ALEX HIGGINS - AT IT AGAIN

Down South · May 19, 2010, 08:42:26 PM

Ailing snooker legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins looked a shadow of his former self as he attended a charity fund-raiser in his honour yesterday.

The 61-year-old, who won snooker's world title in 1972 and 1982, is has been been living on baby food after losing his teeth from radiotherapy while battling throat cancer.
Stars from the sport including Jimmy White, 47, John Virgo, 63, and Tony Knowles, 54, joined a frail Higgins at a restaurant to raise £20,000

Other guests at the Yang Sing Chinese restaurant included Coronation Street actors Ryan Thomas and Jack Shepherd, former X Factor contestant Rowetta Satchell and Page 3 model Rhian Sugden.

Higgins needs teeth implants after losing so much weight he can hardly lift a snooker cue.
Guests were forced to do a double take when they saw him enter the function room after placing a bet at a nearby bookies.

One guest said: 'We knew Alex had been going through a hard time and had been poorly but we were still shocked by his appearance.
At the top of his game: The two-time world champion in his heyday

'He looked absolutely skeletal and it was clear he had not eaten a square meal in many months. It was such a tragedy to see him alongside all the other snooker legends who looked so fit and well.'
It is estimated that Higgins earned and mostly spent a £3million fortune over 20 years in the sport.
His former PA, Will Robinson, said: 'We are desperately trying to raise £20,000 for teeth implants, which his dentist insists will help him eat properly again.
'Alex is living in a tiny flat in Belfast and has been living off baby food for years. It's so sad. Unless we do something he could be facing death.'
Higgins has also had to undergo two throat operations and can only talk in a faint whisper.
Will added: 'He's still loved by many and we're hoping people will remember what he brought to the sport. It would be amazing if he could get better and, who knows, one day made it back to the table.'
Earlier this year the snooker star was rushed to hospital suffering from pneumonia and breathing problems.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1279621/Alex-Hurricane-Higgins-living-baby-food-losing-teeth-throat-cancer-battle.html#ixzz0oPFL6R14

Puckoon · May 19, 2010, 08:45:12 PM

He'll be doing well to deal with that implant operation. Brutal brutal proceedure.

ONeill · May 19, 2010, 08:50:41 PM

Shocking pics.

Down South · May 19, 2010, 08:57:41 PM

He is only eating baby food so they take him out for a Chinese.

longrunsthefox · May 19, 2010, 10:07:10 PM

Quote from: Down South on May 19, 2010, 08:42:26 PM
Ailing snooker legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins looked a shadow of his former self as he attended a charity fund-raiser in his honour yesterday.

The 61-year-old, who won snooker's world title in 1972 and 1982, is has been been living on baby food after losing his teeth from radiotherapy while battling throat cancer.
Stars from the sport including Jimmy White, 47, John Virgo, 63, and Tony Knowles, 54, joined a frail Higgins at a restaurant to raise £20,000

He sort of looks like a snooker cue in this photo. Shocking pic indeed... but for the Grace of God go any of us.

laceer · May 20, 2010, 08:44:39 AM

Met him in a bar in Sydney about 2 years ago and he was smoking a massive cigar, dipping it into a half pint of brandy.

Also heard a story that Jimmy White was playing a pool exhibition in Ballygalley a few years ago. Higgins landed in a taxi from Belfast with not a rex in his pocket and White had to pay for the taxi. Higgins was being bought drink all round the place and he was asked to play Jimmy in a few frames of pool. Said he wouldn't lift a cue for less than £500

Supreme talent, i'd say O'Sullivan is as close as anyone's ever got to him, but a hateful wee bollocks

EC Unique · May 20, 2010, 10:15:24 AM

Quote from: laceer on May 20, 2010, 08:44:39 AM
Met him in a bar in Sydney about 2 years ago and he was smoking a massive cigar, dipping it into a half pint of brandy.

Also heard a story that Jimmy White was playing a pool exhibition in Ballygalley a few years ago. Higgins landed in a taxi from Belfast with not a rex in his pocket and White had to pay for the taxi. Higgins was being bought drink all round the place and he was asked to play Jimmy in a few frames of pool. Said he wouldn't lift a cue for less than £500

Supreme talent, i'd say O'Sullivan is as close as anyone's ever got to him, but a hateful wee bollocks

The Ballygawley story is true except that he turned up at a snooker exhibition in which White was the headline. It was been run by the club. He demanded money to play White in a frame and was declined. Later the 2 of them were in Tiffy's playing pool. He was an arrogant, grumpy wee man then who would insult anyone who tried to talk to him. Hard to have any sympathy for him.

strongbow316 · May 20, 2010, 12:13:11 PM

He is a proper C*NT and the sooner he disembarks this world the better it will be for everyone around him.

What professional sportsman threathens to get another fellow sportsman shot, just because he was from Coalisland!!!!

SCUM!!!!!!!!!!

Olly · May 20, 2010, 12:56:24 PM

Not exactly an Alex Higgins story but I remember watching Cliff Thornton playing Terry Griffith and the Canadian (Cliff) scored 130 in one visit to the table, AFTER 11 OCLOCK AT NIGHT!!!

I'll never forget that as long as I live. Terry is Welsh too which opens up a world of possibilities with Dong from China and Higgins the younger one from Scotland. Tony Malta was from Drago and There was a player from France - something like Alan Robbindough.

gallsman · May 20, 2010, 01:02:37 PM

Quote from: Olly on May 20, 2010, 12:56:24 PM
Not exactly an Alex Higgins story but I remember watching Cliff Thornton playing Terry Griffith and the Canadian (Cliff) scored 130 in one visit to the table, AFTER 11 OCLOCK AT NIGHT!!!

I'll never forget that as long as I live. Terry is Welsh too which opens up a world of possibilities with Dong from China and Higgins the younger one from Scotland. Tony Malta was from Drago and There was a player from France - something like Alan Robbindough.

Clown.

laceer · May 20, 2010, 01:09:27 PM

Quote from: strongbow316 on May 20, 2010, 12:13:11 PM
He is a proper C*NT and the sooner he disembarks this world the better it will be for everyone around him.

What professional sportsman threathens to get another fellow sportsman shot, just because he was from Coalisland!!!!

SCUM!!!!!!!!!!

I asked him about that and he said that he didn't threaten to have him shot. Says he fell out with him in a world cup tournament beacause Taylor was celebrating one of their teammates not getting the highest break and 5 grand prize because Taylor was on for it himself. Probably bullshit.

Would have been funny if it was just because he's from Coalisland!!

EC Unique · May 20, 2010, 01:17:08 PM

Quote from: Olly on May 20, 2010, 12:56:24 PM
Not exactly an Alex Higgins story but I remember watching Cliff Thornton playing Terry Griffith and the Canadian (Cliff) scored 130 in one visit to the table, AFTER 11 OCLOCK AT NIGHT!!!

I'll never forget that as long as I live. Terry is Welsh too which opens up a world of possibilities with Dong from China and Higgins the younger one from Scotland. Tony Malta was from Drago and There was a player from France - something like Alan Robbindough.

You just reminded me. The night White was in Ballygawley he hit a 147 with a feed of Vodka in him. He signed the table ''Jimmy White 147 (the date) ''.. Cool as f**k! The table belonged to the local snookerclub and is still about.