Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins: Why is Northern Ireland Open snooker trophy named after former world champion?
By Desmond Kane
Published 21/10/2024 at 18:11 GMT+1
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The winner of the Northern Ireland Open will receive a cheque for ÂŁ100,0000 and the Alex Higgins trophy at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Sunday evening. World No. 1 Judd Trump is chasing a record fifth success since 2018at the popular Home Nations ranking event. But why has the name of the trophy been named in honour of Higgins, the charismatic icon who became world champion in 1972 and 1982?
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Video credit: TNT Sports
The Northern Ireland Open trophy was named in honour of Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins by the World Snooker Tour in 2016, six years after the death of the celebrated two-time world champion.
Belfast-born Higgins remains one of the most popular players in the history of snooker with his attacking, swashbuckling style and unpredictable antics seeing him dubbed 'The People's Champion' during saturated terrestrial TV coverage of the sport in the 1980s.
He is widely celebrated as a leading figure in the growth and development of the sport on TV during his peak years as a player.
“Alex was an extraordinary talent and we are delighted to remember him in this way,"said former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn. "It is a fitting tribute to one of snooker’s all-time greats.”
Higgins won the first of his two world titles in 1972, a year after he turned professional, with a 37-31 victory over John Spencer in the final in Birmingham that saw him become the first qualifier to claim the sport's biggest trophy.
Only Terry Griffiths in 1979 and Shaun Murphy in 2005 have emulated the feat.
His second world title was claimed at the Crucible in Sheffield in 1982 when he defeated Ray Reardon 18-15 after producing one of the greatest clearances in the history of the game in his 16-15 win over Jimmy White in the semi-finals.
Trailing 59-0, Higgins embarked upon a series of spellbinding pots in an iconic 69 clearance before winning the decider at a packed Crucible.
Higgins also won two Masters titles and recovered from 7-0 behind to complete a 16-15 win over fierce rival Steve Davis in the 1983 UK Championship final in Preston.
“I always remember Higgins being the people's champion and everybody rooting for him to win, but I was a Steve Davis fan myself because I was growing up, and I obviously wanted to be a winner. I wanted to win tournaments like Davis, who was the guy doing that," said snooker GOAT Ronnie O'Sullivan.
"But Alex Higgins brought something to snooker that nobody could bring. He made snooker what it was, and turned snooker players into rock stars.
"Looking back at it, if there was one player responsible for making snooker big in the 1980s, it was definitely Alex Higgins."
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Higgins died at the age of 61 in July 2010 after a long battle against throat cancer.
O'Sullivan says he will always be celebrated as a visionary for the offensive instincts witnessed on the baize in the modern era.
"I just think Alex was the best thing that's probably ever happened to snooker," he said.
In recognising fellow green baize greats of yesteryear, the English Open has the Steve Davis trophy, the Scottish Open the Stephen Hendry trophy, and the Welsh Open the Ray Reardon trophy.
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Watch and stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+
Watch and stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+
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