Mike Hallett
Encyclopedia
Mike Hallett is an English
professional snooker
player and television
sports commentator
.
in which he beat Dene O'Kane
9–8.
In a semi-final match against John Parrott
in the 1988 Benson & Hedges Masters
, he recovered from needing four snookers to win the decider, 6–5. However, he lost 9–0 to Steve Davis
in the final.
In 1991 he reached the Masters Final again at Wembley
where, in the 17-frame match, he surged to a 7–0 lead over Stephen Hendry
and missed a pink which would have put him 8–0 ahead. He then moved into an 8–2 lead and needed just one frame to win the tournament (in fact, he had just the pink and black to clear for the match in the eleventh frame, but missed with the rest). Hendry managed to spring a comeback to win the match 9–8. To make matters worse, Hallett returned home to find that his house had been burgled.
Hallett did reach the quarter-finals of the World Championship twice, but never progressed further than that. His final season on the main tour was in 2004–05, but went on to play in the Pontin's International Open Series. During his career he won approximately £920,000.
Recently, Hallett has been commentating on Premier League Snooker for Sky Sports
, and all major Snooker events on Eurosport
. At the start of the 2011/12 season Hallett has entered PTC1 and after winning his first two matches against Duane Jones 4-3 and Elliot Slessor also 4-3, he played Ronnie O'Sullivan and managed to take two frames in losing 4-2.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Career
Hallett was a consistently solid snooker player, but never achieved the very top ranks. After winning the national under-16 title in 1975, his world ranking peaked at number six in 1989–90, after his only ranking tournament victory at the 1989 Hong Kong OpenHong Kong Open (snooker)
The Australian Goldfields Open is a snooker ranking tournament. Australia had previously hosted the 1971 and 1975 World Snooker Championships, as well as several other high profile snooker tournaments and in 1979 the Australian Masters was established...
in which he beat Dene O'Kane
Dene O'Kane
Dene O'Kane is a professional snooker player from New Zealand. He reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships in 1987 and 1992. He made his World Championship debut in 1985, losing to David Taylor in the first round. He appeared in the world championships six times, but never in...
9–8.
In a semi-final match against John Parrott
John Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player and TV personality.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 3–18 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
in the 1988 Benson & Hedges Masters
Masters (snooker)
The Masters is a professional snooker tournament and the second longest running tournament outside the World Championship. Although not a ranking event, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, earning the second biggest prize money.-History:The tournament was held...
, he recovered from needing four snookers to win the decider, 6–5. However, he lost 9–0 to Steve Davis
Steve Davis
Steve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
in the final.
In 1991 he reached the Masters Final again at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
where, in the 17-frame match, he surged to a 7–0 lead over Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
and missed a pink which would have put him 8–0 ahead. He then moved into an 8–2 lead and needed just one frame to win the tournament (in fact, he had just the pink and black to clear for the match in the eleventh frame, but missed with the rest). Hendry managed to spring a comeback to win the match 9–8. To make matters worse, Hallett returned home to find that his house had been burgled.
Hallett did reach the quarter-finals of the World Championship twice, but never progressed further than that. His final season on the main tour was in 2004–05, but went on to play in the Pontin's International Open Series. During his career he won approximately £920,000.
Recently, Hallett has been commentating on Premier League Snooker for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
, and all major Snooker events on Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
. At the start of the 2011/12 season Hallett has entered PTC1 and after winning his first two matches against Duane Jones 4-3 and Elliot Slessor also 4-3, he played Ronnie O'Sullivan and managed to take two frames in losing 4-2.
Non-ranking tournaments
- Humo Masters (1991)
- Regal Scottish Masters (1991)
Team events
- Fosters World DoublesWorld Doubles Championship (snooker)The World Doubles Championship, also known as the Hofmeister World Doubles or the Fosters World Doubles for sponsorship purposes, was a non-ranking professional snooker tournament held from 1982 to 1987 as the major event....
(1987) (with Stephen HendryStephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
) - World Masters DoublesWorld MastersThe World Masters, known for sponsorship reasons as the Mita/Sky World Masters, was a snooker tournament held in January 1991. Conceived by promoter Barry Hearn, the tournament had a similar format to the Grand Slam events in tennis, with men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, women's...
(1991) (with Stephen HendryStephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
)