
Background
Mans' father, Peter Mans, who died in 1975, was also a professional snooker player, making the quarter-finals of the 1950 World Snooker Championship.
Snooker career
Mans won the South African Amateur Championship in 1960, the only occasion in which he competed in the event. He then turned professional and took the South African Professional Championship from Fred Van Rensburg in 1965.Everton, Clive., Guinness Book of Billiards and Snooker, 1982, p74
Mans first entered the World Snooker Championship in 1970. His first victory in the Championship came in the 1973 event when he defeated Ron Gross 9–2 before losing 8–16 to Eddie Charlton.Everton, Clive., Guinness Book of Billiards and Snooker, pp89 & 91 However, in 1974, he pulled off a major surprise by defeating John Spencer 15–13 in the second round, before being defeated by Rex Williams in the quarter-final 4–15.Everton Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1974, pp9 & 14 In the 1976 event, he defeated Graham Miles 15–10 and Jim Meadowcroft 15–8 to reach the semi-final where he lost 10–20 to defending champion Ray Reardon.Everton, Clive, (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1976, p13
In 1977, he was invited to take part in BBC TV's Pot Black programme which he duly won at his first attempt beating Fred Davis, Ray Reardon and Willie Thorne (over single frames) before defeating Doug Mountjoy 90 points to 21 in the final. During the final he also took the highest break prize with an effort of 59.Perrin R, (Ed.) Pot Black, BBC Books, 1984, p86
His career peaked in 1978, when he reached the final of the world championships, losing 18–25 to Ray Reardon. During that championship he defeated reigning Champion John Spencer 13–8, before achieving wins over Graham Miles (13–7) and Fred Davis (18–16). In the final, he never led Reardon, but held him to 17–18, before Reardon pulled away.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1978, pp11–17 He reached number two in the world rankings as a result; at that time rankings were based purely on the world championships of the three previous seasons.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1978, p28
1978 also saw Mans win the Heidelberg 100 event, defeating Silvino Francisco 9–3 in the final. This same year brought him greater company in the South African professional ranks when Silvino Francisco, Mannie Francisco, Jimmy van Rensberg, Derek Mienie and Roy Amdor all turned professional.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1978, p27
Mans' most notable tournament success was the Benson and Hedges Masters in 1979, beating Cliff Thorburn 5–4, Ray Reardon 5–3 and, in the final, Alex Higgins 8–4, winning the competition with a top break of just 48.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, March 1979, pp16–17, top prize was £3000
In January 1980, Mans defeated Bill Werbeniuk 3–0 and John Spencer 3–2 before losing 2–4 to Alex Higgins in the final of the Padmore/Super Crystalate International event held at the Gala Baths, West Bromwich.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, February 1980, p12
In January 1981, he pulled off the shock of the season by defeating strong favourite Steve Davis 5–3 in the first round of the 1981 Masters event. Mans lost 4–5 to Cliff Thorburn in the quarter-final.Everton, Clive (ed.) Snooker Scene, March 1981, pp3 and 7
In the 1982 World Championship, he defeated Tony Meo in the first round. Meo led 3–0, but Mans overtook him to lead 9–8. This looked likely to become 9–9 when Mans trailed 54 points to 0 in the penultimate frame. However, Mans then completed a clearance of 62 to win frame and match. He went on to lose 6–13 in the next round to Jimmy White.Everton, Clive (Ed.), Snooker Scene, June 1982, pp17 & 20/21
Mans' last victory at the Crucible Theatre came in 1983 when he defeated Scottish debutant Ian Black 10–3, compiling breaks of 57, 65 and 69. However, an in-form Kirk Stevens defeated Mans 13–3 in the second round, a defeat which put Mans outside the top 16 in the world rankings.Everton, Clive, Snooker Scene, June 1983, pp11, 21, 28
Mans last played in the World Championship in 1986. He defeated Les Dodd 10–7 in the final qualifying roundEverton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene May 1986, p15 but despite holding Doug Mountjoy to 3–4, he lost his first round match 3–10.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, June 1986, p9 Earlier in the season he had partnered Australian John Campbell to the quarter-final of the Hofmeister World Doubles, where they lost just 4–5 to Ray Reardon and Tony Jones.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, February 1986, p17
Mans played in only two ranking events the following season (and the world doubles), failing to win any matches he slumped to fiftieth in the world rankings. He announced his retirement from professional snooker in July 1987 at the age of 46.Everton, Clive (Ed.) Snooker Scene, August 1987, p15 After thss, he ran a business in Johannesburg, importing snooker accessories.
In 1997, Mans returned briefly to the UK snooker scene after a twelve-year hiatus, participating in the "Seniors" Pot Black special on BBC2 timed to coincide with the 1997 World Championship, which marked the 20th anniversary of the tournament being held at the Crucible Theatre. At 57, Mans lost to eventual winner Joe Johnson. Mans returned again to play in the seniors event in the autumn of 2000, losing his first match 82 points to 13 to Canadian Jim Wych.Cue Sport Magazine (Ed. John Dee), October 2000, p20
Playing style
A left-hander, Mans was famous for his long powerful pots, as well as his fashionable waistcoats.
Death Mans died on 13 September 2023, aged 82.
Performance and rankings timeline
Tournament 1970/71 1971/72 1972/73 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 RankingNo ranking system710277151117243036He was an amateur. Ranking tournaments International OpenThe event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)Tournament Not HeldNR2RLQLQ1RWDAA Grand PrixThe event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/93–1983/1984)Tournament Not Held2RA1R1RWDAA UK ChampionshipTournament Not HeldNon-Ranking EventLQ1RWDAA ClassicTournament Not HeldNon-Ranking EventAA2RLQAA British OpenThe event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984)Tournament Not HeldNon-Ranking EventA2RLQAA World ChampionshipNon-RankingQF1RSF1RF1R2R2R2R2RLQA1RAAA Non-ranking tournaments WWWWWWWWWSFWWWWAAQFSFW The MastersTournament Not HeldAAQFAWQFQFAAAAAAAA Pontins ProfessionalNot HeldAAARRRRRRQFAAAAAAAAA Former non-ranking tournaments World ChampionshipRRA2RRanking Event World MastersTournament Not HeldRRTournament Not Held World Matchplay ChampionshipTournament Not HeldQFTournament Not Held Holsten Lager InternationalTournament Not Held1RTournament Not Held Limosin InternationalTournament Not HeldQFTournament Not Held Kronenbrau 1308 ClassicTournament Not HeldSFTournament Not Held Padmore Super CrystalateTournament Not HeldFTournament Not Held Pot BlackAAAAAAWASFRRAAAAAANot Held International OpenThe event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)Tournament Not Held2RRanking Event
Performance Table LegendLQ lost in the qualifying draw#R lost in the early rounds of the tournament(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)QF lost in the quarter-finalsSF lost in the semi-finalsF lost in the finalW won the tournamentDNQ did not qualify for the tournamentA did not participate in the tournamentWD withdrew from the tournament NH / Not Held means an event was not held.NR / Non-Ranking Event means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.R / Ranking Event means an event is/was a ranking event.
Career finals
Ranking finals: 1
Legend World Championship (0–1) Other (0–0)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreRunner-up 1. 1978 World Snooker Championship Ray Reardon 18–25
Non-ranking finals: 26 (23 titles)
Legend The Masters (1–0) Other (22–3)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreWinner 1–13. 1965–1977 Various challengers N/AWinner 14. 1977 Pot Black Doug Mountjoy 1–0Winner 15. 1978 South African Professional Championship (14) Silvino Francisco 9–5Winner16. 1978 Heidelberg 100 Tournament Silvino Francisco9–3Runner-up 1. 1979 Australian Masters Ian Anderson Winner 17. 1979 The Masters Alex Higgins 8–4Runner-up 2. 1980 Padmore Super Crystalate International Alex Higgins 2–4Winner Various challengersN/ARunner-up 3. 1984 South African Professional Championship Jimmy van Rensberg 7–10Winner 23. 1989 South African Professional Championship (20) Robbie Grace 8–5
Amateur finals: 1 (1 title)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreWinner 1. 1960 South African Amateur Championship
References
External links