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Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Beating Dennis Taylor in the 1986 World Championship round 1 and thus ensuring the Crucible Curse was maintained
3
30%
Beating John Parrott in the 1988 Masters semi-final from needing 4 snookers in the deciding frame
2
20%
Being overhauled by a ruthless Hendry in the 1990 Masters final from 7-0 and 8-2 ahead to lose 9-8, and at one point threatening to hang himself
2
20%
His ranking tournament victory, the Hong Kong Open of 1989
0
No votes
Winning the World Doubles with Stephen Hendry
1
10%
Being thrashed by Steve Davis whenever they met
1
10%
Appearing in the centrefold spread of Pot Black magazine where he citied his favourite food as crispy duck
1
10%
 
Total votes : 10

Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby Roland

Old timer Mike Hallett is giving it another go at the Q School right now and good luck to him in that. Although it somehow seems unfair to wish him luck against Reanne Evans who he will face in the next round.

Many of our younger members won't remember Mike Hallett prior to his "What a shot!" commentary on Eurosport. But back in the late 80's and early 90's he was the equivalent of someone like Mark Allen is today and a lot of people tipped him for bigger things than he eventually achieved.

He partnered Stephen Hendry in the World Doubles to win the last of those events playing the "Tony Meo" role in the partnership. He famously beat Dennis Taylor 10-6 in the first round of the 1986 World Championships when Dennis was defending his famous title that he still likes to talk about. Mike managed to get Dennis to put a handkerchief on the end of his cue to make a white flag in surrender such was his dominance in that match.

Probably the most famous event featuring Mike was the B&H Masters from the Wembley Conference Centre. In 1988 he faced John Parrott in the semi-final. Parrott thought he'd got over the line in the deciding frame at 5-5 and had Hallett needing 4 snookers and duely gave the air a punch and the cue ball a thwak in celebration which lead to a foul. But instead of shaking hands Hallett carried on, whether fuelled by the body language of Parrott remains a mystery, but it was a fantastic comeback from the brink of defeat and a memorable match for those who saw it. As an impressionable teenager it certainly stuck with me!

He ended up being whitewashed in the final 9-0 by Steve Davis and was subsequently ditched out of the World Championships a few months later by the same man 13-1 in round 2. But then Davis won the 1989 World Final 18-3 against Parrott after again beating Hallett convincingly along the way (13-3) so that's how good Davis was in the late 80's! 9-0 seems harsh but Hallett was probably lucky to get 0 with the form Davis was in around that time.

Unfortunately for Mike he will be best remembered for blowing the Masters final against Stephen Hendry a couple of years later. He opened up the final in fine style with a total clearance following Hendry's break-off shot and proceeded to open up a 7-0 lead on his practice partner at the interval. He could have lead 8-0 but a missed frame ball saw to that, and he did get to 8-2 but then lost the last 7 frames in a row. At one point when yet again a ball from the winning post he ran out of position and quipped to the crowd "Anybody got a rope?", but in retrospect that sort of thing must've been music to Hendry's ears.

Since that final which occurred before his first ever World Title, Hendry has shown that the reason for this result was more down to him than to Hallett, because he produced the sort of performance time and time again that steamrollered the opponent once he kicked into gear. But at the time no one knew Hendry was about to become even better than Steve Davis and it proved to have a massive impact on Mike who then gradually slipped down the rankings into obscurity and eventually dropped off the main tour and spent several seasons on the Challenge Tour trying to get his place back; the equivalent to the Q School which he is trying his hand at right now (admirably) at the ripe old age of 51. He briefly made the main tour a few years ago but dropped off again without doing anything of note.

Mike's peak years occurred at the end of the Davis and start of the Hendry eras in snooker. He was a fantastic potter and he didn't hang about and would have gone down well with today's tv audience. His demise as a professional was pretty shocking considering how good he was at his best. He is obviously hoping for an Indian Summer and the reports from World Snooker say he is enjoying the game and wants to come back so the signs are good. I personally wish him all the best and hope he can fulfill whatever potential he still has. If he played like he did 20 years ago, he would easily be top 16 in today's game.

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby Steve K

Not seen any of those moments, but to beat John Parrott in the Masters semi-final after needing 4 snookers and John thinking he is high and dry must of been an amazing thing to watch.

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby Roland

It's one of those matches that stays with you. Nothing against Parrott, but when he gave the fist pump and thrashed out at the next shot thinking he'd won and Hallett started going for snookers, you were on the edge of your seat willing him on! It seemed that even though he lost the final 9-0 which rarely happens, it was worth it just to win the semi in the way he won it. I'm sure Parrott wouldn't have been whitewashed had he won, but it's doubtful he'd have got over 3.

Mike Hallett was an exciting player to watch. Not Jimmy White level exciting, but certainly one of the players you'd tune in to if you knew he was playing.

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby Wildey

ive choose the 1986 WC 1st Round against Taylor.

Prior to that Match Mike Hallett was a nobody really when the likes of Knowles,Stevens,White and Davis who was his peers was thriving at the top of the Game he was still Qualifying and in their shadow but beating Dennis Taylor that year signaled a upturn for Mike Hallett and started a good 5 or 6 years for him where he did move from the supporting cast to the Top of the Game.

a fantastic player when on form exciting to watch.

When Hendry thrashed him 13-2 in the 1988 British open final i hated Hendry so much lol

hard to believe <laugh>

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby vodkadiet

Steve K wrote:Not seen any of those moments, but to beat John Parrott in the Masters semi-final after needing 4 snookers and John thinking he is high and dry must of been an amazing thing to watch.


I thought it was 5 snookers. Parrott was about 43 ahead on the yellow.

Beating Taylor was my high point. <cool>

I remember he was 6-1 up on Thorburn in the 85 World Champs and lost 10-8.

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby gallantrabbit

Never been a fan to be honest. Could be a hoover on a good day, but I always got the impression he was arrogant...
Thus my favourite moment was when Jimmy beat him in a tournament and while he was mopping up the colours Hallet conceded, shook Jimmy's hand and walked out the arena. Jimmy carried on clearing the colours, took tha applause of the crowd and then left. Don't think they were the best of mates. Probably different now though.

Re: Your favourite Mike Hallett moment

Postby Roland

As with most Ray Reardon moments it comes from something I didn't actually see but only heard. It's in the Virgo book and is probably the funniest bit. At some event (I'm recounting from memory hence lack of specific detail) Ray had played an exhibition and was tired and wanted to go home even though he'd arranged to play an exhibition the following night in which the local mayor was attending. He announced he was going home and was asked "But Ray, what should we tell the mayor?"

and he said...










































































.... "Tell him to buck off"