Cold balls of The Great White North

[Rebound59]

So, any other Canadians around here? Snooker is pretty much dead here, except in a couple of large population centres. But I'm intent on staying with the game wherever I find it. I'm curious to know if there are any others like me, especially on the east coast where snooker tables have been disappearing steadily for many years.

[Slasher]

So, any other Canadians around here? Snooker is pretty much dead here, except in a couple of large population centres. But I'm intent on staying with the game wherever I find it. I'm curious to know if there are any others like me, especially on the east coast where snooker tables have been disappearing steadily for many years.

Snooker officially died here in the 70's along with most of the players.

[Stony152]

I live in Europe now, but I spent the first 50 years of my life in Canada. I remember teaching in a small town in Alberta in the early 80s and the pool hall actually had a couple of snooker tables along with the smaller pool tables for 8 ball. I tried to play a few times, but it was just too hard and I gravitated towards 8 ball. There was even some snooker on TV in those days. Now you'd be really hard pressed to find a snooker table in Canada and it's been years since any snooker has been shown on TV.

So I basically lost contact with the sport for the better part of 20 years. It wasn't until internet streams and YouTube that I was able to start watching again and catching up on what I missed. Now with Eurosport I get to watch snooker almost every week. The only bad thing is no Canadians to cheer for, other than Marco Fu who spent some of his youth there.

I'm afraid that snooker isn't making a comeback any time soon. Today's young people need instant gratification, and snooker takes too much time and practice to get good at. It's really too bad, because it's a fantastic game.

[Rebound59]

Snooker officially died here in the 70's along with most of the players.

Not the 70's, somewhat later. Until the late 80's it was still possible to make a living with a billiard room that didn't sell alcohol.

[Rebound59]

So, what's your story, slasher?

[Rebound59]

@stony152, I'm wishing I could like or upvote your post. Bulletin is rather outdated.

[Terry Davidson]

All of you are living in the wrong areas for snooker. In Southern Ontario we (the OBSA) run 10 tournaments per year at 5 different clubs and then have the Ontario Championships. Right now at half the season finished we have over 70 players registered and our last tournament at The Corner Bank in Scarborough drew 38 players. We have clubs with snooker tables in quite a few locations and it is becoming more popular.

For those of you who live 'down east' there is a snooker club opening in downtown Dartmouth, NS soon with the tables from Burnside Snooker (BCE Steel blocked tables). There is a club in New Glasgow called The Century Club run by Billy Martin and they have 4 tables. I'm pretty sure there are no snooker tables or clubs in Newfoundland, not sure if PEI and New Brunswick have a few tables kicking around.

Go to 'snookercanada.ca' for a list of snooker facilities in Canada.

[Stony152]

All of you are living in the wrong areas for snooker. In Southern Ontario we (the OBSA) run 10 tournaments per year at 5 different clubs and then have the Ontario Championships. Right now at half the season finished we have over 70 players registered and our last tournament at The Corner Bank in Scarborough drew 38 players. We have clubs with snooker tables in quite a few locations and it is becoming more popular.

For those of you who live 'down east' there is a snooker club opening in downtown Dartmouth, NS soon with the tables from Burnside Snooker (BCE Steel blocked tables). There is a club in New Glasgow called The Century Club run by Billy Martin and they have 4 tables. I'm pretty sure there are no snooker tables or clubs in Newfoundland, not sure if PEI and New Brunswick have a few tables kicking around.

Go to 'snookercanada.ca' for a list of snooker facilities in Canada.

That's great to hear. Is there any kind of scene in Vancouver? Is there any chance of a young Canadian coming along as good as Brecel or at least good enough to play on the tour?

I remember watching Alex Pagulayan play pool on TV a few years ago. I believe he's tried snooker Q school a few times in the past. He was/is extremely talented and probably could have been a decent tour player if he had devoted all of his time to snooker. He's 40 now, so that ship has sailed. I think the American pool player Corey Deuel made Q School attempts in 2014 and 2015 without success. He's also 40 now.

[Slasher]

Billy, Cliff, Kirk and Alain were about it for pro level players and that is going back some. Forget the west coast, Marco lived here for a while but there was no way he could get any world class competition to improve so moved on. There are a few Chinese clubs but no pro level players, I don't even think the Legion leagues are still going, they had a high break of the season stuck at 23, would have been 24 but Freddy missed an easy red.

[DeanH]

That's great to hear. Is there any kind of scene in Vancouver? Is there any chance of a young Canadian coming along as good as Brecel or at least good enough to play on the tour?

I remember watching Alex Pagulayan play pool on TV a few years ago. I believe he's tried snooker Q school a few times in the past. He was/is extremely talented and probably could have been a decent tour player if he had devoted all of his time to snooker. He's 40 now, so that ship has sailed. I think the American pool player Corey Deuel made Q School attempts in 2014 and 2015 without success. He's also 40 now.

he has tried the Q-School every year since 2012 through to this year, whether he will try again I don't know

[Stony152]

Billy, Cliff, Kirk and Alain were about it for pro level players and that is going back some.

Don't forget about Jim Wych and Bob Chaperon. Wych was the first overseas player to make the quarter-finals of the World championships in 1980, where he lost to Thorburn. He also made the quarter-finals in 1992. He reached #17 in the world in the early 80s. Now he mostly comments on pool (8 ball) and has worked for Sky Sports for a long time. Chaperon played at the crucible three times and won the 1990 British Open beating Alex Higgins in the final.

Looking at Wikipedia I also found a player named John Bear who played at the crucible in 1982 and reached #25 in the rankings. There's also Marcel Gauvreau, who lost in the first round in 1984 and Mario Morra, who lost to Thorburn in the first round the same year. In fact there were six Canadians who played at the crucible in 1984. Brady Gollan lost in the first round in 1990.

[Slasher]

Didn't forget about those others I just did not think they were that significant
I used to knock about with Marcel as well.

[jonny66]

Don't forget about Jim Wych and Bob Chaperon. Wych was the first overseas player to make the quarter-finals of the World championships in 1980, where he lost to Thorburn. He also made the quarter-finals in 1992. He reached #17 in the world in the early 80s. Now he mostly comments on pool (8 ball) and has worked for Sky Sports for a long time. Chaperon played at the crucible three times and won the 1990 British Open beating Alex Higgins in the final.

Looking at Wikipedia I also found a player named John Bear who played at the crucible in 1982 and reached #25 in the rankings. There's also Marcel Gauvreau, who lost in the first round in 1984 and Mario Morra, who lost to Thorburn in the first round the same year. In fact there were six Canadians who played at the crucible in 1984. Brady Gollan lost in the first round in 1990.

There's a load of youtube videos of snooker players playing pool with Jim Wych commentating. Usually loads of angry comments under it saying "what does that dumb yank know about snooker!?"

[Stony152]

There's a load of youtube videos of snooker players playing pool with Jim Wych commentating. Usually loads of angry comments under it saying "what does that dumb yank know about snooker!?"

I'm not a fan of his commentating. He almost sounds like he's talking about players who are beneath his level. I get a superiority vibe from him. Plus his voice is a bit annoying.

[Stony152]

Didn't forget about those others I just did not think they were that significant
I used to knock about with Marcel as well.

You said they were the only "pro level" players.

The last time a Canadian played at the crucible was Robideaux in 1999. Almost 20 years ago. I doubt we'll see another one in my lifetime.

In darts a Canadian appears almost every year because they have qualifiers and wildcards. It's been a while since John Part was a serious contender. He's an interesting case. He's a reasonably popular sports personality in the UK, whereas 99.99% of Canadians would have no idea who he is.