Spaceman's travels over as Dale ends pro career

He mightiness beryllium remembered arsenic overmuch for peroxide-blonde hairstyles and serenading snooker fans pinch Frank Sinatra songs, but Dominic Dale has been potting balls for a surviving for arsenic agelong arsenic Ronnie O'Sullivan and nan different 'Class of 92' legends.

But nan 53-year-old Welshman - nicknamed 'The Spaceman' - says he has played his last framework arsenic a master having missed retired connected a spot astatine nan 2025 World Championship, which starts successful Sheffield connected Saturday.

It brings to an extremity a colourful profession that began successful 1992 - nan aforesaid twelvemonth seven-time world champion O'Sullivan collapsed through, on pinch chap Welshman Mark Williams and aggregate ranking arena victor John Higgins.

"I don't person that slayer small heart anymore - it's nan correct clip to retire," said Dale, who was beaten by different Welsh player, Daniel Wells, successful nan 3rd information of qualifying for nan Crucible.

"I do get a batch of aches and pains successful my shoulders - I can't do an hour's believe without having a crisp symptom successful my span limb shoulder.

"And I get stresses successful my digit joints arsenic well. If I wanted to beryllium competitive, and put nan clip in, I'd beryllium really struggling to do so.

"It's a operation of that and wanting to conscionable transportation connected arsenic a commentator, and beryllium retired for 300 overseas days of nan year."

Losing to Wells successful a qualifier astatine Sheffield's English Institute of Sport, pinch only astir 20 group watching, did not rather represent going retired successful a 'baize of glory' arsenic Dale was hoping to make an 11th and last quality astatine snooker's apical event.

But Dale, who said he decided astatine nan commencement of nan play he had "had enough" and would discontinue this year, has not wholly missed retired connected a Crucible farewell arsenic he will beryllium playing location adjacent period successful nan World Seniors Championship.

For nan moment, he is happy to bent up his cue and bespeak connected a master profession that included 2 ranking arena wins - nan 1997 Grand Prix and nan 2007 Shanghai Masters.

It is acold less than his 1992 contemporaries person amassed - O'Sullivan is nan ranking arena grounds holder pinch 41, while Higgins has won 33 and Williams 26.

"I've grown up and played pinch these guys [the Class of 92] and seen them create arsenic players - I utilized to believe pinch John Higgins," said Dale.

"Ronnie was truthful popular, moreover successful '92. I retrieve a lucifer he played pinch Jimmy White...the governing assemblage were trading tickets because location was only abstraction for thing for illustration 30 spectators. Everyone wanted to spot this caller kid. He won 5-1.

"To spot these players travel done and execute what they person is amazing."

Dale's trophy haul mightiness beryllium comparatively modest, but he says he is proud, and "a small surprised", astatine what he has achieved complete his 33-year pro career, having been calved successful England earlier moving to westbound Wales astatine nan property of 10.

"I suppose immoderate sportsperson would want to person a sparkling profession for illustration those players have," said Dale, who besides plans to walk much clip stepping and moving adjacent his Cotswolds location and indulging an liking successful ancient timepiece horology.

"I person near my people connected nan game, but I'm a small amazed I've won 2 fields because I cognize that immoderate different players who haven't done a awesome woody successful nan crippled are amended players than me. They'd astir apt hammer maine connected nan believe table.

"Some group conscionable aren't trim retired to play successful awesome finals. You request a batch of things successful your make-up to beryllium a master sports person. You've sewage to for illustration playing successful beforehand of a large assemblage connected television, being nan centre of attention."

As 1 of nan sport's extroverts, Dale says he liked being "the centre of attention" and entertaining crowds not conscionable pinch his snooker skills but his vocal talents, too.

Never much truthful than successful 2014, erstwhile he serenaded spectators pinch a rendition of Frank Sinatra's My Way aft winning nan last of nan Snooker Shootout.

"I was asked to do it," he said. "The TV presenter astatine nan clip said 'If you triumph this thing, will you sing?' and I said 'Yes, of course'.

"I was being interviewed aft winning it, and each of a abrupt this secondary microphone appeared retired of nowhere.

"Then I realised I had to sing, truthful I did a spot of My Way, and changed nan lyrics astatine nan extremity of it to suit nan snooker theme.

"That tourney was tailor-made for maine - each nan razammataz that came pinch it."

Dieing his hairsbreadth blonde was different measurement of opinionated retired from nan snooker crowd.

"The peroxide hairsbreadth started erstwhile I utilized to bent retired pinch nan Australian subordinate Quinten Hann," said Dale.

"He was a very flamboyant guy, and we had akin personalities.

"I tried nan peroxide thing, and recovered I really liked it.

"I've won 2 awesome tournaments pinch peroxide hairsbreadth - nan Shanghai Masters and nan Shootout - truthful possibly I should've put peroxide successful my hairsbreadth earlier I played Daniel Wells [in 2025 qualifying]."

But what astir nan celebrated Spaceman nickname? To this day, Dale says he is unsure wherever it came from.

"Nobody really knows nan reply to that," he said.

"I heard a mates of stories that it came from nan Grimsby boys [players calved successful nan town]. But they've said it's thing to do pinch them.

"I besides heard a communicative Jimmy White was asked astir maine connected nan Parkinson show.

"I'd beaten him successful nan semi finals of nan 1997 Grand Prix, and he was asked 'What do you deliberation of this caller kid connected nan block, this Dominic Dale?' and his reply was 'He's a Spaceman'. That was bizarre.

"But Jimmy told maine he'd ne'er utilized nan building 'Spaceman' successful his life.

"It must've travel from an MC who has sadly passed distant now. It must've travel from him to denote my personality. A batch of nicknames travel from MCs."

But, lingua successful cheek, he said, "I dislike it [the nickname]. It belies my superior intellect! It's a spot derogatory, .unless you return it successful nan correct spirit.

"It was ever good, though, erstwhile I played Ronnie O'Sullivan - The Spaceman versus The Rocket."

The Spaceman. Not wholly retired of fuel. But grounded for nan clip being.