By Elliott West
Introduction
This year Kirk Stevens celebrates his 64th birthday and what a life he has had. One of a number of former Canadian pool hustlers that made the bold move to carve out a professional career on the UK snooker tour, Stevens was blessed with talent from an early age. Making his first-century break aged only 12, he turned professional in 1978 at the age of 20. Toronto-born, Kirk was a fine amateur player winning the Canadian Amateur Championship six times (1978, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2008).
A player who embraced flair and fashion, Stevens wasn’t afraid to take the bull by the horns and left more chalk marks on a snooker table than a school blackboard of yesteryear. A good friend of Jimmy White, Kirk probably enjoyed the limelight slightly too much and unfortunately succumbed to the magnetic draw of nightclubs, alcohol and what Jimmy White described as the ‘devil’s dandruff’, cocaine. Although Jimmy later started that these sessions didn’t happen with him.
The Man in a White Suit
Putting aside the tabloid stories, Kirk Stevens was a crowd puller. Like Tony Knowles, his fan base was wide, especially amongst female viewers. Kirk could and should have one more and the proof is there in black and white. He reached the semi-finals of the 1984 World Championship, losing narrowly to Jimmy White 16-14 and famously mesmerised the Wembley Conference Centre audience with a 147 break in his semi-final match again against Jimmy White. Daring and glaring, Stevens wowed the crowd with his white Tommy Knocker suit, attire that few players of the time would have dared to wear.
Kirk did reach the final of the 1985 British Open, losing 9-12 to Silvino Francisco, his only ranking final. He did win the 1983 Canadian Professional Championship and the 1982 World Team Classic, additionally reaching the final of 1984 New Zealand Masters, 1986 Belgian Classic, 1986 Pot Black, 1980 World Challenge Cup and the 1986 and 1987 World Cup. With the highest world ranking of 4th in the 1984-5 season, Stevens retired as a professional in 1999 and returned to Canadian home soil.
Afterthoughts
Kirk will always be remembered as one of the leading lights of snooker. A man who lit up an arena and played the type of snooker where blood and sweat were lost. He was fearless and gave any match and any opponent 110%. Thankfully Stevens is clean and sober now and does pop up occasionally with a cue for a match, largely in Canada. A trailblazer of snooker who helped modernise the game, this Canadian like Thorburn, Werbenuik, Chaperon and Robidoux, did his country proud and fans long for the day when we again see some Canadian players represent their country in the main tour.
