The 80's are acclaimed as the glory years of Steve Davis who won no fewer than 28 ranking tournaments including six World Championships.
Davis won his first world title in April 1981. A month prior to that final, a boy was born in Glasgow and was named Stephen Maguire.
The 80's also brought into the snooker limelight a talented youngster by the name of Stephen Hendry who won the first of his 36 ranking tournaments, the Rothmans Grand Prix, in 1987. In April of the same year in the Chinese city of Jiangsu, a boy by the name of Ding Junhui was born.
Today, over 20 years later, both Hendry and Davis are still fervent and highly ranked in the game. In fact, Hendry is ranked seventh with Davis 12th on the latest provisional rankings for the current season.
In the same classification, which lists 96 players, there are two interesting names - Stephen Maguire at No. 15 and Ding Junhui at No. 5.
Yes, the same Maguire and Junhui mentioned in the opening paragraphs.
All four are today in Malta along with other top players - the world's top 16 and 16 other qualifiers - where this evening at the Hilton Conference Centre they start their challenge for the conquest of the Malta Cup 2007, one of the only two ranking events held outside the UK this season.
A most significant and memorable edition indeed as it represents the 200th world ranking tournament held over the past 33 years - 199 rankings which produced 41 different winners.
Talking of figures, 17 of the past winners, who between them cherish 152 ranking victories, are on this week's Malta appointment, all eager to make this anniversary number their special victory.
Players like Ronnie O'Sullivan, outstandingly triumphant at last week's Masters, John Higgins, Mark Williams, John Parrot, and Peter Ebdon are all here.
A fascinating assembly of talented celebrities are here with established ones keen to expand upon their achievements. The enthusiastic breed of determined youngsters includes Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui and others, all zealous to become part of snooker's hall of fame.
This third Malta Cup is the fourth ranking event of the 2006/07 season with each of the first three producing different winners proving that overall there are no clear-cut favourites.
Today's opening day of the tournament can be described as 'Malta Day'.
For in programme will be Drago's first qualifying match against Lee Spick and the two 'wild card' matches, where Joe Grech will meet David Roe and Simon Zammit plays Andrew Higginson - an opening to enjoy for the local support of a packed auditorium.
Also in today's programme are three other first round matches which will feature Stephen Lee vs Michael Judge, Anthony Hamilton vs Tom Ford and Graeme Dott vs Stuart Bingham.
Foreign guests
A special welcome today goes to the numerous overseas snooker fans, over 400 of them, who have travelled to Malta for the tournament.
Fans from the UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Cyprus, Ukraine, Latvia, Holland, Serbia, Russia and China.
This event is definitely a prime attraction on Malta's sport-tourism calendar.
Our foreign guests were mostly encouraged to come for the tournament through the event's website yet there is so much that could be done to attract more tourists to such top notch snooker in Malta.
Five international snooker referees will officiate the tournament - Eirian Williams and Jan Verhaas together with Maltese trio Michael Attard Montalto, Terry Camilleri and Ray Debattista.
This edition of the Malta Cup will go beyond the enjoyment of the crowd in the auditorium.
This is because Eurosport will be giving this week's Malta Cup no fewer than 25 hours of direct live transmission with a substantial amount of repeat broadcast - 40 hours in all - a priceless exposure in 51 different territories, with a reach of 95 million homes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Both winners of the first two editions, Stephen Hendry (2005) and Ken Doherty (2006), are undoubtedly keen to make this Malta Cup their 'hat-trick' victory in Malta having each won two of the seven rankings held in Malta over the past ten years.
But with such high strong challengers, the likes of John Parrott, John Higgins and Maguire eager to make it their 'double' Malta triumph, and the other players anxious for their first conquest here, any forecast would be presumptuous.
And what about any surprises in store?
Well, if any occur they would give the event a delightful touch of surprise which makes it more exciting.
One looks forward to a thrilling and enjoyable event which will be a worthy and memorable 200th world ranking tournament.
So, instead of a forecast I would rather make a wish - may we have a week of world snooker at its best.
So, good luck to all players.
The Malta Cup, organised by Snooker Promotions (Malta) and sanctioned by World Snooker, has the Malta Tourism Authority, Air Malta, Hilton Malta and Vodafone Malta as main local sponsors.
Today's programme
S. Zammit vs A. Higginson 4 p.m.
J. Grech vs D. Roe 4 p.m.
G. Dott vs S. Bingham 4 p.m.
T. Drago vs L. Spick 8 p.m.
S. Lee vs M. Judge 8 p.m.
A. Hamilton vs T. Ford 8 p.m.