The Whirlwind (Jimmy White)

Snooker Pro and Keen Poker Player

Often referred to as "the best player to never have won the World Championship", the charismatic Jimmy White has endured the heartache of finishing runner-up at the Crucible no fewer than six times, four times to Stephen Hendry and once each to Steve Davis and John Parrott.

But the ‘Whirlwind' remains a firm favourite with the fans and is fondly known as the "People's Champion". He is the most popular of all the players because of his great natural talent, his flamboyant style and his great sportsmanship.

Achievements

Jimmy has won a total of 22 professional titles. In addition to his wins, he's also been runner-up six times in the World Championship.

As an amateur he won the 1979 English Amateur Championship and the 1980 World Amateur Championship

1992 - UK Championship - winner
1988 - Canadian Masters - winner
1986 - 1992 - Grand Prix - winner
1987 - 1992 - British Open - winner
1992 - European Open - winner
1987 - 1991 - Classic - winner
1984 - B&H Masters - winner
1985 - 1986 - B&H Irish Masters - winner
1981 - Scottish Masters - winner
1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 - Embassy World Championship - runner-up

How It All Began

Jimmy was first introduced to the game of snooker by his father Tommy, he was 11 years old. The young Jimmy White was immediately hooked and school quickly went out of the window as he spent hour after hour at the tables.

His talent was such that he made his first century within a year and was a regular around the London snooker halls.

At 15, Jimmy won the British Under-16 title and added the English Amateur title in 1979. In 1980, he became the youngest-ever world amateur champion in Tasmania - a record which stood for many years.

It was a measure of Jimmy's enduring popularity that his quarter-final tie against Ronnie O'Sullivan in the 2002 B&H Masters at Wembley - on a Friday afternoon - attracted the biggest audience at the venue, for a match other than the final, for more than 20 years.

Facts

Jimmy White made a Maximum break of 147 in the 1992 world championship.

Born In England on The 2nd of May 1962 he became a snooker pro in 1980.

With a Poker Million win on the 14th of March 2003 and a Mosconi Cup triumph under his belt in 2001, a man who also does a lot for charity, The Whirlwind truly deserves the title of the Peoples champion, may he win that allusive Embassy World Championship.

Snooker Clip - Jimmy White Clears against Kirk Stevens 1984 - This IS Why Jimmy IS Loved