Kirk Stevens

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Kirk Stevens
Born	August 17, 1958
Nationality	Canadian
Professional	1978–
Highest ranking	#4 (1984/85)
Highest break	147 (1984)
Best ranking performance	Semi-final: World Snooker Championship (1980, 1984)

Kirk Stevens (born August 17, 1958) is a Canadian professional snooker player.

Stevens started playing young, achieving his first century break aged just 12. He turned professional aged 20, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship aged 21. In 1984, he achieved a televised maximum 147 break in a match against Jimmy White in the Benson & Hedges Masters, which remained the only such break ever made in the competition until Ding Junhui achieved a 147 break in 2007. Ken Doherty and Stephen Hendry came close to repeating the feat. His unorthodox choice of attire also made him a ladies favourite.

His career ran into problems in 1985 when he met South African, Silvino Francisco, in the Dulux British Open final. After Stevens lost 9-12, Francisco accused him of taking stimulants. A few weeks later Stevens admitted to an addiction to cocaine. Although he underwent treatment, his career never really recovered. He dropped out of the top 16 in 1986/87, but continued to play on until 1992/93 before returning home to Canada, pretty much finishing with the game. He did attempt to return to the game and won a place on the professional tour again in 1998/99 but failed to hold onto it for the following season. He almost returned for the 2000/01 season but lost in the North American qualifying final to Bob Chaperon.

He still continues to play snooker and has won the Canadian Open Championship in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2002 and also reached the semi-finals in 2005.