🔗 Share this article 'He brought laughter': Reflecting on snooker's lost great two decades on. The talented player secured The Masters three times during a short but glittering career. All the Leeds-born talent ever wanted to do was compete on the baize. A love for the game, sparked at the tender age of three with the help of a tiny snooker set on his parents' coffee table in the city of Leeds, would culminate in a pro playing days that saw him claim six major trophies in six years. The present year marks two decades since the adored Hunter succumbed to cancer, just days before to his birthday marking 28 years. But in spite of the tragic departure of a once-in-a-generation player that rose above the game he loved, his legacy and impact on snooker and those who knew him persist as strong as ever. 'His passion was clear': The Formative Years "It was impossible to foresee in a million years the boy would become a professional snooker player," Hunter's mum recalls. "But he just adored it." Hunter's father recalls how his son "wasn't bothered about anything else" other than snooker as a young boy. "His dedication was constant," he says. "He competed every night after school." Early starter: Hunter was introduced to snooker from the age of three. After successfully badgering his dad to take him to a community venue to play on professional-standard tables at the age of eight, the budding player made the transition from home play with great skill. His raw skill would be coached by the former world title holder Joe Johnson, from the adjacent city, at a now defunct club in the north Leeds suburb of Yeadon. Quick Success: A Star is Born With his family's urging to do his homework regularly going unheeded as training came first, his parents took the "risk" of taking Hunter out of school at the mid-teens to fully focus on building a career in the game. It was a resounding success. Within half a decade, their still-teenage son had won his initial major win, the 1998 Welsh Open. Considered one of snooker's most difficult competitions to win because of the presence of elite players only, Hunter triumphed a trio of times, in consecutive years. 'A Cheeky Charm': His Enduring Personality But for all his triumphs in the sport, away from the game Hunter's humble charm never faded. "He had a great temperament did Paul," Alan says. "He was liked by everybody." "When encountering him you'd like him," Kristina states. "He brought joy. He'd make you feel at ease." Hunter's partner Lindsey, with whom he had a daughter, describes him as an "incredible, lively, and kind spirit" who was "humorous, caring" and "never the first to depart from the party". With his easy charm, boyish good looks and candid way with the press, not to mention his immense skill, Hunter quickly became snooker's pin-up for the modern era. No wonder then, that he was dubbed 'A Sporting Icon'. Courage in Crisis: His Final Years In that year, a year that should have signaled the peak of his powers, Hunter was diagnosed with cancer and would later undergo chemotherapy. Multiple stories from across the snooker circuit highlight the man's extraordinary commitment to keep promises to exhibitions, events and press interviews, all while undergoing treatment. Despite difficult symptoms, Hunter continued to compete through the illness and received a standing ovation at The famous Sheffield venue when he competed in the World Championships that year. When he died in the mid-2000s, snooker's tight community lost one of its best-loved members. "The pain is immense," Kristina says. "I wouldn't wish any mum and dad to lose a child." An Enduring Legacy: Inspiring Youth Hunter's true impact would be felt not in high society but in snooker halls and clubs across the UK. The Paul Hunter Foundation, set up before his death, would provide free snooker sessions to children all over the country. The scheme was so successful that, according to reports, local youth crime rates in some areas plummeted. "The goal was for a platform to help offer a constructive activity," one coach said. The Foundation helped pave the way for a significant coaching programme, which has extended playing opportunities to children all over the world. "It would have thrilled him what we've done with the sport and where it is today," a senior official in the sport stated. Never Forgotten: Two Decades On Classic footage of their son's matches online help his parents stay "close to him". "I can access it and I can watch Paul whenever I wish," Kristina says. "It's a comfort!" "We like to reminisce about Paul," she concludes. "Initially it was painful, but I'd rather somebody remember him than him not be spoken of." Although he never won the World Championship, the highly probable notion that Hunter would have eventually won snooker's ultimate trophy is etched into the sport's history. The Masters, the competition with which he is most synonymous, commences later this month. The winner will lift the Paul Hunter Trophy. But for all his achievements, two decades after his death it is Paul Hunter's spirit, as much his spectacular skill with a cue, that will ensure he is always remembered.
The talented player secured The Masters three times during a short but glittering career. All the Leeds-born talent ever wanted to do was compete on the baize. A love for the game, sparked at the tender age of three with the help of a tiny snooker set on his parents' coffee table in the city of Leeds, would culminate in a pro playing days that saw him claim six major trophies in six years. The present year marks two decades since the adored Hunter succumbed to cancer, just days before to his birthday marking 28 years. But in spite of the tragic departure of a once-in-a-generation player that rose above the game he loved, his legacy and impact on snooker and those who knew him persist as strong as ever. 'His passion was clear': The Formative Years "It was impossible to foresee in a million years the boy would become a professional snooker player," Hunter's mum recalls. "But he just adored it." Hunter's father recalls how his son "wasn't bothered about anything else" other than snooker as a young boy. "His dedication was constant," he says. "He competed every night after school." Early starter: Hunter was introduced to snooker from the age of three. After successfully badgering his dad to take him to a community venue to play on professional-standard tables at the age of eight, the budding player made the transition from home play with great skill. His raw skill would be coached by the former world title holder Joe Johnson, from the adjacent city, at a now defunct club in the north Leeds suburb of Yeadon. Quick Success: A Star is Born With his family's urging to do his homework regularly going unheeded as training came first, his parents took the "risk" of taking Hunter out of school at the mid-teens to fully focus on building a career in the game. It was a resounding success. Within half a decade, their still-teenage son had won his initial major win, the 1998 Welsh Open. Considered one of snooker's most difficult competitions to win because of the presence of elite players only, Hunter triumphed a trio of times, in consecutive years. 'A Cheeky Charm': His Enduring Personality But for all his triumphs in the sport, away from the game Hunter's humble charm never faded. "He had a great temperament did Paul," Alan says. "He was liked by everybody." "When encountering him you'd like him," Kristina states. "He brought joy. He'd make you feel at ease." Hunter's partner Lindsey, with whom he had a daughter, describes him as an "incredible, lively, and kind spirit" who was "humorous, caring" and "never the first to depart from the party". With his easy charm, boyish good looks and candid way with the press, not to mention his immense skill, Hunter quickly became snooker's pin-up for the modern era. No wonder then, that he was dubbed 'A Sporting Icon'. Courage in Crisis: His Final Years In that year, a year that should have signaled the peak of his powers, Hunter was diagnosed with cancer and would later undergo chemotherapy. Multiple stories from across the snooker circuit highlight the man's extraordinary commitment to keep promises to exhibitions, events and press interviews, all while undergoing treatment. Despite difficult symptoms, Hunter continued to compete through the illness and received a standing ovation at The famous Sheffield venue when he competed in the World Championships that year. When he died in the mid-2000s, snooker's tight community lost one of its best-loved members. "The pain is immense," Kristina says. "I wouldn't wish any mum and dad to lose a child." An Enduring Legacy: Inspiring Youth Hunter's true impact would be felt not in high society but in snooker halls and clubs across the UK. The Paul Hunter Foundation, set up before his death, would provide free snooker sessions to children all over the country. The scheme was so successful that, according to reports, local youth crime rates in some areas plummeted. "The goal was for a platform to help offer a constructive activity," one coach said. The Foundation helped pave the way for a significant coaching programme, which has extended playing opportunities to children all over the world. "It would have thrilled him what we've done with the sport and where it is today," a senior official in the sport stated. Never Forgotten: Two Decades On Classic footage of their son's matches online help his parents stay "close to him". "I can access it and I can watch Paul whenever I wish," Kristina says. "It's a comfort!" "We like to reminisce about Paul," she concludes. "Initially it was painful, but I'd rather somebody remember him than him not be spoken of." Although he never won the World Championship, the highly probable notion that Hunter would have eventually won snooker's ultimate trophy is etched into the sport's history. The Masters, the competition with which he is most synonymous, commences later this month. The winner will lift the Paul Hunter Trophy. But for all his achievements, two decades after his death it is Paul Hunter's spirit, as much his spectacular skill with a cue, that will ensure he is always remembered.