Yesterday, I published the first in a series of articles I’ll be writing called What Might Have Been, where I look at a sportsmen whose career, for whatever reason, never lived up to it’s full potential. Today we switch our attention from the high octane world of Formula One to the much quieter world of snooker, and the tragic tale of Paul Hunter.
Turning pro at the age of 16 in 1995, Hunter seemed to have it all. Talent to burn and good looks which led to his nickname of the “Beckham of the Baize”. He became an instant fan favourite playing with a flair and confidence that so few players have managed to match before or since. His pro career started by reaching the Second Round of the UK Championship, shocking world number six Alan McManus in the first round. A few months later at the 1996 Welsh Open he became the youngest player to reach a Semi Final of a ranking event and even beat the dominant Stephen Hendry along the way. He would also reach the Quarter Finals of the UK Championship later that year to confirm his status as one of the games rising stars.
Hunter’s first ranking event win came at the 1998 Welsh Open where he defeat John Higgins. Another success in Newport would follow four years later against Ken Doherty however his victory at the British Open in 2003 would be the third and final time that Hunter would taste victory at a ranking event. Despite only three ranking event wins in his eight years as a pro by 2003 there was one competition that Hunter would absolutely make his own.
Last month, Ronnie O’Sullivan won his 61st tournament title beating Joe Perry 10-7 in the Masters final. In doing so, he lifted what is now named the Paul Hunter Trophy, a nod to the terrific performances of Hunter in this event.
Prior to the 2001 event, Hunter had won just one match in his previous two years in the competition and the 23 year old was only considered to be a potential semi finalist at best coming into the tournament in Wembley. After seeing off world no.9 Stephen Lee in the first round, he then beat Peter Ebdon and Alan McManus to reach the final against the Irishman Fergal O’Brien. Going into the mid session interval 6-2 down all looked lost, however that evening, he would go on to produce one of the finest sessions of snooker in the modern era. Hunter compiled four centuries in six frames to take the lead and eventually win the match in the 19th and deciding frame. He would go on to repeat his success in 2002 and 2004 both by the same 10-9 scoreline against Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
In 2005 Hunter achieved his highest ranking of World No.5 before tragedy struck.
On 6 April 2005, Hunter announced that he was suffering from malignant neuroendocrine tumours in his stomach, a rare disease of which the cause is unknown. Hunter vowed to play on through his illness initially but it was clear to see that the illness had taken it’s toll and the Beckham of the Baize was not the same player he had been before. Throughout the 2005/06 season Hunter had been receiving chemotherapy for his illness. His last match saw him succumb 10-5 to future World Champion Neil Robertson in the First Round of the 2006 World Championship. Hunter was allowed to leave the tour with his now ranking of 34 frozen to concentrate on his treatment.
On 9th October 2006, Paul Hunter died at Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield. He was just 27 years old.
His funeral took place ten days later in his hometown of Leeds, with many fellow players attending. His best friend Matthew Stevens was a pallbearer.
Hunter left behind a huge legacy. Top players like Stephen Hendry, Matthew Stevens and Ken Doherty led calls for the Masters trophy to be named in Hunter’s honour but the now minor ranking tournament the Furth Open (now the Paul Hunter Classic), a competition first won by Hunter was chosen instead. In 2016 the Masters trophy was finally named after Hunter, with World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn saying that the organisation “messed up” by not doing so sooner.
In December of that year, Hunter was posthumously awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award, an award which recognises outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. The Paul Hunter Foundation was also set up soon after his death to give disadvantaged children a place to play sport.
Paul Hunter was arguably one of the most popular players in snooker history. In a time where a new generation of players were starting to assert their dominance Hunter, along with Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins, was one of the new faces of the sport. His incredible natural talent and good looks saw him earn thousands of fans across the world and is considered by some to be the most charismatic player the game has ever seen. Whether or not he would have won a World Championship with so many fantastic players during his generation is up for debate, however the one thing that everyone can agree on, is that the world of snooker lost one of it’s brightest and most popular talents far far sooner than it should have.
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