Alex Higgins Player Profile
Alex Higgins Stats
Date of birth: 18 March, 1949
Nationality: Northern Ireland
First turned professional: 1971
Highest ranking: 2
Ranking titles: 1
Triple Crown titles: 5
Crucible best: champion
Masters appearances: 15
147 breaks: 0
SHQ Stars:
★★★★★★
Summary
Alex Higgins turned professional in 1971 and duly won the World Snooker Championship at his first attempt a year later, beating John Spencer.
During this period, snooker was emerging as a more popular pastime and a sport to follow on television.
Known as the Hurricane for an entertaining style of attacking play that was against the norm, Higgins endeared himself to a wave of new snooker fans.
The Northern Irishman was a constant presence at the business end of the big tournaments across the following decade.
Higgins reached the final of the World Championship again in 1976 and 1980, losing on both occasions to Ray Reardon and Cliff Thorburn respectively.
But two years later, he was finally a champion at the sport’s new spiritual home of the Crucible Theate in Sheffield.
After compiling one of the most memorable breaks ever in a comeback defeat of Jimmy White in the last four, Higgins overcame Reardon in the final.
Sobbing uncontrollably, Higgins’ desperate calls to hold his new baby upon receiving the trophy is one of the sport’s most replayed moments.
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Higgins enjoyed success in many of the other notable competitions of the era – including twice at the Masters and once in the UK Championship.
The latter victory was particularly special, as he came from 7-0 behind to deny Steve Davis 16-15 at the Preston Guild Hall in 1983.
An often fractious rivalry with Davis dominated the back pages throughout the 1980s, but Higgins just as frequently featured on the front pages of newspapers as well.
The former world number two’s battle with alcohol led to numerous incidents in the public domain, including domestic brawls and threats against fellow players.
In 1990, after losing in the first round of the World Championship, Higgins punched a tournament official and was subsequently banned for an entire season.
Yet, despite all the controversies, he still had the ability to make people love him, and he is regarded as the player who introduced modern snooker to the masses.
Because ranking events were so scarce until the mid-1980s, Higgins boasts only one title at that level but his legacy far exceeds that.
Among his other impressive victories was an Irish Masters glory in 1989 where he beat a young Stephen Hendry in the final.
In addition to three World Cup victories with Ireland, he also secured a World Doubles Championship triumph alongside close friend White in 1984.
After a long battle with cancer, Higgins passed away in 2010. These days, the Northern Ireland Open trophy is named in his honour.
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Ranking Event Victories
- 1982 World Snooker Championship
Other Notable Victories
- World Snooker Championship (1972)
- The Masters (1978, 1981)
- UK Championship (1983)
- Irish Masters (1977, 1989)
- Tolly Cobbold Classic (1979, 1980)
- Canadian Open (1975, 1977)
- Canadian Club Masters (1976)
- Men of the Midlands (1972, 1973)
- World Cup (1985, 1986, 1987)
- World Doubles Championship (1984)
Featured photo credit: Wikipedia
Alex Higgins Player Profile
SHQ Stars: How it works
| Rating | SHQ Stars | Career Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Black | ★★★★★★★ | multiple world champion; 30+ ranking titles; career triple crown; world no.1 (at least 3) |
| Pink | ★★★★★★ | world champion; 10+ ranking titles; multiple winner of triple crown events; member of top 2; 15+ seasons in top 16 (at least 3) |
| Blue | ★★★★★ | winner of triple crown event; 5+ ranking titles; member of top 4; 12+ seasons in top 16 (at least 2) |
| Brown | ★★★★ | 2+ ranking titles; member of top 8; triple crown event finalist; 8+ seasons in the top 16 (at least 2) |
| Green | ★★★ | ranking title; member of top 16 (at least 1) |
| Yellow | ★★ | member of top 64 |
| Red | ★ | professional |
