"My first season in the Seniors Snooker League" by Richard McLeod (there are a few last names missing)

I first started in January 1988, playing for Port Coquitlam. Don Ross, one of the league's best-ever players, told me about it when we met at an eight-ball league match. It was also my first exposure to snooker since I was a teenager. Starting out, I played my usual eight-ball style, going on the attack with little regard for safety. I couldn't understand why I was losing so many games!
     At that time, there were eight teams in the league - Port Coquitlam, Confederation, Sunrise, Pt. Moody, Maple Ridge, Dogwood, Pitt Meadows and Edmonds. Teammates I can remember were Don Ross, his brother Archie (the most talented cusser I've ever met), Stan Raymond (his brother George was a long-time member of Confederation), Marcel Gervais who had a long career in the league mainly with Kennedy, Brian Smith the ambulance driver and captain Don ?. We were an on-again off-again team, but managed to get it together by the end of the season. We finished fourth, but managed to beat Sunrise and Confederation to win the playoffs. At that time, the only trophies in the A League were for playoff winners and winner of the year-end singles tournament(there were no other tournaments then). The B and C leagues had no year-end tournaments.
     Players that I can recall from that season were Orme Payne and his brother Gerry (Port Moody), Walter Bird, Jack Cameron, Sam Gonchar, Cal Cormier, John Tacjner and Jim Attridge (Pitt Meadows). The last three, Cal, Jim and John are all on my best-ever list! At Confederation, I remember John French, Mike Miller (a fine player), Vic Nelson(ditto) Martin ? and George Almondola. I think John Elliott( who has had a long and distinguished time in the league) was playing for Sunrise that year, as well as Marvin Barsted, a likeable but sneaky player. I believe that Derek Bignell (another of my best-evers) played for Maple Ridge that year, as did Fay and Ted Wear. Clay Gingrich was their long-time captain, a real pillar of the league. I can only recall Fred Berry and Duff Holisky, from Edmonds and can't recall any Dogwood players, oh yes, Doc Norman.

     When I joined In 1988, I found that there was quite a bit of gamesmanship going on with some players- NOT the majority. Rattling change, noisily chalking up, distracting behaviour, calling fouls incorrectly, arguing over rules were some of the most common incivilities. Part of the problem was rules that were easily evaded. We did not have a miss rule in effect, for example, which offered opportunities to violate the spirit of the game. Over the years, a growing number of players have made it clear that discourtesy and lack of sportsmanlike behaviour was not appreciated, to the point that such instances are very infrequent in our league now. This has greatly added to the pleasure of playing snooker in a friendly, yet competitive, atmosphere. The good old days are right now!
     Some of my vivid memories- around Christmas, Jim Black (Edmonds) opening the door to an adjoining room where a choir was rehearsing- "Could you keep it down in there, please?"; Harold from Sunrise in his later years lining up to aim and because of his shakiness, falling back at the same time as he shoots (he was amazingly accurate); me using a rest and managing to shatter the table lights.
     One memory (or nightmare) stands out. In 1998, I was responsible for a one match final playoff between Dogwood and Sunrise. At that time, the rules were that playoffs had to be held at a neutral site, so Bonsor was the somewhat unwilling host. Unfortunately, the rules also said that in the event of a tie after 16 games, another set of 16 games had to be played. Wouldn't you know it, it was tied after 16 games! The 32 games it took lasted until about 5PM, much to the displeasure of Bonsor members (Dogwood won, as I recall). The upshot of it all was Bonsor withdrawing from the league the following season. The eventual benefits that came out of it were us scrapping the neutral site requirement and changing the tie match rule to the present sensible rule. I think that the same meeting came up with the "miss rule".
     This league has added a lot to my enjoyment of life, not least because of the many good friends and acquaintances I have found here. I hope that this little essay will inspire some of you to share your memories of events and of people that you have known. - Richard McLeod

"How I found the Seniors Snooker League" by Don Hermansen

It was in 1997, when I finally decided to check out the snooker at Port Moody Kyle Centre. I had lived in Port Moody for about 5 years and had seen mention of seniors snooker tournaments for Gold Spike Days, in the local newspaper. So I knew there was some activity and maybe a cheap place to play. I had always been interested in the game and had played snooker and 8-ball since I was a teenager but never in organized competition.
     I remember the day I stuck my head in the door to the Kyle Snooker Room, there where all these old guys, (who soon became my friends) playing Snooker and Blue Ball on three small 4.5 x 9 tables. They invited me in to play, I said I would come back another day when I had my cue with me. I have been going there to play Snooker ever since.
     John Haddock (team captain), informed me that Kyle had a team in the "B" league and he asked me if I would like to play on it. Of course I said yes. This was the beginning for me in the league and an understanding the culture that surrounds it. This was also interesting to me because my father had played Snooker at Edmonds House in the 1970's. During that time he played most weekdays at either Edmonds or New Westminster's Century House.

"I first learned about the Seniors Snooker League, by accident in 1992" by Bruce Olson

My wife and I had moved to Whalley that year and decided to join the Seniors Center. As we were filling out the forms at the front desk I thought I heard the clicks of pool balls. I ventured down the hall to get to the source and found the Games Room with several people playing Snooker.
     At that time the room contained three 5X10 tables and one 4.5 X 9 table. I immediately paid my Snooker dues and started playing whenever I had some time. At that time the room stayed open until 9:00 pm which suited me just fine.
     I met many new faces and was invited to join the team as a spare. Peter Sytko,
was the Captain and the other players were Jack Grant, Alec Glen, Don Ross,
Bill Phillips, Jay Zaiec, Wally Kirkland, Marvin Barsted, and Ray Macdonald, as I recall.
     My fondest memories were not so much playing Snooker; but, the rides to the various venues. I generally had Marvin and Ray in my car and the banter that went between the group was hilarious. Both Ray and Marvin came from Moosejaw Saskatchewan and both were amateur boxers, Marvin more so than Ray. Their memories of times they had during their youth seemed to change on each trip. The wildest conversations centered with explicit details of women’s anatomy. There were times my driving became hazardous because of tears of laughter running down my cheeks. It was particularly funny when an additional player would be riding with us who hadn't been exposed to this scene, the shock value was priceless. We always arrived in a great mood at the venue for the day.
     The rules of Snooker were not really followed when I first started with Sunrise.
Marvin had the habit of straddling an interfering ball with his bridge hand, actually resting his bridge hand on the ball to be able to stroke the cue. He also had the habit of standing in direct line of the opponents shot and not infrequently moving his cue sideways (violently) as the opponent took his shot. Marvin was my partner for several years and it took quite some time to break Marvin of his habits.
    One incident comes to mind with Marvin, I decided to take Marvin and my son to an exhibition match of Cliff Thorburn and Brady Golan. During the match Marvin was ticked off with some people talking while play was going on, he asked them to please be quiet, didn't work. I took a bathroom break during a pause in play and came back to see my son holding back laughter and turning red in the face with the effort!! I said what's up? Ward said while I was gone Marvin walked in front of the two spectators and hoisted his rump and cut an extremely audible fart and said “lots more where that came from”!
     It was always a treat to play in Pitt Meadows Archie Ross and Marvin (Snuff Chewers) would start a make belief boxing match and try to outdo each other in their knowledge of cuss words, often reaching phrases and new words’ in sentences that were unique and inspired!
     Marvin moved to Ft. St John and passed away in the early 2000s. I would hear from him a couple of times each month and fill him in on what was happening in our league. Unfortunately Marvin hung his cue up in Ft. St John, didn't’t like some of the local players. Marvin was truly a unique “breed of cat”, he was my friend.

     I believe I was a full time player on Sunrise when we won the first title in 1992.
We played at Edmonds as I recall and needed the last four or five games to win the title. I remember we won and it seemed we didn't know how to react! We stood around it seemed in shock at what had occurred, no shaking hands, no back slapping, finally after a couple of minutes we realized we had won! Then we celebrated.
     Ray Macdonald was the person responsible for changing the tables at Sunrise.
The original tables were inferior and Ray felt something should be done. He approached the executive (I was on the Board ) at one of the meetings to get approval for the change. Ray had built a model table to illustrate the inadequacies of the existing tables and said he could do a replacement of all four for a budget of less than 5 five Dollars! Naturally the executive approved proceeding. Ray explained his plan was to sell the existing tables and replace them with some “Brunswick Gold Crown” tables from a Billiard room going out of business. He was met with opposition from a couple of the know-it-all old timers. They came on board after the change was made, as if it was their idea.
     Ray was a perfectionist and spent his own money buying the replacement tables and selling the existing tables with the assistance of Jack Grant. I remember Ray lying on his back with cleaning materials cleaning the skirts of the new tables. When the bill came in for the replacements tables it totaled less than four dollars. If we calculated the time Ray and Jack spent I am sure their donated time would have been in the thousands. I am mentioning this because it should be noted that there are many individuals who donate their time without recognition nor do they wish recognition, they see something should be done and they just “Geterdun”!
     Ray has since passed away at much too early an age, we miss him.
     During the time I spent at Sunrise I was also playing in the Veterans Snooker
League on Wednesday nights, I played for the Langley Legion and recruited a few players to replace some of the Sunrise players as they retired. Jack Grant was the Captain at Sunrise during this time and had his hands full with these duties. One of the characters I recruited was my playing partner in the Veterans League. Murray (Murph) Johnston. Murph was a perfect replacement for Marvin and well known by all. Murph is still around; but, needs a Scooter Chair to get around (Bad Knees) When he first got his chair he drove it on the Fraser Highway (no Sidewalks) to get to the Langley Memorial Hospital (approx. 2.5 miles) not sure if he was under the influence, must have been quite a site, he told me he had it cranked wide open but had to give some motorists the finger when they became irritated, would loved to have seen that. Murphy was a sportsman played lacrosse and hockey, served in the Navy, when he was young man, in the Maritimes.
     Several more players Allan Gil, Ike Toews, Bryan Coulter, John Bonthuis joined Sunrise from the Langley Veterans League team and Sunrise became quite strong in the league.
     Murphy was a member of the Seniors Resource Center in Langley City and suggested we start a team there. It took Murph a couple of years to get support from the executive and the players in the Resource Center to accommodate a team in the League. We formed the team and since several of the players from Langley were on the Sunrise team found it to be less travel to play out of Langley Resource Center.
     We have had considerable success in the League; however, many teams have improved through experience and new younger players coming into the league
are making it more competitive.
     I have had the benefit of meeting many fine people in the league including some unforgettable characters and look forward always to my Thursday morning, “the most fun you can have with all your clothes on”! - Bruce Olson

A SUPERB TROPHY…Mendel Showman (left) and Herbert Beetham before the start of their English Amateur Championship final in 1946. Showman went on to win the John Roberts Trophy.

Sel Showman, Port Moody "A", 1993 Dave Cairns

"The Trophy" by Dave Cairns
The above photo was published in an issue of “Pot Black Magazine “ I believe in 1996 or ‘97. The article containing the photo was about the magnificent trophies made for tournaments back in the thirties and forties. However it was not the trophy that caught my eye that day but the two gentlemen on either side of it. The one on the right I had known and the one on the left I knew about.
    Herbert Beetham on the right, had been an opponent of mine when I played in the Derby and District Billiards League in the middle nineteen fifties in England. I am happy to say that I did beat him on one occasion…but only once. He was a fine player who later went on to win the World Amateur Billiards Championship in 1960 and the English Amateur Championship in 1960 and 1961.

Stay out of that darn pool hall! I can fondly hear the words of my mother from 50 years ago. Apparently, her words didn't sink in because now I continue to spend my time in the pool hall, or as it is now referred to…the snooker room.
    The cast of characters is still interesting although some are stooped, shaky, grey haired or bald and most are wearing glasses.
    The games they play are different now. It used to be 8 ball, 61, pea pool, and my favorite… poker pool. Now it is just snooker, and on a rare occasion, billiards.
    In the past the player would gamble on everything, even though nobody had any money. Now that they have a few dollars, they are frugal, bordering on cheap. It’s all you can do to collect money for the lottery, and god help you if you dare raise the price of coffee.

    In the past we chose the pool hall over the schoolyard. Maybe it had something to do with education. Tony owned the pool hall. He was a middle aged, Italian fellow with a mop a dark hair that balanced off a rather large nose. Tony was a decent guy who sometimes allowed us to run a tab if we didn't manhandle the pinball machines.
    One day Tony went down. Just collapsed to the floor as if he was shot. He clutched his stomach and was definitely in pain. The wayward youth jumped into action and carried Tony to Arnold’s 49 Merc (that was the one with the suicide doors) Arnold rushed Tony to the hospital and he was admitted. During the speedy trip we assured Tony that we would look after the pool hall. I’m sure he felt relieved at that prospect!
    I recall that Tony had a perforated ulcer and was in the hospital and at home convalescing for a couple of weeks. He had a cherubic young wife and two small children. We told her that everything would be alright with the business…and it was!
    We worked together and ran the pool hall, collecting the I.O.U’s, staging tournaments and soliciting donations to assist the family. When Tony finally returned, we gave him a wad of money far larger than he would have made.
    Tony offered to write us a note to the school about our actions, but we didn't think anyone would believe it. In looking back over those 50 years, I think perhaps those really were the good old days! - Bryan Evans