Obituary: Falkirk snooker ace and club owner Bob McCabe (1942 to 2023)

Around thirty years ago, he would be making regular appearances in the Falkirk Herald as he proved to be one of the most successful and recognisable faces of the local snooker scene.

Born in Brightons, he was captivated by the game from a young age – his father taking him to watch the village’s players enjoy games of billiards and snooker at the

back of Jock Kirk’s bookmakers.

He would recall in later years that he was instantly transfixed by the sport and began a life-long love affair with the green baize and saw Bob play in Johnny Baikie’s

Billiard Hall in Graham’s Road after his family moved to the town.

A further move out to Camelon and it was Lister’s on the old Main Street that became his next haunt.

Having started work as a fireman on the railway, Bob won his first trophies when claiming the Scottish Railway Workers Billiard title in both 1960 and 1961. Snooker

was his preference though, and he began playing regularly once more in Johnny Baikie’s.

By 1968 he was working part-time in the club and many a customer requested to pop back later for their bottle of coke or Fry’s Cream if Bob was in the middle of a big

break.

Despite working in the physically demanding foundries and concrete works, his dedication to practice saw him win a place in the Scottish national team in 1976. He

travelled to play Wales in Cardiff alongside some fine players of the day and drew his match against Terry Griffiths – the Welshman going on to win the World

Professional title only three years later.

Playing world champions was not unusual for Bib since he also played against John Pullman and Ray Reardon during exhibition nights in Baikie’s and he drew with

Alex Higgins in a challenge match at Govan Town Hall.

In an era when foreign holiday travel was a luxury, Bob discovered an ideal way to treat his family as he realised that winning the snooker competition while on holiday

at Pontin’s camp in Southport meant he got a free holiday the next year

So, mum, dad and two weans – Alan and Scott – would head off to Southport in the summer with the trusty cue in the boot. World champions John Spencer and Dennis

Taylor became the next of the elite professionals to face Bob in a challenge match.

Aside from working in Baikie’s, Bob also captained the team in the Falkirk District Snooker League and, playing under the Brockville name, they dominated locally for

many years.

New clubs appeared everywhere in the 1980s and, from being the area’s sole venue, Baikie’s suddenly had a multitude of other competitors to contend with.

By early 1992, having accepted early retirement after sixteen years at BP in Grangemouth, Bob and his eldest son Alan opened the Jubilee Club in Camelon to add yet

another snooker hall to the extensive list. Although it had only seven tables and was one of the smaller venues, it accommodated many of the area’s best players.

Further expansion saw the Falkirk Snooker Centre in Bainsford taken over in 1995 and renamed The Creamery in a throwback to the building’s former use as the Co-

op Dairy.

Having partnered with some businessmen from Perth, by 1999 the consortium had additionally acquired the Red Triangle in Cumbernauld and the Livingston Snooker

Centre in West Lothian.

From the smallest in Falkirk to the biggest independent operator in the country in just over seven years was a remarkable rise but, by the century’s end, the McCabe

father and son had negotiated the purchase of the two local clubs as, in Bob’s words, big isn’t always beautiful.

While the Jubilee would switch to becoming a pool club in 2006, The Creamery maintained its mix of snooker, pool and food as Bob worked well into his 70s and

was regularly seen around the club.

He rediscovered the snooker bug and regained his place in the Scottish national team 33 years after his previous appearance, playing in the European Championships

in both Poland and Malta, while his attendance in the World Amateur Snooker Championships in Wels, Austria in 2010 saw him become the oldest player, at 68, to

compete in such an elite tournament.

In the interim he had finally won the Falkirk District Singles Cup before winning the inaugural individual league title in 2008 following the collapse of the old inter-club

competition.

While still continuing to play on a recreational basis, he reached the East of Scotland Final in 2011.

As father time began catching up, Bob could still deliver the odd substantial break and a brief return to Johnny Baikie’s came in 2012, although it was clear that snooker

no longer commanded its former popularity.

The Creamery became the sole concern and Bob continued to work and maintain the club until very recently.

His influence in the business was incalculable as he loved helping players, offering advice and circulating around his restaurant clientele.

He had some health scares but always bounced back. Unfortunately, his illness this past month was one that he would not manage to conquer and he passed away on December 29, 2023.

The outpouring of grief and hundreds of comments underlined just how many people had the pleasure of encountering Bob. One of the area’s unsung sporting

characters of the past half century, his absence will be long felt by many and signify the passing of a real Falkirk character.

He leaves a wife, Betty, three children – Alan, Scott and Linda – and four grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at 1pm on Monday, January 22 at Camelon Crematorium.