Alex "Hurricane" Higgins

[The Mighty Hog 331]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/jul/2...ane-dies-cancer

 

 

Former snooker player Alex Higgins has died at the age of 61-years-old. The two-times world champion, nicknamed 'Hurricane', had been suffering from throat cancer for a number of years.

 

Higgins will be remembered for his flamboyant playing style that attracted the loyal support of thousands of snooker fans, and is credited with being one of the greatest talents the game has seen. Aged just 22-years-old, Higgins won the World Championship at his first attempt in 1972, repeating the feat in 1982.

 

He was instrumental in driving the growth in popularity of snooker throughout the 1970s and 1980s, aided by television coverage, and inspired many other future professionals to take up the game.

 

Snooker promoter Barry Hearn said Higgins would be remembered as the "original people's champion" and the man who transformed the popularity of the sport. Mr Hearn said: "I have known him for nearly 40 years. He was the major reason for snooker's popularity in the early days. He was controversial at times, but he always played the game in the right spirit. We will miss him - he was the original people's champion."

 

RIP.

[manc-mag 1]

Probably for the best. RIP Hurricane.

[Barney 0]

Looked absolutely finished in recent pics.

[ewerk 26173]

It was only a matter of time. RIP.

[David Kelly 1115]

Looked terrible in recent pics so this is no surprise at all.

RIP

[luckyluke 1]

Yeah, looked like he was suffering a lot. RIP.

[Dr Gloom 19736]

throat cancer is a fucking horrible way to go like. wouldn't wish it on anyone.

 

a legend on the table. sadly, bit of a moron off it.

 

RIP

[Guest alex]

He looked like he was dying about 15 years ago. Anyway, RIP. Great player.

[kockhead 0]

Great player and funny when he butted the ref should play the song below at his funeral RIP HURRICANE

 

Edited July 26, 2010 by kophead

[Barney 0]

They should play the Scorpions song instead.

 

:air guitar:

[Kevin 1]

:airguitar:

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Made snooker as a sport to watch so a legend on the table, moron/dick off it alot of the time sadly.

 

They should go with Ritchard Herring's idea and name the next Hurricane that happens in the world after him, imagine an actual "Hurricane Higgins"!

[Kitman 2188]

The George Best of snooker perhaps?

 

When you consider the players that were around originally - Thorburn, Reardon, Davis, that welsh bloke with the poofy hair - they were all pretty boring with their methodical grinding safety play and no risks approach. Higgins played like he was pissing around in a snooker hall on a friday night - unpredictable, exciting, extravagant use of spin - he played like he came from a different planet. When he was on his game he was unstoppable and he deserves all the accolades he's got.

 

The shame was he was such an unhappy person, iirc he treated his friends and family very badly and pissed away all his earnings. I think was ill and alone for a long time before the end came. I don't think the game looked after him when he was on the way down either, but then he made a lot of enemies along the way. Surprised he made it to 61.

 

RIP.

[Guest Gordon McKeag]

rip, but a renowned twat unfortunately

last time i seen him was a few years back in a bar in lisburn he was playing games of pool for £20 a game and losing, then giving people abuse for not giving him a drink or free cigarettes.

RIP but this is so right. An alky tool who has no one to blame but himself for how things turned out. I remember years ago a story along the lines of he got home, the tea wasn't ready so he called his lass a cunt, and chucked the telly out the window.