Alex Higgins, beloved professional snooker player, died at the age of 61 on 2010-07-24 00:00:00 UTC. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1949 and became a professional player in 1972 when he entered the World Championship and became the youngest ever world snooker champion at the age of 23. He was a two-time world snooker championship winner and voted as the Player of the Year in 1982 by the Professional Players Association. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He is remembered for his swashbuckling style of play and his aggressive persona which earned him fans around the world. His talent and charisma made him a key figure in the popularisation of snooker during the 1970s and 1980s. Alex Higgins will be remembered as a fierce and enigmatic competitor whose brilliance inspired a generation. He is survived by his only daughter, Lauren, and his four granddaughters.