Maurice Parkin is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

former professional

snooker Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sports, cue sport played on a Billiard table#Snooker and English billiards tables, rectangular table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six Billiard table#Pockets 2, pockets, one at each corner and o ...

player.

Career

Parkin turned professional in 1971, entering the 1972 World Championship that season. He won his first qualifying round match 11–10 against Geoff Thompson, but was defeated in his next, 3–11 by the young

Alex Higgins Alexander Gordon Higgins (18 March 1949 – 24 July 2010) was a Northern Irish professional snooker player who is remembered as one of the most iconic figures in the game. Nicknamed "Hurricane Higgins" because of his fast play, he was Wor ...

. In 1973, Parkin lost 3–9 to

Warren Simpson Warren Alwyn Simpson (28 March 1922 – 28 June 1980) was an Australian snooker player. He was world amateur champion before turning professional in the early 1960s. Career Simpson won amateur championships at state and national level before be ...

in the last 24, exiting the 1974 tournament at the same stage, 5–8 to Marcus Owen. In 1978, Parkin won his first match in six years, defeating

Bernard Bennett Bernard Bennett (31 August 1931 – 12 January 2002) was an English former professional player of snooker and English billiards, whose career spanned twenty-six years between 1969 and 1995. Bennett was a stalwart of professional snooker and ...

9–4 to set up a last-24 meeting with

Bill Werbeniuk William Alexander Werbeniuk ( ; 14 January 1947 – 20 January 2003) was a Canadian professional snooker and pool player. Recognisable for his girth, he was nicknamed "Big Bill". Werbeniuk was a four-time World Championship quarter-finalist and ...

, which he lost 2–9. Parkin never won another match, notably being whitewashed 9–0 by

John Virgo John Virgo (born 4 March 1946) is an English former professional snooker player who has since developed a career as a snooker commentator and TV personality. Snooker career Early professional career (1973–1978) Virgo's first notable appear ...

in qualifying for the 1979 World Championship. The closest he came to achieving another victory was in the last 128 at the 1987 British Open; there, he led John Hargreaves 4–2, but lost 4–5. Parkin's final match was symbolic of his career; in qualifying for the 1990 World Championship, he lost 0–10 to nineteen-year-old

Barry Pinches Barry Pinches (born 13 July 1970 in Catton, Norwich) is an English professional snooker player, recognisable for his bright and flamboyant waistcoats, which usually feature the yellow and green colours of Norwich City F.C. He is a former top 3 ...

. Having been ranked 91st in the world for the 1984/1985 season, he had fallen to 135th by this time, and although he remained on the tour as a non-active member until 1992, Parkin left the professional game in 1990.

References

English snooker players Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{England-snooker-bio-stub