Alexander Gordon Higgins was born in Belfast that in Northern Ireland, on March, 18th, 1949. His mother Elizabeth also known as Poured, has lived a hard life. Early having lost parents, it has learnt all horrors of the heavy, half-starved childhood. The father of the future champion Alexander by a nickname "Sendi", too has taken burning – being the child, it has got under the truck and has received a craniocereberal trauma in which result has lost ability to read and write. However physically Higgins-senior remained strong that has allowed it to get a job on the railway. Later it becomes the cleaner at Royal Academy of Belfast. Mother was that link which kept a family afloat. Alex always responded about it with pride and delight. «My mother – the fantastic woman. She and was afraid of nothing of anybody. It from it I have received the instinct of a survival», – Higgins speaks. Thus he recollects the father seldom and with any reluctance.

 

Level of morals among children of Belfast of that time was the lowest in Britain. However, according to sisters, Alex has spent quite happy childhood. «It was the mum's favourite, she indulged him also all to it forgave», – Higgins Dzhin's younger sister tells. As to study, here Alex at all did not shine. Thompson from its school recollects a Jackie: «It was not that whom you would name« the difficult child ». Alex always stood aside and behaved the meek creature. It very much differed from the others. Already then its passion became снукер while the majority of guys of school were ill with football. Besides, Alex was small growth and it quite often поколачивали». Higgins, James Vilson's other acquaintance, speaks: «School days of Alex can be described simply: he loved снукер and did not suffer study».

 

Really, Higgins's draught to снукеру, appeared at it hardly probable not from the cradle, directly amazed! In Belfast of that time there were 4 billiard halls, where in the evenings hard workers dropped in to relax after heavy day of work. One such club, «Jampot» (in a translation from English «the Pot from under jam». – a bus Comment), settled down nearby from Higgins's house. Usually he was visited by guys not more youngly 15 years, however Alex has managed to filter there into the 12 and to become the habitue.

 

In "Dzhempote" its presence concerned tolerantly. Higgins played by rules – on money. «I stuck out there in the afternoon, in the evening and at night, – he wrote in the autobiography« Hurricane Higgins’ Snooker Scrapbook ». – Came with all pocket money: two, six pence or how many there it was possible to me насобирать. Certainly, I lost all, because was only the kid. Seniors did not shun me to gather. But it was the good way to study. I observed of others, remembered their errors, all in myself absorbed». Later this method переймут many well-known players. In those days to earn on a life снукером it was impossible. The World championships were spent irregularly, and the centralised control over sports development was not. It at all did not involve in it young players who could introduce in game something new. But absence of prospects of Higgins did not disturb. That know to itself played and took pleasure.

 

However, the family of its delight did not divide. Sometimes at the desire of parents sisters had to pull out literally Alex from club. And when once the gipsy who has foretold has come to Higgins's house that in a family the star grows up, nobody has given to it of special value. And meanwhile its words have appeared prophetical …

 

 By 14th years Higgins has achieved considerable progress. At this age he has found out that is capable to win the best players of club. It was time to raise level, and Higgins has gone to club "Shaftesbury" where the strongest gathered снукеристы Belfast. Very quickly local "authorities" have found out that the beginner with ease wins their money. It was pleasant to Higgins – already then he liked to draw to itself(himself) general attention. Alex put coins which mother gave it for school dinners, on itself. So one of the first players it has got skilled at to invest the finance in own talent.

 

In 1964 Higgins has definitively left school and has left Belfast. At first he has tried to settle in Liverpool to become the jockey. «It seemed to me very good idea. I always loved horses», – Higgins in the autobiographical book «Alex Through the Looking Glass» wrote. However business is not has gone. Higgins has started on a journey again and, having wandered across Britain, has reached London. There he has got a job in shop on paper manufacture, and also made active the снукерную activity. Every day after work Alex for 4–5 hours played club on Windmill Street. Here there were no tournaments, but matches on money were spent regularly.

 

A year later the working life has bored it, and Higgins has returned to parents to Belfast. The plan was simple: in the forenoon to roll in bed, then to go to earn on снукерных duels, to drink in a local pub and to come back home to sleep. But Belfast at that time became a dangerous place – disorders because of religion have become aggravated, and it has made similar sorties risky business. At last Higgins has understood that than to remain lonely «хастлером», it is better to join the centralised organisation. In 1967 it has entered in снукерную league at Christian youth association YMCA. Results have followed immediately. In 1968 Higgins has won Vseirlandsky аматорский the championship. It has opened remarkable prospects before the young guy, having provided it tours on the country and huge for those times the salary in 20 pounds for a night. Further – it is more. However already then Alex has started to lose money in a roulette. Later hazardous hobbies become its main problem.

 

In 1971 sister Izabell was caused to help Alex to collect 100 pounds of an entrance fee for participation in the World championship. However that has refused its assistance, having declared that is yet ready for performance at so considerable competition. Next year it has independently saved up the necessary sum and has made an application. In parallel Higgins has counted on itself in bookmaker office – it was not forbidden players. And when he has won in the championship, the general prize has turned out very impressive. So now nothing prevented to have a ball to it.

 

After a victory in the World championship Alex Higgins has gone on tour across Australia. It was the first time when he has got out of Great Britain abroad. Australia to it at once were grew fond. There he also has met the first wife – Karu Hasler from whom they have got married in 1974. Relations between them were strange enough, and Higgins named their "distantsionno-international". From this marriage daughter Kristel whom, according to friends of the Penalty, the father has visited only once in a life was born. Moreover, Higgins persistently did not recognise the child, declaring that its paternity here is very doubtful. There is nothing strange that the pair has soon divorced. The penalty lives to this day in suburb of Sydney and tries to avoid поминаний about the former husband. «It is all in the past», – only and she speaks.

 

The following wife, Lynn, Higgins has met in night club. Relations developed romantically enough – he spent all free time at it, and she, in turn, tried to accompany it at competitions. At them was born two children. But it did not keep Alex from numerous adventures "on the left". Recollecting blossoming of career of Higgins, its manager John MakLaflin of that time has noticed that, besides снукера, at that was only three hobbies: binge, women and gamblings.

 

The problem behaviour soon became Alex's card. Once he has refused to finish an indicative match of that hall illumination irritated it. Another time Higgins has decided not to play in general – simply because was not in mood. But the widest publicity was received by a case when Alex has struck the official in the championship of Great Britain. It has led to discharge from games for a year.

 

In a life Higgins was so хулиганистым, as well as on arena. That only there is a history with a parrot! Steve Devis tells: «Somehow time Mike Pichli (the organizer of one of tournaments. – a bus comment) has invited players to itself home. Us drove on the house, showed conditions, and unexpectedly we have seen a cage with a parrot. The unfortunate bird was absolutely bald. Certainly, we have asked about it the owner, and that has simply warped for anger.« Alex Higgins more never will step for a threshold of this house! – Mike has exclaimed. Is its work! Somehow time it has thrown a jacket over a cage, has pulled out a parrot outside and has frightened to death. Next day from that all feathers were sprinkled. This parrot already never will be such, as before! ».

 

Nevertheless by a part снукера Higgins remained the master. Its track record was filled up methodically with victories on «Canadian Open» (1975 and 1977), «Benson and Hedges Masters» (1978 and 1981), «Irish Masters» (1989), «Coral UK Championship» (1983), «World Doubles» (1984, acted together with Jimmy Uajtom), «World Cup» (1985, 1986 and 1987, acted in a line-up of Ireland), «Irish Professional Championship» (1972, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1989) and others. Higgins, however, did not give special value to the achievements – or pretended that does not give. «The statistics to you will not tell about me much, – he always noticed. – I play for the love of снукеру, instead of for the sake of records».

 

Speed from which Higgins moved round a table during game, has generated its nickname "Hurricane" («Hurricane»). The unusual high rack and deliberately sharp movements of a body during swings showed an excellent example of how it is not necessary to stand and raise. Nevertheless Higgins managed to hammer in spheres with improbable productivity.

 

In 1982 Alex has won again the World championship. As a prize it has received the check for 25 000 pounds, but, instead of that at least to look at a treasured piece of paper, Higgins has begun to cry and has begun to rummage around crowd eyes. «Bring the child, bring to me my child!» – he shouted. «It was the most dramatic moment in the history of sports teletranslations», – Jim Shelley from «Daily Mirror will write subsequently».

 

However the victory has not stopped drunkenness – Higgins has washed down on-new. After a while from it the wife has left, and Alex has started to come to naught. Now for it was norm to appear on tournament with dirty hair, in an old dirty suit.

 

 By informal calculations, for twenty years of the career Higgins has earned, and then has lowered in a pipe of 3 million pounds. In the late eighties it it is definitive спился and has left from снукера. Long time about it was audible nothing, and in 1998 it became known that in Higgins have found out a throat cancer. Soon the former champion has appeared in channel BBC1 documentary film «Tobacco Wars» («Tobacco wars». – a bus Comment). The kind it поверг public in a shock: the strong Irish guy is no time has turned to the emaciated old man. From the screen of the TV Higgins has declared that the World Association Snukera (WPBSA) makes profit of the tobacco industry, and to players on tournaments distributes free cigarettes. Likely, many people that day have given up smoking – its words have too convincingly sounded.

 

After a while Higgins declared that has won a cancer. Thereby he has confirmed words of one of the former managers: «This reptile will live till seventy years. It the absolute fighter». In a season 2005-2006 Alex Higgins has tried to return to sports, he however played worse than ever. In 2007 on an indicative match in northeast England it has fought with the referee and was will throw out from a hall. In a word, present Higgins is only pale shade of the former hero. Today he earns mainly master classes in small clubs and distribution of autographs.

 

But anyway, charisma and Higgins's popularity have rendered a great influence on development снукера. Many boys, having seen enough its performances in 80, undertook for кии to become present champions. Steve Devis somehow named Higgins «the present genius снукера». And despite the tragic history, this genius has appeared recognised during lifetime.