Games - Jimmy White

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Jimmy White (born 2 May, 1962) is an English professional snooker player. He is probably the most popular player on the circuit today, if not in the history of snooker. The most naturally gifted of snooker players, he has been adored by fans from the moment he set the Snooker world alight with his then revolutionary, fast, aggressive, risky and almost "exhibitionist" style in the early 1980s, which provided moments of brilliance and inspired many of today's young stars. With the perfect combination of natural play and 'lovable rogue' image he carried the batton from Alex Higgins as the natural fans favourite, and who is widely regarded as the finest player never to have won the World Snooker Championship - being a runner up on six occasions.

He has won ten ranking tournaments, including the British Open (1987 & 1992) and the UK Championship (1992). However, the World Championship title has remained elusive, despite reaching the final six times (1984,1990-1994). In 1984 he trailed Steve Davis 12-4 at the end of the first day's play, only to make a determined comeback and eventually lose by a margin of only 18-16. In 1992, he led Stephen Hendry 14-8, only to lose the last two frames of the afternoon session and all eight frames in the evening session to lose the match by 18-14. His best chance came in the 1994 final, the third consecutive contest against Hendry and his fourth overall versus the Scotsman. In the final deciding frame, White looked as though he was in the process of a championship winning break. He missed a black off its spot. Hendry subsequently cleared the table and won yet another title.

White's game was revolutionary in the early 1980s. It was fast, free-flowing and attacking - it showed how the next generation should play. However, he tended to lose concentration under pressure and miss simple shots, particulalrly at critical moments of a frame. Had he held his nerve at these moments, the record books would be different. In many ways, this image of nearly man and underdog has fuelled the affection he has with fans, particulalry against his nemesis of Steve Davis in the 80s and Stephen Hendry in the 90s - who played controlled and safe play.

Over the years White has gained a reputation for fair play and sportsmanship. He has many times owned up to a foul which the referee had not noticed.

His personal life and health have come under scrutiny - he has suffered from testicular cancer and had to have one testicle removed, later making a full recovery. He has also had an unsuccessful hair transplant (and now wears a wig) and has had trouble with the law over alcohol and drugs.

White was awarded an MBE in 1999. Ironically, three of the five other snooker players to have been awarded the MBE (Steve Davis, John Parrott and Stephen Hendry) are the same three who have beaten him in the World Championship finals.

In February 2005 after hearing of a sponsorship deal from HP Foods, makers of brown sauce, whereby the HP logo will be present on the brown ball at all major tournaments, White announced that he had changed his name by deed poll to 'James Brown', and would wear brown clothing with a blue bow tie when competing at the upcoming Masters tournament. World Snooker subsequently announced that as he had registered for the tournament as Jimmy White, he would be referred to by that name during it, and the press has continued to call him Jimmy White after the tournament.

White is one of only five players to have completed a maximum 147 break at the World Championships - the others being Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Cliff Thorburn and Mark Williams.

Jimmy White was formerly married to Maureen and has five children. He supports Chelsea F.C.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Jimmy White ]

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