My Best Snooker Story

[noel]

A True Story.

My Dad always said "All a man's got is his Story to tell"...

If you tell me yours I may tell you mine.

Let's hear them! *

=o)

Noel




*
As a example... TSF member thinsy remembered this in this post today... http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...t=15777&page=3

Cliff (Thorburn) is a fantastic guy. When Embassy sponsered the WC i used to help out in the 'Heritage Room' and once went for dinner and later a boogie at 'Josephines' night club... It doesn't take much to get me to shake my moves on the dance floor but i remember Cliff was right behind me and had a few smooth moves of his own.

Ah well, he won't remember me, but i'm sure he'll remember Roger!!!

[thinsy]

Don't mind you using my quote Noel, but having read it back i think i need to point out that Roger is the guy who ran the Heritage Room and NOT a guy who experienced Cliff's 'smooth moves'. lol.

[noel]

Bear with me mates!

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning.
He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that a thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing.
He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.
About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.
When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world.
He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theatre in Boston and the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Exactly what I experience playing snooker in a club with Cliff... virtually no one recognizes him or the awesome form he shows... no one puts two and two together, connecting the guy playing "at the next table" and the lifesize poster of him hanging with many other World Champions on the wall behind them.

Laugh or Cry?

=o)

Noel

[Strickimicki]

I'd know him! Unless he looks like Big Bill these days!

I'd go over to him shake his hand and thank him for the years of pleasure he gave watching him play when I was a teenager!

Thanks for the story Noel,

Brian

[gloveman]

Fantastic story Noel

[Oldgit]

Yes, nice story. Cliff is a great guy.

Back in the 1970s I had read a 'Snooker Scene' with the amazing (it realy was in those days) of Cliff Thorburns 147 Max break that he had got in Canada. Then I went to the second ever Pontins Prestatyn Snooker week and was lucky enough to end up at the bar in the company of John Spencer, Eddie Charlton and Cliff Thorburn. I had a great time and all three of them were nice people. Don't suppose Cliff would ever remember but I will never forget!!
Incidentally, Eddie Charlton was a renowned tea-totaller but that night, when it was my round I went to the bar and bought Eddie a small glass of Sherry which he drank!

Oldgit

[Wayne G]

Thirteen or so years ago, my club held a snooker tournament which attracted the likes of Cliff Thornburn, Jim Weiche, Kirk Stevens and other top players. I watched the play all day long, went home for a quick Sunday dinner and returned. Upon returning I was informed that Cliff had just run a 147 right near where I had sat all day. and I missed it!!! Talk about being ticked off.

[spike]

I really feel for you Wayne!

[crucible77]

Wayne that is so unlucky!

[KeithinFrance]

All I can say is: Ouch!

[nicksnooker]

Great Snooker Stories

Semi-final of the Herald Bedfordshire open in the late 20th Century. Paul Smith and Pasquale Carluccio playing for a place in the final. 2 frames each, Paul at the table on 32, put his hand over his eye and starts looking on the floor! 5 mins later Paul picks up his GLASS EYE 'pops' it back in and continues with the break, 127 total clearance.

Alex Higgins in an exhibition in Leighton Buzzard: 13 frames, 12 centuries then a maximum..Genuis

Ray Reardon: on 40 break, looks at white and says 'it's cracked' he replaced white with yellow and then compiled a maximum!

FORM IS TEMPORARY, CLASS IS PERMANENT!

[noel]

nicksnooker

Wonderful stories... are they true? (just joking mate)

Surely Higgins' 12 tons then a max is a record of some sort!

Thanks for sharing!


=o)

Noel

[shadow]

talking about good guys this is a true story about ray reardon.......many years ago my wife bought a "coaching session" as an xmas gift thru the local rileys.as soon as i could after xmas i phoned rileys and booked the session.i arrived at the centre in plenty of time for my appointed 2 hour sesssion.i found ray at a table with maybe 15/20 people so i sat and waited.at the appointed hour[when the others had left ] i introduced myself as your 2 o,clock appointment.ray said i have just finished the group session and must go. it turned out that rileys had cocked up[no wonder they went bust]and booked me alone down at 2 instead of 12 with all the others.when ray found out what had happened he was great..."i was going but if you will give me a few minutes to get a coffee and sandwich i,ll be back".said ray.true to his word in a few minutes he was back a i proceeded to have a 2hour 1 to 1 lesson with a world champ!!he could easily have said tough not my problem sort it out with rileys but he was fantastic a real great guy.

[dannyd0g]

Alex Higgins is on a tour of Canada one year when he stops off at a roadside diner at breakfast time. He orders a lager (yes at breakfast time) and notices a pool table. He lays down a challenge to the locals for a money match.

He breaks off and proceeds to make a total clearance. He then breaks off again and clears everything again in the next frame, and then he repeats this once again in the next; making threee total clearances in a row without his opponent getting a shot.

He then gathers up his winnings and buys everyone in the place a drink.

And thats one of the few stories in the Bill Burrows book that shows Alex in a good light !

The stuff of legend IMO.

[Forman]

Alex Higgins is on a tour of Canada one year when he stops off at a roadside diner at breakfast time. He orders a lager (yes at breakfast time) and notices a pool table. He lays down a challenge to the locals for a money match.

He breaks off and proceeds to make a total clearance. He then breaks off again and clears everything again in the next frame, and then he repeats this once again in the next; making threee total clearances in a row without his opponent getting a shot.

He then gathers up his winnings and buys everyone in the place a drink.

And thats one of the few stories in the Bill Burrows book that shows Alex in a good light !

The stuff of legend IMO.

ive read that book too, its a good read though bill borrows certialnly doesnt hold back in his opinion of alex.
thats one of my favourite stories in the book but you left out the best part, before he broke off he asked his oponent about what rules they were playing, his opponent said youve got to nominate a pocket for the black so alex picks a pocket before hes even broken off, the other player says no no you dont have to nominate till your on the black but alex insists its going in the pocket he nominated, he then breaks off and clears the table complete with back in the pocket he nominated