Alex “Hurricane” Higgins dies of throat cancer
Alex Higgins was my mother’s favourite snooker player and for those of us growing up in the 70’s, this colourful and 
highly talented player was a perennial competitor at the World Snooker Championships. Higgins won the tournament twice and was a tearful runner-up twice.
He was also a World Doubles champion with Jimmy White.
It was therefore sad to see that Alex Higgins passed away over the weekend, after battling throat cancer for many years. You can see the man in the before and after photo links, it’s really quite shocking how cancer can ravage someone. Throat cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, has several known risk factors including:
- Tobacco consumption
- Excessive alcohol use
Much of the Higgin’s career seemed to be associated with both while competing, plus the sports sponsors were often tobacco companies, perhaps encouraging or reinforcing the bad boy attitude.
I even remember one particularly large Canadian player (I forget his name) drinking copious amounts of booze during tournaments on the grounds that it steadied his nerves. Maybe, but I do wonder what that did to his liver as well. Darts was the same in those days – remember Eric Bristow and John Lowe competing for the World Darts championships in the early ‘80’s, often with a pint at hand?
Should tobacco and alcohol companies be allowed to sponsor sports or are they banned already? Does it give youngsters the wrong image of ‘street cred’ that we may not wish or intend to impart, however subtle?
Sally Church
Photo Credits:
Downtown Radio link: http://www.downtown.co.uk/Article.asp?id=1888775&spid=25618
The Daily Mail link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1297383/Alex-Higgins-dies-aged-61-long-battle-throat-cancer.html
it is very sad, he looked awful in his final days and he must have suffered a lot. When my grandfather died of lung cancer, he looked just like Alex Higgins – the very spark of life sucked out of him
[Reply]
So sorry to hear that, Sarah
The pictures really shocked me too, I had no idea until I stumbled across the news article. Did a double take thinking it must surely be someone else.
[Reply]
Shocking but realistic photos. And NO, tobacco and alcohol companies should NOT sponsor sports and any advertising should be wholly repsonsible.
[Reply]
I agree totally, Lynn, but one wonders how impactful the campaigns to give up smoking are?
What other things would help more smokers give up the weed?
[Reply]
Poor Alex “Hurricane” Higgins – what a waste. Some of the media are saying it was malnutrition that got him in the end, rather than the throat cancer. Seems he couldn't eat anything but blended mush and had no interest in consuming anything at all. Is that likely to be true?
[Reply]
I hate to say it Sally, I think only an outright ban would stop people and a cessation of growing tobacco, then we have the impact of that on the communities that grow them. It's a vicious circle here, a bit like when everyone raved about bio fuels and then the communities starved as their food was sold as fuel…
[Reply]
Yes Suze, the throat cancer would have made it very difficult and uncomfortable for him to swallow much at all. Sadly, he left the surgery option way too late.
[Reply]
That's tragic. You can see the pain and suffering etched on his shruken frame. At least people are waking up to the insidiuous effects of sponsorship from tobacco and drinks companies and tempering their influence in the marketplace. You can't stop people and free will though, but the more information their is about the adverse effects of overindulgence, the better – people will/will not choose to ignore it
[Reply]
The shocking thing is that today it was announced that Michael Douglas of Streets of San Francisco and Wall Street fame is being treated for throat cancer. Alcohol, cigarette and drug abuse likely contributed heavily to his condition. So sad
[Reply]
oh dear, poor Micahel Douglas – well people will sit up and take notice of the disease if he has it and perhaps does some fundraisers etc.
[Reply]
Michael Douglas has throat cancer? That’s so sad. The terrible weed strikes again.
[Reply]