This genial, outgoing Midlands man, was born just a few years before the war into a family where there were no particular sporting connections of any kind. Ken was thirteen before he saw a table - an age which is considered rather old to be just starting the game, and it was not until he was 21 that Ken made his first century break. But like his great friend and sparring partner, Herbert Beetham, a late start proved to be no barrier to billiards distinction which culminated in winning the Amateur Championship.
Ken learned the basics of the game from watching the better local players, but it was Jim Fryer, a fine player, who led him into more subtle byways of the game. This experience came to fruition after his period of National Service when Ken started to take the game more seriously. He became a regular century break player eventually attaining a highest of 248 in competition and 513 in practice. It was practice - or rather the lack of it - that was the main reason why he perhaps never reached the billiards heights to which his undoubted talent should have taken him. He earned his living as a policeman, hardly the kind of job that allows for unlimited practice time. Indeed, Ken, has had to withdraw from more than one tournament, when unable to arrange for time off, and I believe I am right in saying that it was because of his job that he did not play in the World Amateur Championship held in Belfast in 1987, though, as 1986 champion, he was eligible. Being in the Police force had one consolation, that being the National Police Billiards Championship which Ken won no less than 16 times. If we add 6 West Midlands Championships, 6 National British Legion Championships, the 1991 Darley Dale, and umpteen Local league successes, then a picture begins to emerge of the man's ability. It is, of course, the English Amateur, that is the height of every player's ambition, and Ken was to win it in 1986 after many great efforts which were not without some success. After a number of, "quarters," and "Semis," we at last reached the final in 1979 where he faced the great Norman. Ken made a good start. In his words:-"For about 30 minutes everything looked good. We had both made two centuries. I sat down after my second, 169, which had put me about 80 in front. Three visits later I hadn't scored again and was over 800 behind! Norman had put me firmly in my place. "ell, Ken Shirley wasn't the first player to put in his place by Norman Dagley and he wasn't the last. Being put in one's place is all relative. In that Final, Ken finished with a match average of 19.4, and four centuries in a total of 1549, against a man who made a century and two triples in consecutive visits (106, 343, 396) and who followed later with a 317 to set a new record as the only player to make three triple centuries in an amateur final on the same day. Dagley finished with 3311 at a match average of 40.9.
The position of championship runner-up gained Shirley an invitation to be England's second representative in the 1980 World Amateur held in Colombo. This tournament, played in abnormal heat, was described by Clive Everton - who was there - as a, "shambles." These may have been important factors in the defeat of Norman Dagley by Paul Mifsud who won the title by 791 in a final in which Norman was not a his best as his match average of 17.8 amply demonstrated (Mifsud 24.5, highest break 361.) Shirley himself was stricken by dysentery, suffered badly from the heat, needed a nylon glove on his bridge hand in order to cue, and caught a plane home immediately he was out of the running. But his record in that tournament was not unimpressive. He was heavily beaten in his first game (v Ferreira) and he lost to the favourite, Mohammed Lafir, by a mere 40 points. He finished third in his group behind Ferreira and Lafir, having played 7, won 5, with a best break of 195, and thirteen other centuries. Not a bad record.
Shirley reached the final again in 1985 and was beaten by Bob Close but the following year saw a change in the championship format from two hour sessions to the best of five games - 300 up. This suited Ken's style of play and he achieved his hearts desire with a 3 - 1 win over none other a player than Mike Russell. Russell was just a month short of his seventeenth birthday and was the youngest ever English Amateur finalist. If anyone should think that this made Ken favourite then they never saw the 17-year-old Russell play! Shirley himself says:- "In 1986 I reached my third final playing Mike Russell who was only 17 years of age. The match was the best of five 300 up - the only way I was ever going to win it. Mike won the first game and early in the second he was in with a break of 90 when he suddenly stood up declaring a foul which no one else had seen. I am convinced that, but for that, he would have been the youngest amateur champion." Since this time Ken has not made quite such an impact. Opponents of the class of David Edwards and Peter Gilchrist did not help, but a big factor was his health. Ken suffered a severe heart attack shortly before he was due to retire from the force. He is now happily recovered, though his billiards is not quite what it was, though this is as much due to lack of play as anything else. This fall in his standard caused him to decline his invitation to this year's Darley Dale, though it had not stopped him from winning it in 1991 - with Russell and Dagley in the field.
Ken's billiards at its best is a pleasure to watch, he is as likely to make a 2 break as a 200 break at any visit. Somehow he doesn't look the part; he does not get down very low over the cue - which he appears to grip rather like he used to grip his police truncheon, his bridge hand seems to flop on the table like a lump of blancmange, and his stance is rather ungainly. Many an opponent has been deceived. Ken, at his best, and often enough when not at his best, could rattle along at 500 points an hour with the best of them. He is a very good potter and a brilliant stroke-maker. I have played him a number of times and have always had a pretty good game against him. Somehow the way he played seemed to bring the best out of me - but I never beat him. I have one claim to a possible record in the amateur championship. That is that I have played in 5 different areas all from the same home address! I was in the Midlands Area in 1985 and met Shirley at Nuneaton losing by only a hundred or so. It was in this game that he played a couple of the most amazing forcing strokes I have ever seen. Ken is an inveterate talker, and a very good commentator on billiards, both on his own game - and on his opponent's! Most players who know him do not let this bother them but there are those who get a little irritated. There is no malice in it, he can't help it. I remember being very amused once when watching him. Having scored a big screw cannon he stood watching as the red ball rolled towards the top pocket as if it would settle nicely, but it finished on the top cushion in an awkward position. He turned to look at the object white saying brightly
"Ah well, as one door closes another one - shuts," as the white settled in the middle of the bottom cushion. Ken is also quite well-known for one or two other sayings which, though in no way obscene, I will not reproduce here.
Ken admires a number of players but none more so than Peter Gilchrist who he thinks has the ability to go all the way to being world champion. He could be right. For himself he rather wistfully says that he would dearly love to be able to play the game as well as Bill Turner can talk it!
Shirley has never been a great snooker player, but like many of us finds it is often the only game he can get anyone to play. He has a total of four centuries and says he is always a dangerous opponent over one frame!
His other interests include doing crossword puzzles and reading. I have a feeling that he is not quite yet finished with billiards. Be seeing you Ken.