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Alex Higgins is dead at 61

SpectorSpector
edited July 2010 in Chit chat
Alex Higgins has died of throat cancer at 61. He was probably more than anyone else responsible for the rise in popularity of snooker in the 70s and 80s. I would say he was a kind of Jim Morrison of the sport - the most intense and charismatic person the game ever produced, and often surrounded by controversy. Another legend signs off...
Post edited by Spector on
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Comments

  • dm_boozefreekdm_boozefreek
    edited July 2010
    F*ck me the Hurricane is dead?

    Him, White, and Hendry were the only Snooker players I ever really payed attention to :(
    Every night is curry night!
  • laddermanladderman
    edited July 2010
    Hello

    I saw him in the paper about 3-4 months ago.It says he was reduced to eating baby food because his mouth cancer had gotten so bad.A great loss to the world of snooker.

    Colin
  • mel the bellmel the bell
    edited July 2010
    yeah it was expected tbh after seeing later pics of him

    C_71_article_1008923_image_list_image_list_item_0_image.jpg

    AlexHigginsMay1999_231160.jpg

    rip the hurricane
    Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
  • ZX BeccyZX Beccy
    edited July 2010
    Sad. :(
  • dm_boozefreekdm_boozefreek
    edited July 2010
    I feel horrible for saying this but in his last year he managed to look like Quentin Crisp, and Skinnyman.

    I won't add a lol smiley as it's not really that funny.
    Every night is curry night!
  • ZX BeccyZX Beccy
    edited July 2010
    dm_boozefreek wrote: »
    I feel horrible for saying this but in his last year he managed to look like Quentin Crisp, and Skinnyman.

    I won't add a lol smiley as it's not really that funny.

    You're not wrong. When I saw the picture I thought he looked like that guy John Hurt played... as you said, Quentin Crisp
  • SpectorSpector
    edited July 2010
    I hadn't seen those pictures before, jeezo. Sixty-one isn't that old, certainly not old enough to look like that. Obviously I know it's because he had cancer, but still it's pretty shocking.
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  • mel the bellmel the bell
    edited July 2010
    Spector wrote: »
    I hadn't seen those pictures before, jeezo. Sixty-one isn't that old, certainly not old enough to look like that. Obviously I know it's because he had cancer, but still it's pretty shocking.
    yeah especially when you remember him in his prime
    alex-higgins.jpg
    Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
  • zx1zx1
    edited July 2010
    I've just saw it on News 24, tbh it wasn't that shocking as i saw pics of him in the papers last month and he looked really gaunt and ill. Still a shame, he was a real character off the snooker table (not many of them left in snooker). Still 61 isn't really old.
    Shit, it seems on WoS we are surrounded by death!
    2010 is not a good year.
    The trouble with tribbles is.......
  • ChuckieEggChuckieEgg
    edited July 2010
    Interesting that we call people who are violent, alcoholic, drug abusers as 'intense' and a 'character'.

    No doubting his talent (he was a magician when he was on form), but he was certainly flawed.

    RIP
  • Rock and RollRock and Roll
    edited July 2010
    A clip of Higgins' brilliance / madness.



    RIP
  • jet set willyjet set willy
    edited July 2010
    sad news indeed.:sad::sad::sad:
    another northern irish sporting legend dies.:sad::cry:

    possibly the most naturally talented player of all time.

    world champ in 1972 and 1982.
    RIP ALEX.
  • NickHNickH
    edited July 2010
    Rock and Roll wrote: »
    A clip of Higgins' brilliance / madness.

    RIP

    That was a joy to watch - some astonishing shots made!
  • deadpan666deadpan666
    edited July 2010
    RIP Mr. Higgins...

    :(
    The Black Cauldron (PC)
  • mermanmerman
    edited July 2010
    azward wrote: »
    Interesting that we call people who are violent, alcoholic, drug abusers as 'intense' and a 'character'.

    No doubting his talent (he was a magician when he was on form), but he was certainly flawed.

    RIP

    Have to agree with you there, he lived his life that way and in the end paid the penalty. Sad that he is dead and that he suffered.
  • GreenCardGreenCard
    edited July 2010
    RIP Hurricane Higgins. :sad:
  • jet set willyjet set willy
    edited July 2010
    yes he did a lot for the game to bring it to the masses.
    he made snooker real popular..
    does anyone remember him at the crucible this year.

    he played a frame against the whirlwind.

    fitting his last appearance was at the the HOME of snooker the CRUCIBLE.
  • HairyHairy
    edited July 2010
    RIP Headbutt Higgins.
  • MattLambMattLamb
    edited July 2010
    Sad news, all the more so as he was a double world champion, living in a small council flat by all accounts. Police had to break in at the end. He brought about his own destruction of course, but that just makes this an even sadder story. As for being 61, by own father is 64 this year. No age at all.
  • ÆlitaÆlita
    edited July 2010
    A hero for the common man. He had that magic about him.
    I stole it off a space ship.
  • STeaMSTeaM
    edited July 2010
    Did everything it is possible to do wrong whilst playing his shots - moved his head, wrong stance, didn't always follow through with the cue and sometimes was actually in the process of standing up straight as he was playing the shot...

    ...but what an absolute legend! More charisma and attitude than any of the current top players will ever have.

    If there was ever a dictionary definition for "Flawed Genius" chosen then it should simply say "Alex 'The Hurricane' Higgins".
  • VampyreVampyre
    edited July 2010
    Rock and Roll wrote: »
    A clip of Higgins' brilliance / madness.



    RIP

    It's generally regarded as the best and worst break in Snooker of all time! The worst because he was constantly getting out of position on easy shots and the best as he was pulling off unbelievable shots to get back into position. Add to that the pressure of HAVING to win the frame to stay in the match coupled with being 59-0 points behind it was pretty amazing.

    It should have been the year Jimmy White became world champion, it took something very, very special to stop him.

    RIP The Hurricane.
    ZXSR - Speccy Mags Reviews
  • SpectorSpector
    edited July 2010
    azward wrote: »
    Interesting that we call people who are violent, alcoholic, drug abusers as 'intense' and a 'character'.

    No doubting his talent (he was a magician when he was on form), but he was certainly flawed.

    RIP

    Violent, alcoholic drug abusers can be intense and have character too, you know. And when he was playing snooker, he had those qualities.

    I think Higgins couldn't stand all the falseness of most people, and it drove him crazy. Look at what happened in the motor racing yesterday. That's the kind of thing he would despise.

    He saw it in his own sport too. Remember what he said in 1990: "snooker is the most institutionally corrupt game in the world." People thought he was just shouting off. Time has proven him to be on the money.
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  • mermanmerman
    edited July 2010
    Now, I know the saying about talking ill of the dead, but I do wonder if it was his own bitterness and failures that prompted the corruption allegations he continued to come out with, even this year. The worry for the sport is its links with online gambling.
  • beanzbeanz
    edited July 2010
    azward wrote: »
    Interesting that we call people who are violent, alcoholic, drug abusers as 'intense' and a 'character'.

    No doubting his talent (he was a magician when he was on form), but he was certainly flawed.

    RIP

    Interesting that you think being called 'a character' is a positive...it can be a nice was of saying 'You're a dick' too :lol:

    I think the term is used in refers to being 'out of the norm' more than anything....just as Al Capone was a character...no one would deny he was a scumbag but he was...a character.
  • SpectorSpector
    edited July 2010
    merman wrote: »
    Now, I know the saying about talking ill of the dead, but I do wonder if it was his own bitterness and failures that prompted the corruption allegations he continued to come out with, even this year. The worry for the sport is its links with online gambling.

    You can't blame him coming out with corruption allegations this year after what his namesake John did, but this goes back years before online gambling existed (White v Francisco 1993, for example). Yeah, of course many people did think his utterings were the reaction of a resentful egotist unable to come to terms with his waning power and influence, and some of the things he did off the table were unacceptable. However, coincidence or not, give him his dues - he was right.
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  • milemile
    edited July 2010
    beanz wrote: »
    Interesting that you think being called 'a character' is a positive...it can be a nice was of saying 'You're a dick' too :lol:

    I think the term is used in refers to being 'out of the norm' more than anything....just as Al Capone was a character...no one would deny he was a scumbag but he was...a character.

    fred west, he was a bit of a character.

    nah doens't work. :razz:
  • beanzbeanz
    edited July 2010
    mile wrote: »
    fred west, he was a bit of a character.

    nah doens't work. :razz:

    works with Ted Bundy though...
  • dm_boozefreekdm_boozefreek
    edited July 2010
    beanz wrote: »
    works with Ted Bundy though...

    Are you not thinking of Al? :D
    Every night is curry night!
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