Snooker legend Cliff Thorburn has warmed up for his first high profile playing engagement in a decade by taking a trip down memory lane.
Thorburn, a former world champion and world no.1, came through the pool and snooker hustling scene in North America in the late 1960s/early 70s.
And the 61 year-old Canadian revealed that it could sometimes be a dangerous way to make a living.
“I was 25 before I turned professional but I’d been banned from shooting pool in Victoria, then banned from Vancouver, then banned from Ontario. So we moved to San Francisco," he said.
“Then one night I won a lot of money but then had to lose it all – and a bit more – back to the guys I had taken it from in the first place when one of them opened his jacket and flashed a gun.
“I knew then I’d gone as far as I could go and the only place left after that was to come to the UK where the audience and sponsors would pay you to play.
“After the gun incident, suddenly wet, windy Tuesday nights in Blackpool, Derby and the likes seemed quite attractive.”
Thorburn is among the eight man field for the 110sport Legends event at Glenrothes this weekend.
He tackles Alex Higgins, who he beat 18-16 to win the 1980 World Championship.
And the ‘Grinder’ exploded the myth often propagated that snooker was all just a bit of fun in the boom years of the 1980s.
“It would be fair to say that Alex and I were not always on speaking terms way back then but that was the same as a lot of players because it was serious business,” he said.
“Look at some of the pictures before finals and you would often see the two players looking as if they really had no time for their opponent because it meant so much.
“Nowadays the players are asking how the wives and kids are, where they went on holiday. I don’t think it has the same intensity as it had back then.”
You can read a typically entertaining interview with Higgins in today’s Scottish Sun here.
29 comments:
im in the venue and can hear u and knowlsy loud
Cliff and Alex - have a great match tonight - wish I could have been there to see you both. I'm sure you will enjoy yourselves as much as the crowd - as will all the great names playing up in Scotland this weekend.
The late, great John Spencer wrote in his autobiography that Cliff and Alex were the only fellow players who rallied round when he was disgnosed with myasthenia gravis back in the mid 80s - your kindness was much appreciated by him and his fans.
Lets hope for many more tournaments like this with expanded fields which celebrate snooker's great heritage.
Hi David. As Thorburn and Higgins are metioned in this part of your blog, I would like to send my very best and wormest wishes, and wishes a very happy birthday to the commenator who closed there play in the crucible 1980 final. The man that has and always will be regarded as a great friend and colleague, to many of us on the circuit over the years. SSSSSHHHHHH. I am of course, talking about "Whispering" Ted Lowe MBE. Happy birthday Ted, All the best, From Jamie O'Reilly ( A MASSIVE SNOOKER FAN.)
surprised you posted my comment dave (the first one)
mind you, the 2nd tony in the box with you during cliffs match wasnt quiet either.
lol
Where can we find out results?
Well, let's not forget forget John Pulman, who uttered the famous words "Welcome back to the world championship. It's a case of from one Embassy to another." after the TV broadcast resumed after the Iranian Embassy happenings...
Cliff's autobiography 'Playing for Keeps' is still my favourite snooker book. Some of the stories (the one in the article included) from the underbelly of snooker culture are very entertaining. 'Whose Les Red Balls, I'll take him on too, where is he'
Mat Wilson
We are rather close to the action
It's our tribute to Ted Lowe
A very fitting tribute too David, If i may say so. I am as sure as I can be, that Ted eill approve.
“Nowadays the players are asking how the wives and kids are, where they went on holiday. I don’t think it has the same intensity as it had back then.”
The man might have a point there, there seems to be a bit of 'acceptedness' about the game all right.
Best,
John McBride
i know exactly where you are Dave, i was sat 20 feet away from you on "the same level".
was just like at a WS event with an earpiece
Any chance Dave of giving us a link to the results?
I notice the embarrassing worldsnooker.com failed to report this event - like they do most snooker.
Perhaps 110sport's press officer would have had a better chance if he'd sent in his report as a poem.
A link to the results?
A 110sport event?
Why not try the 110sport site
http://www.110sport.tv/NewsItem.aspx?Id=147
And my name isn't even Sherlock ...
110sport are charging £4 to watch recorded coverage of this event. How the hell can they charge for recorded stuff that we know the results of already. The press releases they put out hardly sold the event. 110sport are certainly no matchroom sport.
£3-99 to watch the legends fair enough if this was shown live, bit of a rip off at this price.
Yes if it was live no probs but to charge that amount for recorded highlights is a bit odd. You'd also think they'd offer a season ticket for the rest of the qualifiers during the season because in a few weeks time the qualifiers will be completely free on the major betting sites. You'd think they'd cash in before they lose all their trade.
I bet there's not many buying the legends at that price way ott in my opinion, RichP so are the qualifiers thats coming up being shown live on major betting sites, just seems a bit odd with 110 sport charging for these where as you can watch it free on the other's?
Are the qualifiers being shown on major betting sites?
Which ones?
Havent seen anything mentioned anywhere?
Anyone have a link?
Or are the hearsay brigade at it once again?
The qualifiers aren't being shown on any betting websites
"The press releases they put out hardly sold the event."
Is that an informed guess or just wild speculation?
The fact David has posted a link to the Sun's one-to-one with Higgins suggests that 110's press releases hit the right targets - namely the press.
Or should 110 direct them to you instead ;-)
When I said press releases I meant the news releases on their own sites. And yes the betting sites will be carrying the qualifiers very soon via perform.
No they won't
110sport has a three year deal to show it exclusively on their site
Is this a new deal Dave ie last few weeks as my understanding is that World Snooker have the rights to stream the snooker on betting partners sites via perform?
You may be thinking of the Championship League, which Perform does stream on betting websites
Indeed, it was their idea to do the same for the qualifiers but weren't asked for a bid!
RichP appears quite well informed, if a little biased against 110. Or maybe he just expects 110sport to tailor everything to his requirements
No, just can't understand their pricing that's all, especially when they could take advantage of the market before free streaming on the betting sites becomes available.
RichP is Miles ahead with his predictions
This last comment fascinates me strangely
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