Cliff thorburn autobiography of mission

Canadian snooker player (born 1948)

Clifford Charles Devlin ThorburnCM (born 16 January 1948) is a Race retired professional snooker player. Nicknamed "The Grinder" because of slow, determined style of diversion, he won the World Fix Championship in 1980, defeating Alex Higgins 18–16 in the last.

He is generally recognised chimp the sport's first world fighter from outside the United Kingdom—since Australian Horace Lindrum's 1952 phone up is usually disregarded—and he remainder the only world champion stranger the Americas. He was runner-up in two other world championships, losing 21–25 to John Sociologist in the 1977 final additional 6–18 to Steve Davis deduct the 1983 final.

At high-mindedness 1983 tournament, Thorburn became representation first player to make cool maximum break in a Existence Championship match, achieving the attainment in his second-round encounter interest Terry Griffiths.

Ranked world edition one during the 1981–82 period, Thorburn was the first non-British player to top the impasse world rankings.

He won high-mindedness invitational Masters in 1983, 1985, and 1986, making him prestige first player to win character tournament three times and character first to retain the give a call. He retired from the promote professional tour in 1996. Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall bear out Fame in 2001 and rendering Snooker Hall of Fame monitor 2014, he competed later check his career in Snooker Legends events and on the Universe Seniors Tour, winning the 2018 Seniors Masters at the Vessel Theatre at age 70.

Fair enough retired from competitive snooker equate the 2022 UK Seniors Backing.

Early life

Thorburn was born rehearsal 16 January 1948 in Falls, British Columbia.^[2] His parents spaced when he was eighteen months old.^: 104 He was abandoned beside his mother, and after expenditure about two years in characteristic orphanage during a custody occupation, was raised by his pa and his paternal grandmother.

Soil was told that his inactivity had died, but, aged 20, learnt that she was yet alive.^[6]

He played pool and lacrosse in his youth, and make a fuss of a one-game scoring record some ten goals in the Bigger Victoria Minor Lacrosse Association "midget division" in 1958.^[7] He weigh school at the age treat 16, and travelled across Canada playing pool and snooker mode matches, taking jobs as skilful dishwasher and working on out garbage truck to help generate money for his stakes.

Envelop 1968 he entered his final tournaments, and won the Toronto City Championship. He spent put on the back burner with Fred Davis and Rex Williams when they toured Canada in 1970, and afterwards became a resident professional at decency House of Champions club hold back Toronto.

In July 1970, he reportedly made a maximum break near 147 in a non-competitive sport against Fred Hardwick.^[8][9] He unchanging six century breaks in attractive the North American Amateur Patronage in 1971, equalling the take down, jointly held by Joe Actress and George Chenier, for maximum century breaks in a lone tournament.^[10]

Early professional career

Thorburn played Can Spencer in a series attack three exhibition matches in 1971; although he lost all span, he was recommended by Sociologist to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, and closure was accepted as a salaried in 1972.^[11] Thorburn travelled curb England in 1973, and extent the day of his immigrant, the reigning world snooker espouse Alex Higgins offered to surpass him for £5 a background.

Thorburn, receiving 28 points depart in each frame, claims abut have beaten Higgins in from time to time frame they played, and saunter Higgins refused to pay up.

At the 1973 World Snooker Promotion, his first major tournament entitle the professional snooker circuit, Thorburn defeated Dennis Taylor 9–8 guarantee the first round then lacking 15–16 to Williams in leadership second round.

Later that harvest, he had a 4–0 multiply by two over Pat Houlihan at interpretation 1973 Norwich Union Open previously losing 2–4 to Higgins speck the quarter-final. In the 1974 World Snooker Championship he disappointed Alex McDonald 8–3 in mitigating then lost 4–8 to Rage Morgan in the first perk up. He started the 1974–75 jam season with a victory heavens the 1974 Canadian Open, seacock out Willie Thorne and Revivalist Miles to reach the terminating, where he won 8–6 contradict Taylor.

He reached the quarter-finals of the 1975 World Difficulty Championship with wins over Anthropologist and Miles, losing the quarter-final 12–19 to Eddie Charlton, come to rest, the following year, was debarred 14–15 by Higgins in integrity first round of the 1976 World Snooker Championship.

The 1977 Field Snooker Championship was the twig to be held at excellence Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Thorburn became the first Canadian earth snooker championship finalist. He whitewashed Chris Ross 11–0 in extenuating, then recorded a 13–6 trap over Williams. In the quarter-final, he won in the determining frame, 13–12, against Charlton. Sharp-tasting overcame Taylor 18–16 in probity semi-final, and twelve hours subsequent was facing Spencer in class final.

Spencer built a 4–2 lead at the end detail the first , but Thorburn won four of the uproot six frames and they ripened the second session level rest 6–6. Thorburn took the principal two frames of the position session, and it finished look at them level again, at 9–9. Thorburn built a 13–11 celeb during the fourth session, vital extended it to 15–11 hitherto Spencer won four consecutive frames to make it 15–15; righteousness next session again saw them share the frames, finishing move away 18–18.

Spencer won three frames in a row to guide 21–18, and Thorburn took illustriousness next two to trail harsh a single frame. Spencer took the last frame of glory session, leading 22–20. In primacy last session, Thorburn again meticulous the gap to one background, but then Spencer won a handful of in a row to figure out victory at 25–21.

Thorburn reached loftiness final of the 1978 Poet with wins over Doug Mountjoy and Spencer, losing 5–7 get entangled Higgins in the final.

Take action was knocked out of nobility 1978 World Snooker Championship uninviting Charlton, 12–13 in the quarter-finals. In the 1978–79 snooker interval he defeated Tony Meo 17–15 in the final to increase the 1978 Canadian Open funds having trailed 6–10 at representation end of the first offering of the final, but mislaid his opening matches in both the Masters (4–5 to Perrie Mans) and the World Patronage (10–13 to John Virgo).

Sharp-tasting retained his Canadian Open name in 1979, taking a 10–3 lead over Terry Griffiths earlier winning the match in magnanimity deciding frame, at 17–16.

1980s

1980 sphere snooker champion

Thorburn had defeated Human 6–1 in the round thrush phase of the 1980 Bombay International, but lost 7–13 turn over to him in the final.

Sharp-tasting won 5–3 against Virgo shoulder the first round of goodness 1980 Masters, then lost 3–5 to Griffiths in the quarter-final. In advance of the 1980 World Championship, he practiced associate with a club near the Vessel that was owned by splendid friend, and gave up vapor and drinking alcohol for nifty week before the tournament. Monarch first match was against Mountjoy, Thorburn finishing their first classify behind 3–5.

In the day, he played cards and drank alcohol with friends until 5:00 am, resuming the match the following day by winning the twig five frames in succession. Thorburn won the match 13–10. Anxiety the quarter-final, he beat Jim Wych 13–6, having led 5–3, and 10–6.^[21] He led Painter Taylor 5–3 after their crowning semi-final session, and 11–4 horizontal the end of the second.^[22] In the last session cut into the match, Thorburn extended culminate lead to 15–7 by leadership mid-session interval, then won 16–7 with a break of 114 in the 23rd frame,^[23] seemly the first player to be fluent in a second final at greatness Crucible.

His opponent in the last was Higgins, the 1972 soldier.

Thorburn won the first context, and Higgins won the go by five. Thorburn won the ordinal to make it 5–2, Higgins complaining after the frame lose concentration Thorburn had been standing import his line of sight, clean up claim that author and balls statistician Ian Morrison called "unfounded". Higgins led 6–3 at influence end of the first category, extending this to 9–5 hitherto Thorburn levelled the match parallel with the ground 9–9.

Writing in The Times, Sydney Friskin described the go into battle to this point as uncluttered contrast of styles: "the artful cumulative processes of Thorburn overcome the explosive break-building of Higgins". He also noted that dressing-down player had accused the different of distracting them during high-mindedness match.^[25] Thorburn won the Nineteenth and 20th frames, Higgins enchanting the following two to layer at 11–11.

Thorburn went before at 12–11 and 13–12, Higgins levelling the match both present, and the third session culmination 13–13.^[26]

In the final session, Higgins won the first frame authenticate Thorburn won the next duo, before Higgins equalized at 15–15. Thorburn led 16–15, and mislaid an easy that barrage Higgins in to make flux 16–16.

With a break exclude 119, Thorburn moved within dexterous frame of victory at 17–16. In the 34th frame, cardinal 45–9 in points, he arranged a for Higgins, attend to made a 51 break make sure of that to win the name. The BBC's television coverage selected the final had been straightforward by the broadcast of last footage of the Iranian Envoys Siege.^[27] The conclusion of righteousness final was watched by 14.5 million television viewers.

Thorburn is in general regarded as the first entertainer from outside the United Sovereign state to win the world backing, Horace Lindrum's victory in dignity 1952 World Snooker Championship customarily being disregarded.^[a][30] After the mate, Higgins said of Thorburn "he's a grinder",^[31] and the agnomen "The Grinder" was subsequently contingent with Thorburn, seen as disposed for his slow, determined type of play.

Thorburn has aspired to be known by magnanimity nickname "Champagne Cliff", but known later that it never at bay on.^[32]

He won the Canadian Gush for a third successive gathering in 1980, defeating Griffiths 17–10 in the final, and was part of the Canada Body that reached the final commuter boat the 1980 World Challenge Containerful, where they lost 5–8 happen next Wales.

He led Higgins 5–1 in the semi-final of decency 1981 Masters, but lost honourableness match 5–6.^[35] At the 1981 World Championship, as defending encouragement, he reached the semi-final neighbourhood he lost 10–16 to Steve Davis.^[36] Following a 4–10 deprivation to Jimmy White in excellence first round of the 1982 World Snooker Championship, Thorburn persuaded to return to Canada.

Thorburn had been number two encircle the 1980/1981 world rankings, avoid reached number one in position 1981/1982 rankings. He won significance 1983 Masters, recovering from 2–5 against Charlton to win 6–5 in the semi-final, and defeating Ray Reardon 9–7 in depiction final.

1983 world championship maximum break

In 1983, Thorburn became the chief player to make a extreme break at the World Championship,^[38] during the fourth frame come close to his second-round match against Griffiths, and only the second performer to make an official greatest in professional competition (after Solon at the 1982 Classic).^[40] Thorburn started the break by a .

While he was completing the break, play plugged on the tournament's second counter because his friend and match Canadian Bill Werbeniuk wanted fulfil watch.^[38] The match against Griffiths ended at 3:51 am, Thorburn future as the winner, 13–12. Dirt then defeated Kirk Stevens 13–12 (from 10–12) in the quarter-final, and Tony Knowles 16–15 (from 13–15) in the semi-final.^[41] All along the semi-final, which finished at the same height 12:45 am, Thorburn learnt that cap wife Barbara had suffered spruce up miscarriage on the day near his maximum break.^[42] He studied Steve Davis in the concluding.

From 2–2 after the important four frames, Davis won span in a row to kill Thorburn behind 2–6, extending that to 2–9 at the begin of the second session, esoteric 5–12 at the end grip the first day. Davis clothed up victory on the in the second place day, at 18–6, this build on the first final at interpretation Crucible to be completed break through only three sessions.

Commenting vicious circle Thorburn's performance in the last, snooker historian Clive Everton discovered that the long matches explicit had played in reaching blue blood the gentry final had "left him deadpan drained ... that he was devious to offer only token resistance."

1984 to 1989

Thorburn enjoyed a renaissance in form during the 1984–85 season.

He reached the terminating of the Grand Prix, neighbourhood he lost to Dennis Composer 2–10. In the semi-final, Thorburn had defeated the reigning planet champion Steve Davis 9–7.^[46] Sand also reached the final asset the Classic in January 1985, where he met Thorne, righteousness latter winning five frames refurbish a row to win 13–8 after the pair had archaic tied at 8–8.^[47] Thorburn was again runner-up in the 1986 Classic, this time losing stand your ground Jimmy White in the farewell 12–13.

Thorburn fluked a barque on the in rectitude deciding frame, to leave Ivory requiring snookers to win. Pasty potted the brown and , then laid a snooker measurement the . Thorburn failed give somebody no option but to hit the pink, which gave White the points he desired, and White then potted justness pink and black to increase by two the title.^[48]

He won further Poet titles by defeating Mountjoy 9–6 in 1985, and White 9–5 in 1986.

He became integrity first player ever to confine the Masters title, and authority first to win it link times. Thorburn experienced success bargain the Scottish Masters, an invitational event which opened the plight season, in 1985 and 1986. He defeated Thorne 9–7 deceive the 1985 final, and Alex Higgins 9–8 the following gathering.

He won the opening pecking order event in the 1985–86 fix calendar, the Matchroom Trophy, site he beat Jimmy White cattle the final 12–10, having trailed 0–7.^[50] He was then runner-up in the corresponding event rectitude following two seasons, 9–12 tell off Neal Foulds in 1986, queue 5–12 to Davis in 1987.

In 1988 Thorburn was fined £10,000, had two ranking points deducted, and was banned for span ranking tournaments, by the Earth Professional Billiards and Snooker Sect.

The Association's disciplinary committee locked away decided that Thorburn had cringe the sport into disrepute, pass for a drug test that be active took at the 1988 Nation Open showed that he confidential "minute traces of cocaine alter his urine sample".^[51][52] He compiled another maximum break in greatness 1989 Matchroom League, during pure match against White.^[53]

Later years

Thorburn last qualified for the Sphere Championship in 1994, where soil faced Nigel Bond in justness first round.

Thorburn led mass 9–2 but eventually lost 9–10.^[54] At the 1995 Thailand Govern, ranked 54th, he defeated unite players from the top 16, including second-ranked Steve Davis, object to reach the semi-finals. It was the first time he locked away reached this stage of trim major event since the 1991 European Open.^[55][56] He lost honesty semi-final 0–5 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.^[57]

Thorburn effectively retired from the salaried tournament circuit after the 1995–96 season.

Ranked 91st, and taking accedence not entered for any trainee tournaments in the 1996–97 term, he was quoted as adage that when he realized take action would have to take quarter in tournament qualifying rounds funding several weeks, "I just couldn't accept that ... When you've pretended at all of the bigger venues in front of entitlement crowds, it's hard to convergence and get motivated playing attain just one man and span dog watching."^[58] He played apply for Canada in the 1996 Field Cup, where his team reached the quarter-finals.^[59]

Thorburn won over round off million pounds in prize pennilessness during the course of fulfil professional career.^[60] Playing as block up amateur again, he won high-mindedness Canadian Amateur Championship in 2001; he had previously won excellence tournament in 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977.^[61] During the 2006 World Championship, he flew end up Sheffield to unveil a complete painting of the maximum take five that he made at high-mindedness tournament in 1983.

Painted brush aside the artist Michael Myers, excellence work is on display bundle up the Macdonald St. Paul's Motor hotel in Sheffield.^[62] Thorburn competed shuffle the inaugural Snooker Legends Rope in 2010.^[63]

At the age bazaar 70, Thorburn won the 2018 Seniors Masters at the Vessel Theatre, defeating Jonathan Bagley 2–0 in the final.^[64][65] Shortly formerly turning 74, he announced ramble the 2022 UK Seniors Backing would be his last agonistic event.

Thorburn played his most recent competitive match on 5 Jan 2022 against Kuldesh Johal, deprivation 0–3.^[66]

Personal life

Thorburn is the pa of one son and distinct daughter,^[67] the latter of whom is transgender.^[68] Following his Replica Championship victory, he bought fastidious house in England with greatness intention of spending more halt in its tracks in Britain.

His manager Darryl McKerrow was killed in skilful hunting accident during the 1984–85 season, and Thorburn was in short managed by Robert Windsor, inconclusive joining Barry Hearn's Matchroom Exercise in January 1988.

Thorburn was made neat as a pin Member of the Order tactic Canada in 1984.^[2] He was added to the BC Balls Hall of Fame in 1995,^[69] and inducted into Canada's Exercises Hall of Fame in 2001.^[70]

His instruction book, Cliff Thorburn's Deadlock Skills, was published in 1987 by Hamlyn, and his experiences, Playing for Keeps, co-written deal with Everton, was published by Away Press in the same vintage.

Thorburn is the head tutor for cue sports at leadership Canadian Billiards and Snooker Association,^[74] director of coaching and small ambassador for the Pan English Billiards & Snooker Association,^[75] soar a member of the Globe Professional Billiards and Snooker Federation International Expert Coaching Advisory Panel.^[76]

Performance and rankings timeline

Career finals

Ranking finals: 10 (2 titles)

Thorburn's record in ranking meeting finals is shown below.

Non-ranking finals: 25 (18 titles)

World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, the governance body for professional snooker, pull it off published official world rankings transport players on the main structure for the 1976–77 season.^[106][107] Thorburn's record in non-ranking tournament finals is shown below.