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Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Majic

Growing up in the 1980's as a kid, Alex was my sporting hero and I loved watching him on tv. The first time I saw him live was at the 1990 World Championships when here lost to Steve James and then was subsequently banned for 12 months. One month prior to that he had been in great form to reach the final of the British Open at Derby where he lost to Bob Chaperon. This was a great tournament where Robert Marshall came from no where to reach the Semis in the FA Cup of snooker (random draw after each round). When he returned after a year he was stripped of his ranking points and had to attend the qualifiers at Stoke. I had just past my driving test and lived 45 minutes from Trentham Gardens so this was a great opportunity to watch him play. He had some early defeats including losing to Alan Mcmanus who was very complimentary about Alex's game. Saw an ansolute cracker of a match where he edged Steven Murphy 6-5. As the month of qualifiers went on his game was definitely returning to what I would describe as top 16 form at that time. I remember him playing very well to beat Willie Thorne 6-4 in the morning, driving home and returning in the evening to see him beat Terry Griffiths 6-1 in the evening in the UK qualifiers. But when all said and done he was out of most of the tournaments when they reached the final stages. The decision to strip him of the ranking points was monumental in his struggles as he was facing too many good up and coming players. I do remember him beating Ken Doherty but then he would lose to someone else.

I watched him at the Norbreck Castle in the qualifiers in subsequent years but his game was in further decline and the venue, format just didn't suit him. This place was the complete opposite of the Crucible and Alex was very frustrated playing here. His game changed and he would slow the tempo down. Sometimes it worked Sometimes not. Had 3 great wins their to qualify for the 1994 WC but like so many other players this place saw the end of him really.

No player has ever had his support at venues. There were a group of fans that followed him everywhere he played and he was always grateful for the support, stopping to chat. I remember before one qualifier at Blackpool, rather than be on the practice table, he was sitting in the hotel lounge with friends reading the Telegraph (he was always reading newspapers, doing crosswords).

I thinking watching him when he won you felt he was nearly back to his best. But then he would lose 5-2 in the next round, there was no real consistency.

Anyone else on here follow him or have memories of that time in snooker?

Thanks

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Badsnookerplayer

Welcome Majic - great memories. I remember Alex's time well. Peerless and the single reason the sport took off as it did in the seventies.

Love him or hate him, his talent and showmanship were unquestionable.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby gallantrabbit

I met him a couple of times; once at an exhibition with Jimmy in Windsor and once at an exhibition alone at King's Cross. My mate and I were stood in a doorway to a side room where they had their drinks in Windsor and I chatted to Jimmy the whole night, (terrific fellow), but Alex didn't want to know. Jimmy got annoyed with him because he was taking Alex apart (vintage Jimmy about 92) and Higgins wouldn't stop playing until he got frames on the board. JImmy started taking it easy to let him in, but even then Higgins struggled to make 50.
When he came to King's X I was supposed to play him but got removed from the list in a political move...again though he was pretty poor and only occasionally, mildy friendly...
Both occasions were during his decline to be fair, but the man who I wanted to beat Jimmy in the 82 semis...(still ashamed to say that) rubber stamped the old idea that you shouldn't meet your heroes...
Jimmy disproved that idea, by the way.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby SnookerFan

My story is boring compared to you.

Mine was when he was very ill. He signed me an autograph at the end. (I had a queue up for it.) He looked at me, barely knew where he was, I think.

Sadly, he was dead within the year.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Dan-cat

gallantrabbit wrote:I met him a couple of times; once at an exhibition with Jimmy in Windsor and once at an exhibition alone at King's Cross. My mate and I were stood in a doorway to a side room where they had their drinks in Windsor and I chatted to Jimmy the whole night, (terrific fellow), but Alex didn't want to know. Jimmy got annoyed with him because he was taking Alex apart (vintage Jimmy about 92) and Higgins wouldn't stop playing until he got frames on the board. JImmy started taking it easy to let him in, but even then Higgins struggled to make 50.
When he came to King's X I was supposed to play him but got removed from the list in a political move...again though he was pretty poor and only occasionally, mildy friendly...
Both occasions were during his decline to be fair, but the man who I wanted to beat Jimmy in the 82 semis...(still ashamed to say that) rubber stamped the old idea that you shouldn't meet your heroes...
Jimmy disproved that idea, by the way.


Was it at the Hurricane Rooms? That's my club

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby gallantrabbit

Dan-cat wrote:
gallantrabbit wrote:I met him a couple of times; once at an exhibition with Jimmy in Windsor and once at an exhibition alone at King's Cross. My mate and I were stood in a doorway to a side room where they had their drinks in Windsor and I chatted to Jimmy the whole night, (terrific fellow), but Alex didn't want to know. Jimmy got annoyed with him because he was taking Alex apart (vintage Jimmy about 92) and Higgins wouldn't stop playing until he got frames on the board. JImmy started taking it easy to let him in, but even then Higgins struggled to make 50.
When he came to King's X I was supposed to play him but got removed from the list in a political move...again though he was pretty poor and only occasionally, mildy friendly...
Both occasions were during his decline to be fair, but the man who I wanted to beat Jimmy in the 82 semis...(still ashamed to say that) rubber stamped the old idea that you shouldn't meet your heroes...
Jimmy disproved that idea, by the way.


Was it at the Hurricane Rooms? That's my club


That's the one although it wasn't called that at the time. I played there most days between mid 94 and mid 97.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby TheSaviour

The wonders of the world. Never any good too much trying to solve the mysteries. Not that there now was anything like that going on. I don´t know if there was anything that much mysterious about Alex. A very straight cannons, which looked awesome, need to admit that. But how about the Russian-style female players not still quite getting the results, for example..?? A mystery, and how great it is that there STILL are some!

The break-off shot can still break the opponents rhytm, and more importantly or precise, causes that he or she can´t pot a ball straight away. And after that as we all very much knows it´s anyone´s game. Just push the bloody ball straightly, and you got a safety-shot. These days they all are a very much like machines, that much practising and table-time just going on. So take a few minutes to figure out just slightly different break-off shot, and you have the position to try to figure out the rest of it...

The rest of it, the likes of great break-building abilities, just not to miss that NEXT position shot amongs the balls. Like the lads like Ricky Sticky Heavy Walden, or Luca Bracel Brecel, or that new lad Jihaui (a one to watch now for sure!). does that. Or to not even to mention the man from Essex, Ronnie O´Sullivan. I was about that Mark Allen is like and like and like a... but how about him then. But still and nevertheless, switching of the brains, if that means that NO COMMENTARY going on while ON THE BREAK, could do the trick. One particular part of the city has already had the negative figures, now I am threatening that there will be a few more. Lot´s of people just playing the usual and pathetic "let´s try to figure out the new ways to say ALLES GUT". Even when quite obviously and now just simply the truth already that alles isn´t gut.

Or just acting to be a world beater when you are just a dentist... Takes the pressure off from the clients! I am always very much supporting all that! Acting to have all the top ladies and they all fancies you while the truth not might be quite so. But if you just happens to be a dentist what can you do what can you say. Just an ultra flamboyant style does trick and takes the pressure off.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby SnookerFan

TheSaviour wrote:Or just acting to be a world beater when you are just a dentist... Takes the pressure off from the clients! I am always very much supporting all that! Acting to have all the top ladies and they all fancies you while the truth not might be quite so. But if you just happens to be a dentist what can you do what can you say. Just an ultra flamboyant style does trick and takes the pressure off.


What? Why a dentist?

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Dan-cat

SnookerFan wrote:
TheSaviour wrote:Or just acting to be a world beater when you are just a dentist... Takes the pressure off from the clients! I am always very much supporting all that! Acting to have all the top ladies and they all fancies you while the truth not might be quite so. But if you just happens to be a dentist what can you do what can you say. Just an ultra flamboyant style does trick and takes the pressure off.


What? Why a dentist?


Are you doubting the word of Our Saviour?!

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby SnookerFan

Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
TheSaviour wrote:Or just acting to be a world beater when you are just a dentist... Takes the pressure off from the clients! I am always very much supporting all that! Acting to have all the top ladies and they all fancies you while the truth not might be quite so. But if you just happens to be a dentist what can you do what can you say. Just an ultra flamboyant style does trick and takes the pressure off.


What? Why a dentist?


Are you doubting the word of Our Saviour?!


It's hard to doubt someones words, when he's never said a single one you understand.

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Majic

There were 3 sides to Alex. 1) He could be charming, funny pleasant and great company. 2) He would be serious, not in a good mood, mumbling away, clearly not happy. 3) Well I won't go there... but it resulted in lengthy bans and fines.

I had experience of 1) and 2) but thankfully not 3)

I think what mood he was in depended on what experience you would have with him. As I say he was very grateful for the support he received and no snooker player has ever had the support he had around the country. I would say Jimmy and Ronnie are more popular with the public but Alex had a hardcore support that followed him around the country venue to venue, and I'm not talking 4 or 5 people.

Hope to read some more memories soon

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Ck147

Andy Sparky wrote:
Pink Ball wrote:He was an utter runt

I can imagine that Oliver Reed was one of the few people not remotely bothered by any behaviour a 1990's Higgins could come up with.

Yep, Oliver Reed was a different level

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Johnny Bravo

Andy Sparky wrote:On the subject of memories about Alex, I came across this on youtube and thought it fun. Oliver Reed reminiscing about his friendship with Higgins. "Hellraising" probably doesn't get more hellraisier than these two; at least not among those who haven't crossed the line and are still allowed into polite society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzSbgiCKKjc :party:


Hey Andy, why don't come to the Island any more ?

Re: Watching Alex Higgins in the 1990s

Postby Holden Chinaski

Andy Sparky wrote:
Pink Ball wrote:He was an utter runt

I can imagine that Oliver Reed was one of the few people not remotely bothered by any behaviour a 1990's Higgins could come up with.

Hi Andy :hatoff: