Background
He was born Thomas Edgar Pratt in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire.
He was born Thomas Edgar Pratt in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire.
He established himself as the best billiards players of the 1920s, appearing in every World Professional Billiards Championship final between 1921 and 1930, and winning the title six times. In the last five of these final he met Joe Davis, winning twice (1926 & 1927) and losing three times (1928, 1929 & 1930). Newman was a great break builder at billiards, and was a master of the cannon shot.
His first century break at the "three ball game" came when he was 16 years of age.
And in the 1930-1931 season he made 134 breaks of 1000. Like many players of that era he regarded snooker as the less "serious" of the two sports, but nevertheless he made an officially recognized record snooker break of 89 in 1919.
Newman died at his home in Tufnel Park, London on 30 September 1943 aged 49. He had had throat trouble for several years.
Non-ranking event finals: 1 (1 runner-up).