John Street (snooker referee)

Street was born in Exmouth, Devon on 3 January 1932, and Edgar Gordon Street (1905–1950). When he was 17 in 1950 he contracted tuberculosis and was hospitalised for 14 months. ==Career==

Street started refereeing matches in 1960, gained his "C" grade refereeing certificate that year followed by "B" grade the next year, his "A" grade certificate in 1968. His first major final as a referee was at the 1978 Masters, when Alex Higgins defeated Cliff Thorburn. In all, Street refereed Masters finals. Street refereed in five World Championship finals between 1980 and 1995. He handled the 1992 final between Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry when Hendry came from 8–14 behind to win the match 18–14 by winning 10 consecutive frames. During the qualifying competition for the 1987 British Open, Higgins threatened Street while holding his neck, an incident that snooker historian Clive Everton wrote was "glossed over". In 1992, Higgins was fined £500 by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for "failing to accord [Street] appropriate dignity and respect" at the 1991 UK Championship. After Higgins's defeat at the 1994 UK Championship by Dave Harold in a match refereed by Street, Higgins called him "incompetent", claimed that he need an eye test and said that he would rather have a "man off the street" refereeing. Street later reflected that "I just wish [that Higgins had] concentrated on his wonderful snooker talent more and kept his temper in check. I know some referees were frightened of him, but I always stood my ground, as did John Williams, which probably worked against us at times." In an interview for Jack Karnehm's book World Snooker (1981), Street replied that a good referee, "You must want to be a referee rather than a player, spectator or anything else. It's a disease really, an obsession. Get a bunch of referees together and all they do is debate the rules for hours." He added that "you must be in control yet be unobtrusive." ==Personal life, illness and death==

Street married Jean (née Curry) in 1953, after meeting her at a local dance event and they went on to have three daughters. He died from lung disease at Whipton Hospital in Exeter on 6 January 2009, aged 77. His funeral was held on 20 January 2009 at St Thomas Methodist Church. In 1987, Steve Acteson, snooker correspondent for The Times, referred to Street as "one of snooker's most respected referees". Journalist Dave Hendon, deputy editor of Snooker Scene magazine, wrote in 2009 that "Everyone respected him. He was one of snooker's top officials and a famous face himself in the game's boom years." ==References==