TRIBUTES came in this week from former teammates and friends following the death of one of Huddersfield’s ‘grand old men’ of billiards, Ted Warren, who passed away at the age of 82 following a lengthy illness.

A former Huddersfield Open Billiards champion, Mr Warren played in the league for many years for Netherton Conservative Club, and was also a regular for the Huddersfield Association’s first team playing in the Yorkshire league.

Originally from Barnsley, Mr Warren moved to Netherton with his wife Annie in 1967 and on finding a billiards team at the local club began to play for the Conservative team.

“I remember he was given 115 start by the handicap committee because they didn’t realise he had played in Barnsley,” said club colleague David Peaker, who was a close friend of Ted’s having been coached by the two-time Huddersfield champion.

“In his first game he demolished Tommy Miles, who when he asked Ted, ‘have you played this game before,’ was met with the response, ‘Oh yes – I’ve had century breaks over in Barnsley’!’’

Up until his retirement Mr Warren, who leaves his wife Annie and daughter Shirley, worked at David Brown Tractors at Meltham.

In 1973 he claimed the first of his two Huddersfield Open Billiards titles, but then had to wait a staggering 24 years before his next success in 1997 when he beat Steve Whiteley in the final.

“Ted had a real passion for the game of billiards, and not only mentored me, but also taught and encouraged my son Matthew to play the game,” added Mr Peaker.

“He was a genuinely lovely man, who always had a smile on his face, and in his day was a very fine player,” said Tony Clegg, who played many times in the Huddersfield Yorkshire League team alongside Mr Warren.