By Elliott West
Introduction
Roger Garrett is a name that few snooker lovers would have heard of but he is a player that richly deserves recognition in his field. His is a sad story but it highlights how some struggle to cope in the solitude of the sport and how the pursuit of fame and recognition may have a negative impact on the individual without a support network.
A Tainted Talent
Roger Garrett had a short, professional career, spanning from 1992-1995 with his world ranking being 96. Prior to joining the main tour, Roger hit the snooker headlines when he compiled a total clearance from his break-off, scoring a 141 break at the Ilford Snooker Centre against Daren Mirza, believed to be the first such clearance on record.
In his first season as a professional, Garrett reached the last 64 of the 1993 Asian Open, losing 5-0 to Ken Doherty. In a tournament held at the Imperial Queens Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand where Dave Harold defeated Darren Morgan 9-3 in the final, Roger raced through the qualifiers, beating eight players. This included a 5-3 defeat of Rod Lawler in the last 96.
In the 1993/1994 season, Garrett again reached the last 64 of one tournament. On this occasion, this was the 1993 Grand Prix. In an impressive run, he beat Elliott Clark 5-3, Yasin Merchant 5-4, Paul Gibson 5-1, Jimmy Michie 5-2, and Tony Chappel 5-0. This set up an exciting draw against Alain Robidoux. In their match, Roger led 4-3 but the Canadian prevailed 5-4, winning the deciding frame with a break of 97.
The 1994/1995 season brought a glimmer of success but also turned out to be Garrett’s last season as a professional. He lost to Mark Bennett in the last 48 of the 1994 European Open and at the 1995 International Open, he won his matches against Andrew Peters, Mehmet Husnu, and Stephen Lee to qualify for the last 64.
Shortly after this, Roger Garrett entered the International Open in Bournemouth. Garrett, from Harlow in Essex was due to play Dave Harold at 12.30 pm. However, he didn’t turn up for the match. After various calls to the player to no avail, the staff went to his hotel room and found his snooker cue, dress suit, and passport still there but one of his holdalls was missing.
The tournament director, Ann Yates, said:
“We are very concerned. We had no option but to scratch him from the tournament once he did not appear for his game.”
His manager, Fred Collins, said:
“We have checked all the local hospitals and the police are now looking for him. This is completely out of character. Roger is normally very dependable and was looking forward to his match.”
Despite his father attending, to watch his son, he was oblivious to the dramatic events occurring, and wasn’t it till Roger’s mother received a telephone call from her son that it was revealed he had made his way home. The player subsequently withdrew from the Thailand Open for which he had just qualified, on medical grounds, and never played again.
This sad and touching story, gives an insight into the world of a sportsman, struggling to deal with the inner pressures of a sport that he loved and was highly skilled at. Some players in recent years have been brave enough to speak out about their mental angst, Graeme Dott and Martin Gould being two examples. The highest profile player to have revealed their mental illness is Ronnie O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan, who constantly suffers from the highs and lows of the sport, has been very open about his struggles and once said in a press conference after playing Alan McManus, was asked what he had been doing between sessions at the UK Championship, he replied:
“I sat in the bath crying my eyes out. I don’t know why”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Perhaps the irony of Garrett’s exit from snooker, was that he had to turn away from his true love. However, this was a necessity for his own sanity and to find a happy place. The pressure cauldron that is snooker can propel or destroy a player, and sadly Garrett had to turn his back and walk away. He was last heard of in 2010, working at Heathrow Airport.
Summary
Roger Garrett’s short career on the main stage, denied us more time with a talented snooker player. His road to success was ultimately the root cause of his personal downfall. Pressure affects people in different ways and clearly, in this case, was detrimental to this player’s mental stability. Fortunately, he realised and left via the stage exit before this pressure engulfed him but it is a precious lesson for anyone in a similar situation. Always seek help because you are never alone!
