The 'hurricane' gives in to cancer

Snooker has lost one of its most colourful characters following the death of Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins.

The two-time world champion died of throat cancer in his home city of Belfast aged 61.

He had been fighting the disease for more than a decade.

Higgins is credited with dragging snooker into the public eye in the 1970s and '80s with his flamboyant style of play and extravagant lifestyle.

Higgins, who started playing snooker at the age of 11, became the youngest World Championship winner at his first attempt, beating John Spencer in 1972.

His record was beaten when 21-year-old Stephen Hendry claimed the trophy in 1990.

Higgins was beaten in the World Championship finals in 1976 and 1980 but claimed the title for a second time in 1982.

That final produced one of the most endearing moments in the sport's history when a tearful Higgins urged his then wife Lynn and baby out of the audience to share his moment of glory.

There was a dark side to this flawed genius, however.

He was banned from five tournaments and fined £12,000 in 1986 when he headbutted UK Championship tournament director Paul Hatherell.

In 1990 Higgins threatened to have fellow player Dennis Taylor shot and he was banned for the rest of the season after he punched a tournament director at the World Championships.

Higgins underwent surgery to remove cancer from his throat in 1998.

His former rival Steve Davis leading the tributes said: "He had that magnetism that is rare in sport and he was demonstrative around the table.

He drew people who would not necessarily have watched snooker to the game."

Three-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan described Alex Higgins as his "inspiration" following the death of the Northern Irishman at the age of 61 following a long battle with throat cancer.

The 34-year-old O'Sullivan told the Sunday Telegraph: "Alex Higgins was one of the real inspirations behind me getting into snooker in the first place.

"He is a legend of snooker, and should forever be remembered as the finest ever snooker player."

Former snooker champion and commentator Dennis Taylor told the BBC: "I don't think you'll ever, ever see another player in the game of snooker like the great Alex Higgins."

Former world number seven Willie Thorne described Higgins as a "genius" who changed the game on and off the table.

"It's a sad loss, he's obviously one of the greatest players of all time," Thorne said on Sky Sports News. "He's been ill for some time as everybody knows and suffered greatly for the last few years and he was just hanging on in there."

Higgins' biographer Sean Boru also paid a warm tribute to the man he worked with for 10 months during 2005 and 2006.

"It was his personality (that made him so popular). Alex Higgins was the Muhammad Ali of snooker, he dragged it kicking and screaming into the 20th century. I spoke to someone earlier who said wasn't it lucky Alex made his name when snooker came into its own, but I said it was the other way round. Snooker didn't make Alex Higgins, Alex Higgins made snooker."

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