SNOOKER: `Mr Perfect' calls it a day

19th February 2007

SHANE HURNDELL

Waipukurau's international billiards and snooker referee Lloyd Lawrence didn't have to buy anything flash for his wife, Ruth, when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the weekend.

Lawrence just had to utter one word: "retirement."

After 23 years of national and international travel, 8188 frames of snooker, countless hours of billiards and an average of 40,000km each year in the family car Lawrence, 74, has called it quits.

"I can have Lloyd back," Ruth said with a laugh before they travelled to Wellington at the weekend to celebrate their anniversary with family and friends, including many who had been at their wedding in Petone on February 16, 1957.

Although Ruth accompanied her husband on trips around New Zealand and spent time sightseeing while he did his refereeing, she didn't go on any of his overseas trips. And it didn't take long for the trips to come Lawrence's way after he switched from cricket umpiring to snooker and billiards in 1984.

A father of three, grandfather of four and great grandfather of two, Lawrence took up cricket umpiring in the 1960s. He progressed to A grade status and officiated in many first-class matches, including an international, and served on several committees, including the New Zealand and Central Districts executives, and was president of the Hawke's Bay Cricket Umpires' Association.

"A friendly spat with a mate over a snooker ruling encouraged me to make the switch. But with television replays coming into play I opted out of cricket ... there was no way I was going to be crucified," Lawrence said.

When he sat his snooker referee's examination in 1984 he became the only person to achieve a 100 percent pass mark. Two years later he was granted special dispensation from England to be upgraded to Class 2 to enable him to officiate at the world amateur snooker championships in Invercargill, becoming the only New Zealander to be upgraded before the designated time had been served.

With 12 International Billiards and Snooker Federation championships, seven as chief referee, behind him Lawrence is well qualified to comment on the sport. He rates India's Geet Sethi as the best all-round billiards and snooker player he has seen and former snooker pro Dene O'Kane as the best New Zealander.

"It's sad there are no more Dene O'Kanes on the horizon ," he said.

"In England there are 10 and 11-year-olds making 100 breaks all the time. Here we have to get dispensation from the police to get our young players into some venues to play," Lawrence said.

A life member of the New Zealand and Billiards and Snooker Association, Lawrence said it was hard for the association to secure sponsorship because it catered for a "minor sport" and as a result struggled to get cash out of Sparc.

"There are so many other attractions for youngsters these days ... you've got to be a fanatic to spend the hours required to train and play snooker where as pool is a lot easier," he said.

While Lawrence, a former Central Hawke's Bay Sportsperson of the Year award winner (he is now one of the awards judges), has never played snooker he must still be considered a fanatic when it comes to refereeing. After all, the former credit control manager at the Central Hawke's Bay power board gave up work to enhance his refereeing.

"Yes that was 12 years ago. I wasn't too well and my doctor told me to give up work or give up the refereeing ... I gave up work."

It's not suprising Ruth is appealing for a bit of Lawrence's time now. And with a holiday for the pair in Fiji planned for June he's on track for a 100 percent mark from Ruth ... just like the one he got back in 1984.