Famous 1982 Snooker Match Between Alex Higgins and Ray Reardon

One of the most talked-about snooker matches in history, the 1982 World Championships final between Alex "Wild Man" Higgins and Ray "Police Officer" Reardon is one for the history books.

Famous 1982 Snooker Match Between Alex Higgins and Ray Reardon

It’s always the hope that when one watches a pro sports match, the players aren’t simply good, they’re also a treat to watch. Now, while snooker isn’t exactly everyone’s thing in the USA, it can’t be denied that sometimes the game rivals just about any other out there in terms of personality and drama, and one match in particular exemplified just that.

The battle was between the tumultuous, hard-to-pin-down Alex Higgins and Ray Reardon, a conservative and former policeman, and it happened at the 1982 World Championships finals. Higgins had just come off an exhausting 16-15 victory over sometimes partner Jimmy White, and his erratic, unorthodox play simply wasn’t holding up to Reardon’s methodical work, leading to his going behind 5-3 after the first session. However, Higgins rallied, and by the end of the second, he was up 10-7 on Reardon and looking good.

As all great matches do, however, this one flipped again, with Reardon carefully bringing himself back into things and tying it 15-15 in the third, before the two took a break. When they returned, Higgins took charge, destroying Reardon with a 135 total clearance on the finishing style, leaving the black positioned about as perfectly as possible. Despite being one of the most famous and controversial-yet-skilled players ever, this was one of only two World Championships for Higgins, and his second-to-last major tournament win, and he is remembered for grabbing his trophy with tears in his eyes and his infant daughter in his arms.

Title: Famous 1982 Snooker Match Between Alex Higgins and Ray Reardon
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 2/28/2017 10:01:55 AM
Last Updated: 2/28/2017 10:07:44 AM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum

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