Introduction
Snooker like any sports has its greats but if you peel back the veneer, you will always find others who have stood beyond the spotlight. One such person is Vic Harris. Mention his name to anyone on the snooker scene who knew of him and you will always get a warm and fond response. Harris was the cog that turned the wheel and his vital involvement helped fuel the careers of Steve Davis and Tony Drago to name but a few after talent spotting them at an early age.
Career
Within any mentor is experience and Vic was no exception. This lad from Westcliffe-On-Sea in Essex was a professional player from 1981-1992 and reached the last 32 of the UK Championship in 1987. He also won the English Amateur title in 1981, after beating George Wood in the final of the tournament. He rose to a high of 63 in the rankings, career winnings of £18,992 and a highest break of 121 in the 1985 English Professional Championship. This was no mean feat for a player who competed in the Davis/Hendry eras.
The Secret
Like Frank Callan, Terry Griffiths and Del Hill, Vic Harris knew the in and out of snooker from playing in a club to competing at the highest level. He was a person who wanted to give back the craft and the knowledge he had learnt to the budding players of the future. Through players such as Steve Davis, Tony Drago and later Stuart Bingham, Mark King and Ronnie O’Sullivan weaved his craft for the excellence of the sport. He was approachable, larger than life and used his brilliant sense of humour to make a player feel comfortable and drew the best out of their abilities and fine tuned their weaknesses. A rare craft in a world where many fall and few succeed.
The Harris Legacy
Vic Harris sadly passed away in 2015, aged 69 after a long battle with cancer but he was a fighter until the end, not letting his illness get in the way of his everyday life. Despite having lost his right ear as a result of cancer, Vic still promoted the sport with a BBC interview in the 2013 World Snooker Championship and continued to play regularly in his beloved Essex. Thankfully Vic was so well regarded that like Ron Gross, a tournament was set up in his memory, The Vic Harris Snooker League which remains a highly successful event and my dear friend, snooker referee, Glen Sullivan-Bissett is involved in. I will leave you with a few quotes from people who knew this great man. Tributes that echo the high regard that this gentleman of snooker was seen amongst his colleagues.
“ I would never have been the player I became and had the career I had without Vic Harris “
Tony Drago
“I had the pleasure of knowing Vic throughout my playing career, he was a lovely man, passionate about snooker and was always happy to pass on his knowledge and expertise to help others “
Jason Ferguson
“ Vic was a great player in his day, no doubt, he was also a great coach, he helped all the amateur players in the Basildon club he ran in the 90s including me. But I’ll remember him most for his stories, Vic could talk all night, mostly about snooker in ‘old days’ he was so funny, he’d keep you entertained for hours. I will also say, that Vic was very ill for many years, and never complained, never thought, ‘why me’? So as well as being a great snooker player and coach, and the most entertaining friend I ever had. He was also the bravest man I knew. I loved Vic, not ashamed to say so”
Glen Sullivan-Bissett
Vic and friends on a golfing holiday.
