Barry Hawkins
A late-blooming snooker craftsman whose graceful, fluid technique carried him to the sport's biggest stages against the very best.
Born 1979 (age 47)·English snooker player·Birthday: April 23·Generation X
Biography
Barry Hawkins’s career is a testament to quiet persistence. For years, the man from Kent was a solid professional, hovering in the rankings without causing major ripples. That changed in his thirties, when something clicked. With a smooth, rhythmic cue action that makes the game look effortless, Hawkins transformed into a Crucible threat. His breakthrough victory at the 2012 Australian Goldfields Open was just the start; he became a perennial contender at the World Championship, reaching the final in 2013 and multiple semi-finals, often battling through grueling matches with a steely calm. While he operated in an era of dominant champions, Hawkins earned immense respect for his pure skill and his ability to perform when the pressure was most intense, proving that peak form can arrive on its own schedule.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Barry was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Barry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won his first ranking title at the 2012 Australian Goldfields Open.
- Reached the final of the World Snooker Championship in 2013, losing to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
- Has won five ranking titles in his career, including the 2014 Players Championship and the 2017 World Grand Prix.
- Maintained a top-32 world ranking for over twenty consecutive seasons.
Did You Know?
He is nicknamed 'The Hawk'.
He is a talented amateur guitarist and has played in bands.
He did not reach his first ranking final until he was 33 years old.
He has made over 400 competitive century breaks in his career.
“My game is built on rhythm; when it's there, everything flows.”
