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Higgins apology letter to be sold at auction

Postby Rocket_ron

BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11750412

[quote=BBC News]A letter of apology written by Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins after he punched a press officer in front of the world's media, is to be sold at auction.

Snooker star Higgins, who was from south Belfast, died on 24 July at the age of 61.

The former world champion wrote the letter minutes before he appeared in front of a disciplinary panel.

It followed a bust-up with Colin Randle who was working as a press officer for the sport's governing body at the time.

Written in upper and lower case it contains remarks from Higgins including, "I was very upset at the time in respect of personal and financial matters", auctioneer Charles Hanson has said.

Mr Randle, of Findern in south Derbyshire, was officiating at the Crucible World Championship in Sheffield on April 14, 1990.

Higgins had just crashed out of the world tournament to Steve James, and as he was entering the media area for a post-match press conference, he turned around and "walloped" Mr Randle in the stomach.

Mr Randle, 60, said the player may have already held a grudge against him after he reported him for not attending a press conference the previous year.

He told the Derby Telegraph: "On entering the press area, as I always courteously did, I thanked him for coming.

Genius

"I just said 'thank you, Alex' and he turned around and walloped me in the stomach.

"He said words to the effect of 'I don't have to take any more nonsense off people like you because I'm retiring'."

Mr Randle said he responded by pinning Higgins up against the wall before the pair were eventually pulled apart.

The tussle resulted in Higgins being suspended for a year and docked so many points that his ranking fell to 120.

The letter was written three months after the incident and had been in a drawer for years, Mr Randle said.

He also said the incident did not make him think badly of Higgins, who died after a long battle with throat cancer, and he remembered him simply as "a truly brilliant snooker player".

He has decided to donate some of the proceeds to Cancer Research.

Mr Hanson, from Hansons Auctioneers, said the letter was expected to fetch between £1,500 and £2,000.

He added: "It is iconic to the history of snooker and is a letter which marked the beginning of a decline for a snooker genius considered by some to be the most truly gifted player."

The letter will be sold at the Mackworth Hotel in Derby on 25 November.[/quote]


Something i thought Witz would find interestng

Re: Higgins apology letter to be sold at auction

Postby Rocket_ron

StalinESQ wrote:
Ultimate_snooker wrote:
wildLOVESWAGNER wrote:when you quote something

[quote=BBC News]= remember to put "" in
BBC News wrote:

oh. thanks wild <ok>


good advice :santa:

yes just another failing on my part...but i should remember it for next time

Re: Higgins apology letter to be sold at auction

Postby Wildey

Ultimate_snooker wrote:
StalinESQ wrote:
Ultimate_snooker wrote:oh. thanks wild <ok>


good advice :santa:

yes just another failing on my part...but i should remember it for next time

Not a failing lol

Just did not know but now you do <ok>

nobody knows anything until someone tells them.

Re: Higgins apology letter to be sold at auction

Postby SnookerFan

Witz78 wrote:Hopefully nobody buys this piece of tat and lines the pockets of this jobsworth. He can stick his auction up his jacksie as far as im concerned.


It gives some money to Cancer Research, I suppose. But then, you could argue if somebody felt strongly about giving the money to the charity, they might as well just give the full amount to it.

Other then that, I don't have any feelings either way. I can't understand why you'd want to own it, even if you are a fan of Higgins particularly, but wouldn't care if somebody did.

Re: Higgins apology letter to be sold at auction

Postby wheelsofsteel

If this chap Randle has this letter it must be his, then he can do what he likes with it. There are people selling off more precious things just now because they have to, just to stay alive. I should add that it was this story that brought this forum to my attention.