Gentleman Ray, still breaking new ground

I GOT a text a few days ago from an old friend of mine.
It simply read: “I’ve always wanted to beat my age on the snooker table, and I’ve done it, just had a 100 break at the age of 91. Hope you’re well. All the best, Ray.”
The man who sent this message has been a dear friend of mine for many years, Ray Reardon, snooker ace, world champion, brilliant golfer, but above all an absolute gentleman. It dawned on me that we have not seen each other for over five years, and we decided to meet up at Churston golf club for a much overdue lunch.
“I have been President of Churston since 2001 and was the captain before that,” he told me, sat in what has become known as ‘Ray’s Room’. 
What are you playing off these days? 
“The ladies tees!” He descends into giggles. His sense of humour is infectious. ‘
“Actually, I don’t have a handicap any more as I haven’t played for over 18 months. When I finished, I was off 10.6.”
But you have played snooker and with ‘some’ success!
“Absolutely, a 100 break, couldn’t believe it. I always wanted to beat my age… got a couple of 70s some time back and was happy with that.
“Then suddenly I did it … 100. Could not believe it,” he repeats, clearly revelling in the achievement.
“There cannot be many, if any, people in their 90s that have had a 100 break, I must be the only one in the world. Sadly, there is nobody left from my snooker circuit who is still playing, come to think of it. I have outlived everybody from my past. All my school friends… everyone, seen them all off.”
Ray has had an incredible past career and not just in the world of snooker. He has been a miner and a policeman but above all a champion. 
“Welsh amateur champion six years running from 1949-55 but I could not defend it because the mines were expired, and we moved to Staffordshire.”
How many times were you World Champion? 
“Six times and before you ask … no I did not win a fortune. The first purse I picked up was £1,250 and towards the end, it was in the region of around £5,000. Great money for the time but nothing compared to today. It wasn’t until the television coverage and the sponsorship came in that the money started to come in but that was after my time.”
Devon has been your home for some time? 
“I had been living in Brixham for 18 years and then moved over to Torquay and have been there for about the same length of time. I came down here on tour and fell in love with the place. It’s magic and standing on that golf course you could be anywhere in the world.”
Just has he spoke the sun came out over the bay.
“Look at that, that could be Monte Carlo… beautiful.”
Very different from your days down the mines. 
“Absolutely! I got trapped under a roof cave-in. I was there for three hours, couldn’t open my eyes, had to breathe through my nose and all I did was play marbles with my brother … over and over again … in my mind. Must have played a thousand games waiting to be dug out.”
I left the champion with a promise that we would have a game of snooker in nine years’ time and see another 100 break, this time from a 100 year old.
He accepted the challenge.