The top snooker players in the world compete for several trophies every year, but one carries more prestige than all the others put together--the World Championship. Meticulously researched and including exclusive interview material with Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy, among others, "Masters of the Baize" is a comprehensive guide to the men who have lifted the greatest prize in snooker. From the legendary Joe Davis, the first champion in 1927, to modern-day masters like Mark Williams, all the sport's world champions are put under the microscope, while the colorful careers of forgotten figures such as Walter Donaldson and John Pulman and rogue heroes like Alex Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan are brought vividly to life.