“It’s almost like there’s a wall of pressure, and either you break through it and play well or you succumb to it.”
Dene O’Kane
Introduction
I was saddened to read this morning of the passing of the former professional snooker player Dene O’Kane. I was lucky to meet Dene several years ago when he came from New Zealand for the Seniors at the Crucible. He was a charming, quietly spoken man who shared many stories about his time as a player. I was interested to hear about my writing and encouraged my progress. Watching him play live with his trademark glove was a joy, even though he suffered from jetlag from his long flight.
This is the second time I have shed a tear from my time at the Crucible. I lost my dear friend Willie Thorne not long after appearing at the same tournament. That night with Dene in the hotel bar, around a table with Tony Knowles, Cliff Thorburn and Jimmy White’s manager, Kevin Kelly, was unique. Little known me with players I had grown up watching on a television screen.
The Kiwi Legend
He was described as “the greatest New Zealander to pick up a cue”. Dene sadly died in an Auckland hospital on Tuesday night after an accident, a reported fall at his home on Waiheke Island. He was 61—a player who chased his dream of playing on the main snooker stage. Becoming New Zealand amateur snooker champion at 17 in 1980, Dene moved to the UK and competed in the golden era of snooker in the 1980s—a player who broke into the top 20 with the highest ranking of 18th. A professional from 1984-2001 and 2006-2007, O’Kane went on to win a swathe of titles overseas, including three world masters championships. He reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship twice, in 1987 and 1992. He retired from the professional tour in 2001.
Dene was a trailblazer for his country. We travelled thousands of miles to play in an era with fewer tournaments and less money. A former chair of Massé Cue Sports, Dene always had a crowd of fans waiting for him at the stage door and always took time to talk to those who loved him: a kind and gentle man who went on to work in real estate in 2007. We salute you, Dene and the snooker family will much miss you.
