Despite his many talents, Alex Higgins was a notorious character. His volatile temperament and frequent arguments made him a polarising figure. His insatiable lifestyle was noted by the national media.
Steve James defeated Alex Higgins during the 1990 World Snooker Championship. He defeated Ray Reardon in the semi-final to win the final. Higgins became the first player to qualify for four consecutive finals. He lost to Jimmy White in a semi-final, and Davy Ferguson at the final the following season.
Alex Higgins suffered from long-term alcoholism and smoking problems throughout his career. In 1998, he was also diagnosed by throat cancer. He still played snooker and won the 2006 world title.
Alex "Hurricane" Higgins was a fast shotmaker in his prime. As evidenced by his open-necked shirt, he was also a very flamboyant character. He was often accompanied by a pall bearer. He was also a keen smoker, and in 2006 he joined more 200 smokers in suing Benson & Hedges (a snooker sponsor).
Higgins had many vices during his career. He used alcohol, cocaine, gambling, and other drugs. He was also stabbed by his ex-girlfriend Holly Haise, who claimed to have stabbed him three times in the arm. The long fight with throat cancer was another obstacle in his life. He died at the age of 61 in 2010. His funeral was held in St Anne's Cathedral Belfast.
Alex "Hurricane” Higgins was a notorious rebel and anti hero. He was a wild character with a volatile temperament that made him difficult for people to work with. He was actually banned from the popular TV snooker show Pot Black for getting into trouble with the police.
Higgins was often out of the country, and he lived on the edge of danger. Lynn Higgins, his wife was once overcome with emotion after he won matches. Lauren, Higgins' daughter, was brought onto the Crucible stage following the World Championship. He also got into a brawl with Dennis Taylor and threatened to shoot him in the World Cup. The police case against him was dropped as there was no evidence that he had actually hurt anyone.
Higgins was often the subject of controversy, as evidenced by his frequent arguments and frequent alcohol consumption. He was a habitual user of cocaine and had been diagnosed as having throat cancer. He also had a hard time dealing with the attention he was getting. He was frequently captivated by the crowd and had no manager. But, his talent was evident and he was a huge box office hit.
Alex "Hurricane" was a fast shotmaker who had a great talent, but was always undermined by his talent. He was an anti-hero and a rebel. He was a fighter and won against some of the most skilled players in the world. However, he always exuded a sense of menace.