讀這本之前，
其實我就是知道他七屆世界冠軍的風光，
與及留意到他近年殘了許多而已。
【吾運動‧吾閱讀】－ #蝦叔 蝦叔跑步 Uncle Shrimp Running
《Me and the Table》
作者：Stephen Hendry
出版社：John Blake
「在中國，球迷們把我叫做桌球皇帝，但我卻連續在第一輪就被Robert Milkins淘汰。Robert Milkins是一個你永遠都不應該輸的對手，所以當我輸掉了那場比賽後， 我知道自己崩潰只是時間問題了。」
有句老話說得好：事非經過不知難。
有些人，你看到他風光的一刻，就忍不住慨歎為何上天會那麼眷顧他？
如果說上天真的會眷顧誰的話，那麼他應該最眷顧笨人。所謂笨人，他們都願意做別人不願意做的事情。
就像他。
他曾經到名店范思哲和女友買衣服，人家還要拿著香檳去迎接——但你未必知道，他的家人不時成為恐嚇對象，曾有人作出威脅，如果他勝出比賽就會向他兒子臉上潑酸。
他曾經教汶萊王儲打球一小時，酬勞據稱是五千英鎊，以及一把鑲有鑽石與紅寶石的摺刀——但你未必知道，他童年很多時光，都在父親的店裡幫忙將薯仔裝箱。
他摘下了七屆世界冠軍，紀錄至今無人能破——但你未必知道，他拿下第七次冠軍之後，往後十年一直受「易普症」折磨。那是一種運動障礙疾病，患者的肌肉會無意識收縮。
他就是桌球天王，蘇格蘭名將亨特利。
正如許多名人故事一樣，成功者不是橫空出世的。只是他們經歷過許多苟且的時光，而你不知道而已。
退役多年，甚至他的外甥也成為了職業球手，最近還擊敗過「火箭」奧蘇利雲，不得不使桌球迷感慨時間不留人。亨特利去年再度出版自傳「Me and the Table」，細訴了許多不為外人道的經歷。
除了以上所說的，還有他多年職業生涯的重要時刻，以及與對手亦敵亦友的關係。
這部自傳，今年還入選了英國體育圖書獎的「年度最佳自傳獎」提名。雖然最終未能奪獎，但足以証明此書具有相當份量，值得桌球迷與體育愛好者一讀。
筆者簡介：蝦叔，愛寫作，愛運動。期待未來以一雙腳和一枝筆，繼續從體育探索世界。
#新鴻基地產 #新地公益垂直跑 #勇闖香港ICC #桌球
【Exercise and Read】
Me and the Table
Author: Stephen Hendry
Publisher: John Blake
As an old saying goes, hardships can be truly felt only after actual experience.
We usually see only the moments people shine, and we can easily get jealous of them, wondering why they are so blessed with luck.
He once went shopping at Versace with his girlfriend, and they were greeted with a round of champagne. But, you never knew his family was frequently threatened. He was once warned that if he won a match, his son would be splashed with acid.
He once taught the Crown Prince of Brunei to play snooker for one hour. His reward was reportedly £5,000 and a knife inlaid with diamonds and rubies. But, you never knew he spent much of his childhood packing potatoes in his father's store.
He was world champion seven times, a record that has yet to be broken. But, you never knew after becoming world champion for the seventh time, he suffered from the yips for ten years, which is the loss of fine motor skills in athletes.
He is the king of snooker – Stephen Hendry from Scotland.
No celebrities were born successful. All of them go through hard times at one point or another, but we rarely hear about them.
Time waits for no man. Hendry has been retired for many years. His niece has become a professional snooker player and beat the Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Last year, Hendry re-published his autobiography – Me and the Table – to reveal many of his never-before-known experiences, key moments in his career, and his interesting relationships with his competitors.
This book was shortlisted for Autobiography of the Year by The British Sports Book Awards this year. Although it did not win, it is a worthwhile read for snooker fans and other sports enthusiasts.
About the writer: Uncle Shrimp loves reading, writing and athletics, and hopes he can continue exploring the world through sports.
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