Paul Hunter

For the music video director, see Paul Hunter (director).

Paul Hunter

Nickname	Beckham of the Baize
Professional	1995– 2006
Highest ranking	4 (2004/05)
Century breaks	114
Tournament wins
Ranking	3

Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player.

Early career

He was educated at Cardinal Heenan High School in Leeds. Encouraged by family and friends, Hunter spent many hours at the practice table, and by the age of 12, had become an outstanding junior talent. Under the careful guidance of experienced professionals Jimmy Michie and former World Champion Joe Johnson, the Leeds youngster made his debut amongst the professional ranks in July 1995.

Hunter became one of the youngest players ever to reach the last four of a major ranking event when appearing as a semi-finalist in the 1996 Welsh Open, aged 17. His first ranking tournament victory was the Regal Welsh Open which he won in 1998, defeating John Higgins in the final. He was named the Snooker Writers Association's Young Player of the Year for that year.

In the 2001 Benson & Hedges Masters, Hunter beat Stephen Hendry 6-3 in the semi-final before recovering from a 7-3 deficit against Fergal O'Brien to win the final 10-9. He won the same tournament again in 2002 and 2004 by the same scoreline, having trailed 5-0 and 7-2 respectively.

He made further ranking victories that year, winning the British Open and the Regal Welsh for a second time, but was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had to have a cyst removed. He continued to rise through the rankings, reaching the top eight for the first time in the 2003 rankings, and the top 4 in the 2004 rankings.

He reached that year's World Championship semi-final, losing to Ken Doherty. Hunter had been 15-9 in front before losing 17-16. That was the only time he reached the semi-finals of the game's most prestigious event. Hunter also compiled 114 competitive century breaks during his career.

Later years and illness

Hunter and Lyndsey Fell married in the summer of 2004 in Jamaica. On 26 December 2005, Lyndsey gave birth to their first and only child, daughter Evie Rose, who weighed 8 lbs, 2 oz.

On 6 April 2005, Hunter announced that he was suffering from malignant neuroendocrine tumours, a rare form of stomach cancer. A spokesman for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association said at the time: "Paul will undergo treatment to cure himself of this illness. He would like to reassure his fans and supporters that, as with his snooker career, he is tenacious and positive in his fight against the disease."

He returned to the circuit for the start of the following season, but lost to Rory McLeod in the opening round of the Grand Prix tournament, having only returned to practice 2 weeks earlier, and not confirming his participation until three days before the match.

Hunter, a smoker, had been receiving chemotherapy for his illness and had been struggling to find form since beginning treatment. He dropped out of the World's top 32 in the rankings after losing 10-5 to Neil Robertson at the World Championship, although the BBC commentators felt he had been unlucky in two of the frames he lost.

It is believed that Hunter's treatment was of limited success and that he was often in some pain. On 27 July 2006, the WPBSA confirmed that, following a members' vote, the organisation's rules would be changed to allow Hunter to sit out the entire 06/07 season with his world ranking frozen at 34. He devoted the year to treatment for his cancer.

Death

Hunter died on October 9 2006 - just five days short of his 28th birthday - at the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield. Following his death thousands of tributes poured in from some of the most famous names in snooker:

World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker said: "I'm sure that everyone who met Paul, as well as his millions of fans and the sporting public as a whole, will join me in sending most sincere sympathies to Lindsey, Paul's parents, his family and friends. Paul was a man who had everything going for him – an outstanding talent, good looks, fame, riches, charm and a beautiful wife. This shows us just how quickly life can change. It’s a bitter blow for snooker but most importantly for his family and our thoughts are with them."

Stephen Hendry said: "I'm absolutely devastated by the news. He’s got a young family and he had a fantastic future in front of him. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare and puts everything into perspective."

John Parrott, the 1991 world champion and a member of the BBC TV snooker team, said: "It's a great loss to the sport but more importantly than that, it's a great loss to his family. Paul played the game with a smile on his face. He was a bright and bubbly character and I never heard him complain. He was always such a happy person. We’re all going to miss him, very much."

Jimmy White, six times World Championship finalist, revealed he was playing for Hunter's charity when he heard of the news: "I was halfway through the exhibition and a guy gave £10,000 to the charity, and then we got the news," he said. "He was a tiger on the snooker table, but off the table you couldn't have met a nicer fellow. As soon as he got beaten, or he won, he was back to Paul Hunter, and that's a very hard quality to have. I can't tell you how special he was. He was a credit to life."

Ken Doherty, the 1997 World Champion, paid tribute to Hunter calling him a 'great character': "It's a very sad day, not only for snooker but also for the sporting world," said Doherty. "We've lost a great character and champion and a great friend. It's a shocking loss." He added: "Everybody was dumbfounded when he was diagnosed with the disease. In someone so young we all thought he would come through it after chemotherapy. Words can't explain what his family must be going through and they are all in our minds and our prayers."

Fellow professional Mark Williams said "Heaven has a new champion."

It has been announced that Hunter's funeral will take place on October 19, 2006.

Prior to the Premier League Snooker matches on October 12 2006, players Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ken Doherty and Ding Junhui, along with referee Alan Chamberlain and commentators Willie Thorne and Phil Yates, all stood for a moment of silence to remember Hunter. There was also a short video tribute.

Hunter died with friends and Family by his bed-side. A close friend played a song for him on his guitar shortly before he passed away. Hunter smiled broadly at this before closing his eyes one final time. "A tragic loss not mainly to snooker but to his Family."

Hunter is described as "The Champion before his crowning."

Trivia

In his post match interview following his 2001 Masters title win, Hunter caused a media sensation by admitting he resorted to "Plan B" with Lyndsey, then his girlfriend, during the interval while 6-2 down. The 'B' in "Plan B" purportedly refers to the word "bonk", a British slang term for sexual intercourse. Hunter and Fell retired to their hotel room and he recalls "Sex was the last thing on my mind. I just wasn't in the mood. But I had to do something to break the tension. It was a quick session - around 10 minutes or so - but I felt great afterwards. She jumped in the bath, I had a kip and then played like a dream. I reeled off four centuries in six frames. I won easily."

Tournament wins

Ranking wins

• Welsh Open - 1998, 2002
• British Open - 2002

Other wins

• Benson & Hedges Masters - 2001, 2002, 2004

Best performances

• Last 32 - 2006 888.com World Championship
• Last 32 - 2006 Saga Insurance Masters
• Last 32 - 2005 Embassy World Championship
• Last 16 - 2005 UK Championship
• S/Final - 2005 Pot Black
• Last 64 - 2005 Grand Prix
• S/Final - 2004 Grand Prix
• Last 16 - 2004 Embassy World Championship
• Finalist - 2004 Players Championship
• Winner - 2004 Masters
• Q/Final - 2003 UK Championship
• Q/Final - 2003 British Open
• S/Final - 2003 Embassy World Championship
• S/Final - 2003 City West Irish Masters
• S/Final - 2003 Regal Welsh
• Q/Final - 2003 European Open
• S/Final - 2003 B & H Masters
• Winner - 2002 British Open
• Q/Final - 2002 LG Cup
• Q/Final - 2002 Regal Masters
• Winner - 2002 Benson & Hedges Masters
• Winner - 2002 Regal Welsh Open
• Winner - 2001 Benson & Hedges Masters
• Finalist - 2001 Regal Welsh
• Q/Final - 2000 China Open
• Q/Final - 2000 Grand Prix
• S/Final - 2000 British Open
• Last 16 - 1999 British Open
• Last 32 - 1999 Embassy World Championship
• Q/Final - 1999 Regal Scottish Open
• S/Final - 1998 Liverpool Victoria UK Championships
• Winner - 1998 Regal Welsh Open
• Last 16 - 1998 Irish Open
• Last 16 - 1997 Grand Prix
• Q/Final - 1996 UK Championships
• S/Final - 1996 Regal Welsh Open

Notes and references

• Times obituary
• Guardian obituary
• Profile at snookerclub.com
• Profile at BBC Sport