By Elliott West
“For about 40 years, amongst the best half dozen players in Scotland.”
Clive Everton
Introduction
Described as “one of the most influential figures of Scottish snooker”, Luigi Umberto Dermarco or ‘Bert’ as he was fondly known, was a four-times Scottish billiards champion and seven-times East of Scotland champion. Widely respected in the snooker community, Demarco’s stamp on snooker spans from the 1950s to the modern game with many players such as Stephen Hendry growing up in his presence and coached by this snooker giant.
Demarco’s Career
Bert had a very successful amateur career, winning the Scottish Amateur Snooker Championship in 1955, 1965 and 1966 and the Scottish billiards title in 1972. Thanks to his 1965 amateur victory, Demarco was invited to take part in the 1966 World Amateur Snooker Championship in Karachi. He subsequently finished fifth out of six players. He then went on to play in the 1970 World Amateur Snooker Championship, he was sixth of seven players in his group and in 1972 he was last in his group of four. Demarco did slightly better in 1976, coming fifth in his group of eight. He also took part in the World Amateur Billiards Championship in 1973 but failed to win any of his nine matches.
Bert also turned his hand to management and opened a chain of snooker clubs in the 1970s. Amongst his clubs, was the largest snooker hall in Europe, the acclaimed Marco’s Leisure Centre that boasted having 65 tables on site. Demarco also used his vast expertise in snooker to be channeled into being a snooker coach, coaching some of the up and coming players of the time including a young Stephen Hendry.
Demarco’s professional career was not much to write home about and spanned from 1981-1993. In that time, he never reached the last 32 stage of a tournament but such a record is an unfair account of a truly exceptional player this man from Leith was. Bert sadly passed away in 2012 after suffering a stroke.
Summary
Bert Demarco will always live on in snooker history and especially in his beloved home of Scotland. Demarco was a great player from all accounts and thrived in any field that he decided to take part in. Revered by many, Bert can be seen as one of those players that forged the game from the dim and billiards halls above Burton stores to the modern sport we enjoy and love today.
