Alex Higgins RIP

[MK Shrimper]

Has died after a long battle with cancer. Love him or hate him he brought an incredible character to the game.

RIP Alex.

 

[pickledseal]

RIP - a real character and I think I fall in the love him category... Brought the game in disrepute a little, but then again snooker can need livening up at times! ;)

 

[Rob Noxious]

Who can ever forget that glorious "We're f*****' back!" moment in the early '80s? :)

So long, son of Belfast.

 

[* ORM *]

Single handedly turned the game from a dull BBC2 Pot Black backwater into a must watch sport. Without him there would be no Jimmy White and no Ronnie O'Sullivan. Out of the three I would argue that Alex was the most naturally talented and out of the three the only one I would go out of my way to postpone something and watch a game. There are some great YouTube clips of this genius at work. Out of the three the most messed up in the head. Arguably could have had more than the two world titles he won but then he would probably not have left us with half the memories and half the legacy that he has.

Thanks Alex. You truly were a LEGEND. Rest in peace.

 

[SUFC_Al]

Sad news. RIP Alex, one of the great entertainers and wonderfully naturally gifted.

 

[Uncle Leo]

The Hurricane - Rest In Peace

First Keith Floyd, then Alex Higgins. This has been a tough 12 months for those of us who admire a true drinker. Rest In Peace Hurricane.

In honour of the great man, this thread has been moved to the pub, where he would have wanted it.

[video=youtube;nZkDNJvze04]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZkDNJvze04&feature=related[/video]

 

[canveyshrimper]

In the 1982 semi final against Jimmy White he made the most stunning clearance you will ever hope to see. He was something like 16-15 down and White had a lead of 64 (ish), Higgins cleared up potting balls from almost impossible angles and positions. He went on to win the final frame and beat Ray Reardon in the final to take his second world title.

Genius is over used in sport, but Higgins IMO was a complete one off and the term genius fits well on him.

RIP

 

[Cricko]

The one man who got the world to take an interest in snooker....he was a pleasure to watch a very sad loss.

R.I.P

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

In the late seventies and early eighties, the prize money was nothing like it is today, even allowing for inflation. So a lot of the players used to do exhibition nights at snooker halls all over Britain, to bring in extra cash. One night Alex Hurricane Higgins is booked into the Southern Snooker hall (now closed) opposite the Alex pub in Alexandra Street. Len the manager of the Southern told me that he paid Alex £1000 in cash which was a lot of money in those days and was the going rate for the most entertaining players. Len was warned beforehand, do not give Alex free drinks as he drinks like a fish and there could be trouble, Alex is a little tight and by making him pay you may slow him down.

Anyway, the night gets of to a great start, the place is packed, Alex is extremely friendly and signing all autographs and chatting to everyone, meanwhile he keeps asking the pretty drinks waitress to bring him another, he is very polite and charming and pays her with no trouble.
He then puts on a great exhibition as he gives a handicap start to some club players off of a six reds short game, so quite a few get to play him. He is lovely to his opponents, and very witty and thoroughly entertaining to the adoring fans.

Unfortunately, as the hours went on Alex started getting a bit tipsy and went off the beer and onto doubles and the treble spirits. Suddenly his whole persona changed. He asked the waitress to come down the alley for a shag, when she refused he called her all sorts of names. He started insulting his opponents. He said he ain't paying for no more effing drinks or the sandwich he had just ordered. He fell onto a table full of drinks, he got up and not only didn't say sorry and offer to buy them new drinks but told the guys to buy him a treble whiskey why they are at it. Len is trying to calm him down and kept telling him not to swear as some people had brought their kids along to see the great Hurricane Higgins. Alex then put on a trick shot show but was so ****ed he couldn't do his tricks, and the more frustrated he got the more people he abused.

Alex went to the bar and confronted Len, and asked for more drink, Len told him that's it, no more drink. Alex went crazy and told him he will smash up the joint, Len who is unfortunately no longer with us, was a big lump and a great character, got hold of him and threw him out onto the pavement and locked the door.

You see, Alex Higgins was a wild man, a chain smoking, drinking, fighting, womanizer. He had different personalities. There has probably never been a person that has fallen out with so many people in his own sport. The drink could turn him into an absolute monster, as he was a very nasty drunk.
And yet we all loved him. He made snooker watchable on the T.V. Up until him, the players were old fashioned and very slow. Then the Hurricane breezed in and changed everything.
I always watched the snooker when the Hurricane was on the box, if it was Fred Davis, Eddie Charlton, John Spencer, Ray Reardon, Terry Griffiths or Rex Williams, I didn't bother, it was so boring and you would fall asleep.

I asked Len if it was worth it, he said 'yes it was worth it'. They had record takings on the bar and food, the fruit machine was full up and he had signed up over a hundred new members. He said he would have him back in a flash and would try and re-book him, but next time to manage his drinking better. Sadly, Alex declined the offer to ever come back to the Southern Snooker Hall. He probably thought he was badly treated.

God bless Alex Hurricane Higgins, there will never be another. Thanks for the memories Alex.

 

[BrettieAngell]

In the late seventies and early eighties, the prize money was nothing like it is today, even allowing for inflation. So a lot of the players used to do exhibition nights at snooker halls all over Britain, to bring in extra cash. One night Alex Hurricane Higgins is booked into the Southern Snooker hall (now closed) opposite the Alex pub in Alexandra Street. Len the manager of the Southern told me that he paid Alex £1000 in cash which was a lot of money in those days and was the going rate for the most entertaining players. Len was warned beforehand, do not give Alex free drinks as he drinks like a fish and there could be trouble, Alex is a little tight and by making him pay you may slow him down.

Anyway, the night gets of to a great start, the place is packed, Alex is extremely friendly and signing all autographs and chatting to everyone, meanwhile he keeps asking the pretty drinks waitress to bring him another, he is very polite and charming and pays her with no trouble.
He then puts on a great exhibition as he gives a handicap start to some club players off of a six reds short game, so quite a few get to play him. He is lovely to his opponents, and very witty and thoroughly entertaining to the adoring fans.

Unfortunately, as the hours went on Alex started getting a bit tipsy and went off the beer and onto doubles and the treble spirits. Suddenly his whole persona changed. He asked the waitress to come down the alley for a shag, when she refused he called her all sorts of names. He started insulting his opponents. He said he ain't paying for no more effing drinks or the sandwich he had just ordered. He fell onto a table full of drinks, he got up and not only didn't say sorry and offer to buy them new drinks but told the guys to buy him a treble whiskey why they are at it. Len is trying to calm him down and kept telling him not to swear as some people had brought their kids along to see the great Hurricane Higgins. Alex then put on a trick shot show but was so ****ed he couldn't do his tricks, and the more frustrated he got the more people he abused.

Alex went to the bar and confronted Len, and asked for more drink, Len told him that's it, no more drink. Alex went crazy and told him he will smash up the joint, Len who is unfortunately no longer with us, was a big lump and a great character, got hold of him and threw him out onto the pavement and locked the door.

You see, Alex Higgins was a wild man, a chain smoking, drinking, fighting, womanizer. He had different personalities. There has probably never been a person that has fallen out with so many people in his own sport. The drink could turn him into an absolute monster, as he was a very nasty drunk.
And yet we all loved him. He made snooker watchable on the T.V. Up until him, the players were old fashioned and very slow. Then the Hurricane breezed in and changed everything.
I always watched the snooker when the Hurricane was on the box, if it was Fred Davis, Eddie Charlton, John Spencer, Ray Reardon, Terry Griffiths or Rex Williams, I didn't bother, it was so boring and you would fall asleep.

I asked Len if it was worth it, he said 'yes it was worth it'. They had record takings on the bar and food, the fruit machine was full up and he had signed up over a hundred new members. He said he would have him back in a flash and would try and re-book him, but next time to manage his drinking better. Sadly, Alex declined the offer to ever come back to the Southern Snooker Hall. He probably thought he was badly treated.

God bless Alex Hurricane Higgins, there will never be another. Thanks for the memories Alex.

Great story says it all really! RIP Alex.

 

[Southend Neil]

Very sad news indeed. He had fought as hard against cancer as he had on the snooker table.

As a massive Steve Davis fan I always wanted him to lose when he was playing however in recent years I came to recognise his genius and as ORM says, the clips on YouTube just show what a captivating and amazing player he was.

He could play shots no one else could even dream of (blue in that 69 break) and along with the advent of colour television played the biggest part in helping snooker become a multi million pound television entertainment.

However it is ridiculous for anyone to suggest he was the best player ever, he may just scrape into the top 10 but I dont think he needed to be a consistent winner, he was happier entertaining the crowd.

Thanks for the memories Alex. RIP

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I'm still waiting for the BBC to show the story of his life. I keep looking every day at the moment. It's a fascinating story.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Very sad news indeed. He had fought as hard against cancer as he had on the snooker table.

As a massive Steve Davis fan I always wanted him to lose when he was playing however in recent years I came to recognize his genius and as ORM says, the clips on YouTube just show what a captivating and amazing player he was.

He could play shots no one else could even dream of (blue in that 69 break) and along with the advent of colour television played the biggest part in helping snooker become a multi million pound television entertainment.

However it is ridiculous for anyone to suggest he was the best player ever, he may just scrape into the top 10 but I dont think he needed to be a consistent winner, he was happier entertaining the crowd.

Thanks for the memories Alex. RIP

I don't know how old you are Neil, but I've got a feeling that you never saw the best of him. After about 1988 the hard living caught up with him and he was never the same, in fact he was pretty poor. He won Two World titles in his prime, and if he could have cut down on all his vices, it may have been more, but then he wouldn't be such a refreshing character at the time that stuck his fingers up to authority.

He definitely makes the top 10 as a younger player, and is in the unique band of three with Ronnie O and Jimmy White as the most natural flair players ever.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Just seen Alex Higgins funeral procession in Belfast, on the news. Fantastic and worthy turnout.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Who can ever forget that glorious "We're f*****' back!" moment in the early '80s? :)

So long, son of Belfast.

Um me? :unsure:Because I never saw it? ;)

 

[Southend Neil]

I don't know how old you are Neil, but I've got a feeling that you never saw the best of him. After about 1988 the hard living caught up with him and he was never the same, in fact he was pretty poor. He won Two World titles in his prime, and if he could have cut down on all his vices, it may have been more, but then he wouldn't be such a refreshing character at the time that stuck his fingers up to authority.

He definitely makes the top 10 as a younger player, and is in the unique band of three with Ronnie O and Jimmy White as the most natural flair players ever.

Although to be fair he did win the 1989 Irish Masters final against Hendry which was some achievement given that he had broken his ankle a month earlier falling out of a window. However I would say he was in decline after 1983 as he hardly did anything after that.

1st game I ever saw was the Higgins v Davis masters match 1985 (we are f***ing back) so maybe I just missed the best of him.

Well I think its pretty fair to say that Hendry, Davis and O'Sullivan undisputably the top 3 in that order. Its very difficult comparing different eras but Reardon won 6 titles in Higgins's decade,the standard went up dramatically in the 90's so John Higgins and Mark Williams would have to complete the top 6. I personally think Jimmy White was better, although he didn't win the world title, 6 finals in a more difficult era is some going, more centuries and more title wins. So being very generous, I would have him at number 8 which isn't taking into account some of the modern day players who I think could be superior, Murphy etc.

I agree that he is certainly in the top 3 for flair but thats different from being a great player, you're right he could have won more if he gave up vices but he didn't.

Very glad to see a good turnout for his funeral and lets hope there is a tribute programme soon.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Although to be fair he did win the 1989 Irish Masters final against Hendry which was some achievement given that he had broken his ankle a month earlier falling out of a window. However I would say he was in decline after 1983 as he hardly did anything after that.

1st game I ever saw was the Higgins v Davis masters match 1985 (we are f***ing back) so maybe I just missed the best of him.

Well I think its pretty fair to say that Hendry, Davis and O'Sullivan undisputably the top 3 in that order. Its very difficult comparing different eras but Reardon won 6 titles in Higgins's decade,the standard went up dramatically in the 90's so John Higgins and Mark Williams would have to complete the top 6. I personally think Jimmy White was better, although he didn't win the world title, 6 finals in a more difficult era is some going, more centuries and more title wins. So being very generous, I would have him at number 8 which isn't taking into account some of the modern day players who I think could be superior, Murphy etc.

I agree that he is certainly in the top 3 for flair but thats different from being a great player, you're right he could have won more if he gave up vices but he didn't.

Very glad to see a good turnout for his funeral and lets hope there is a tribute programme soon.

It's this Wednesday on Beeb 2 at 9pm and fittingly called 'The People's Champion.'

 

[Rob Noxious]

*bump*

- for The Seventies North Bank and other fans of 'The Hurricane.'

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

O.K. guys. tonight's the night to see the tribute to one of the most interesting people in sport ever. Love him or hate him, I think you will love this tribute, and his rise and fall from grace.Charming, charismatic,brilliant, rubbish, lacking social graces, shrewd, foolish, amusing, wild. I could go on, watch for yourself. Tonight, Wed 1st August, BBC2 at 9PM.

Can't wait to watch it. He was the original man with case and cue, will travel, hustling and playing for cash, travelling everywhere on the trains. Then he took up competitions, that led on to T.V. fame and exhibition bookings. He certainly wasn't the greatest ever player, but he was great, and the first flair player to be seen on the tele, and the only one with charisma at that time. He took a tired, boring, safety orientated, old game and made it sexy and cool for the kids of the day to want to play, and set the scene for a new attacking style of play, for the new kids on the block. I also quite enjoyed all the shenanigans off the table that he got up to, sometimes he just didn't give a toss, and he couldn't contain his wild side.

 

[ldnfatso]

Thanks for the reminder!