Alex Higgins: Tributes paid to talent of 'Hurricane'

[chris]

Tributes are being paid to two-time world snooker champion Alex Higgins, who has died after a long battle against throat cancer.

Higgins, 61, was reportedly found dead in his flat in the Sandy Row area of Belfast on Saturday.

The Belfast man won the world title in 1972 and 1982.

Dennis Taylor said: "I don't think you'll ever see a player like in the game of snooker like the great Alex Higgins."

"There was just something about the way that he played the game. There was a little bit of [John] McEnroe in there. There was always going to be a little bit of controversy," said the 1985 world champion.



Source: BBCNews

 

[Topper]

He was certainly quite a character and constantly getting into scrapes relating to drink and women IIRC.

RIP Alex

 

[Lazarus]

Brilliance and showmanship often seem to go hand in hand with flawed characters.

Better than being boring.

RIP.

 

[timbo86]

RIP Alex. Saw him last year in a bar in Belfast. Even in his condition he still couldn't control his love for a few drinks. Another legend who has followed the same path as George Best.

 

[tomthebomb1968]

[video=youtube;MC9VLT-Likk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC9VLT-Likk&feature=player_embedded#![/video]Just for anyone that didnt know how downhill he had gone, here is a pic of Alex and my friend Rich taken in a bar in Belfast last August. The bill for the photo was a double Vat19 and Coke

 

[timbo86]

That's the same bar I saw him in also. 'The Beaten Docket'. He also played for the Sandy Row Rangers pool team aswell.

 

[wannabee]

So sad.. One of Northern Irelands greatest sports stars..

A true genius that we will never see the like of again..

RIP Alex. An Irish sporting hero..

 

[john_graydon]

A great shame the way he was left to die. RIP alex. Your with your friend Ollie Reid having a jar now.
Met both of them in Dublin having a few barrels of beer in 1995 I think. Always remembered.

 

[rolfw]

A very sad tale, strange how many of these uniquely talented sportsmen and personalities have this self destructive side. A great Snooker player and personality, loved watching him play. RIP Alex.

 

[satelliteman]

Yes, echo those comments, RIP Alex.

 

[T_G]

Shocking pictures, did not realise he was so ill. RIP

 

[Lazarus]

_http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-10760120


Just about sums it up, sadly.

 

[sonnetpete]

Jeepers, that photo taken in the bar is so shocking. Cancer will touch your life in some way, at some point in time. So sad for him to have to die alone. RIP Alex.

 

[compufunk]

RIP Alex,

My father was a big fan of Alex, so it was Alex who got me interested in snooker in the eighties.

He lacked the consistency to notch up lots of big wins, but was excellent when on form. Probably a reflection of his personality. There are similarities between himself and Ronnie O Sullivan.