Snooker: My famous white suit was put up at a charity auction - I think it raised pounds 5; SAYS KIRK STEVENS.
Byline: JOHN DOCHERTYHE was the golden boy who charmed his way into the hearts of millions - women in particular.
With his white suit, boyish good looks, flowing locks and a smile that could light up any auditorium, Kirk Stevens appeared to have it all.
In the 1980s when Steve Davis reigned supreme, Canadian Stevens boasted a dazzling talent which more than matched his showbiz appearance.
At one time he was ranked fourth in the world. He reached two Embassy World semi-finals and became a national celebrity after banging in a televised 147 in the 1984 Benson and Hedges Masters at Wembley.
But Kirk Stevens' world was turned upside when he became hopelessly addicted to cocaine. His passion for the white powder got so out of control he had to go into rehab on three occasions.
And while the best players in the world converge on Sheffield for the start of the Embassy World Championships on Saturday, Stevens now lives in Cambridge, Ontario, trying to earn himself a few bucks on the North American pro circuit.
Yesterday he was "on the road" with fellow Canadian Bob Chaperon.
Stevens hasn't changed much since he first burst on to our TV screens.
He has only put on a few pounds, his hair still hangs over his collar, the hallmark smile is still there but inside there's a gnawing sadness when he thinks of what might have been.
Dollars are hard to come by on a Canadian circuit where 1500 green backs is the norm for the victor - so Kirk has sold cars and worked as a gardener.
After returning to Canada in 1993 to pick up the pieces of his life - "I just wanted to be home with my family" - Stevens did come back for a final stab at the UK scene five years later.
But fewer than 50 fans bothered to watch him lose 5-2 to Ian Sargeant in the first qualifying round of the Grand Prix.
Stevens said: "Jeez I played awful. I knew I was going to struggle but didn't think I was going to play that bad.
"But it was just great to be involved again. I'm lucky to have lived this long. Life can be tricky, especially when you get carried away like I did. A lot of guys who go down that road don't ever come back."
Stevens' halycon days are now just a fading memory.
There's no white suit tucked away in his wardrobe to remind him of the time, complete with straw boater, when he bounced into snooker and promised to be the best in the world.
So where is that one famous outfit? Stevens said: "I gave it to a charity auction. I think they managed to raise a fiver."
He remains disillusioned rather than bitter but life has dealt Stevens more than his fair share of tragedy.
When he was a teenager his mother was killed in a house fire which was put down to arson.
A distraught Stevens jetted home to Canada and reportedly sat outside the family home with a double-barrelled shotgun.
He survived that personal crisis but on touching down in Britain was soon a target for the down-market tabloids.
Stevens said: "It became embarrassing being on the front pages all the time and I was just exhausted from fighting all the sh**, the perceptions people had.
"Okay, I've been to rehab three times and I didn't go there for the food or the view."
If things had been different and Stevens hadn't fallen under the spell of cocaine, who knows?
He could have been winging his way to Sheffield this week instead of treading the floorboards of the game in Canada.
When he was ranked No.4 Stevens looked destined to win a treasure trove of trophies and the millions that go with them.
It was an era dominated by Steve Davis, the six-times world champion who sadly failed to qualify for this year's 17-day Crucible marathon.
Pin-up boy Tony Knowles was No.2 in the world with rugged Canadian Cliff Thorburn third.
Thorburn, who also fell foul of drugs, went on to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of fame and is now involved in promoting the game there.
Another former world champion, six-times king Ray 'Dracula' Reardon was fifth and Aussie Eddie Charlton, whose favourite morning tipple was a cup of tea laced with honey, was sixth. He's now a commentator on Australian TV.
Jimmy White was seventh and will be back in Sheffield, roared on by his legions of admirers, after being runner-up six times.
Ex-world champion Terry Griffiths, who was in the No.8 berth, coaches seven-times champion Stephen Hendry and is coaching director of 110sport.
Alex Higgins, current whereabouts unknown, was ninth and Tony Meo 10th. Griffiths, he of the gigantic velvet bow ties, which were only matched by Doug Mountjoy's ruffled shirts, was proud to be be part of that era.
He said: "The mid-80s was a special time for snooker. Sponsorship was plentiful, we were playing in the Far East and the game was opening up in so many countries. I was lucky to be part of it.
"These were all quality players and obviously Kirk - the ice cream boy - was among the best of them.
"He was good-looking and the girls loved him with that long hair flopping all over the place."
Today, Stevens' second home is JD's snooker club, which you can find about 60 miles west of Toronto.
If you want to talk to Stevens, chances are you'll have to go through his friend, Hank Campbell, who is the manager of JD's.
Campbell is well aware of Stevens' messy past but said: "Kirk is 43 now but he's a good 43. He is a responsible guy who just wants to get on with his life.
"Kirk's in here most days when he's not out on the road and all the players respect him. He's had his problems but that's history.
"He is doing well and is happy enough with his life. All he wants now is to be a good snooker player."
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Apr 18, 2002 |
| Words: | 1014 |
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