Canada’s Finest
Cliff Thorburn is one of the most recognised faces in snooker, a man who started as a hustler in Canadian pool halls, Cliff made the courageous decision to find fame and fortune in the United Kingdom. Travelling with Kirk Stevens and Bill Werbeniuk, the “Grinder” as he affectionately became known, went on to win the 1980 World Championship, beating Alex Higgins, 18-16 and achieved a memorable 147 and the Crucible in 1983. He also won the Masters three times.This Canadian trailblazer has over time been able to adapt to the changing game and has gone to be part of the Legends and now World Seniors snooker tour. Memorably, Thorburn was the last person to play Alex Higgins before his untimely demise.
Recently Cliff has branched out onto social media, creating his own Facebook page. Thorburn was born in the same year as my Mother, 1948 and so this must have been daunting for a 72 year old but I have been very impressed with how he has adapted to using the phenomenon of social interaction as a means of using his own persona to spread the snooker message. For many watching, this has been a trip down memory lane, an account that they catch up this great Canadian player as he recounts stories from his playing days in person. This is definitely a draw puller and also opens the door to see some hidden gems from the “golden era” of snooker via photographs, footage of matches or trivia quizzes.
https://www.facebook.com/104219161244390/posts/121098036223169/?vh=e
I have been lucky enough to have met Cliff several times and have got to know the man himself. Thorburn is very softly spoken but beyond the this veneer, is a man with true grit. He has experienced the rough and tumble of the real world and yet has overcome this to become a snooker champion. This is no mean feat in any era of the sport and although he is often described as a slow and methodical player, like Terry Griffiths, Peter Ebdon and Mark Selby, Cliff is able to use his grinding tactic to squeeze out a win.
Perhaps he could be described as a cobra that restricts his prey. I have witnessed him on the table, as a raconteur and a karaoke king and he is brilliant at each. The wry smile behind the greying moustache, is accompanied still by that distinctive sparkle in his eyes. Thorburn may be a few years older but he is also a brilliant coach and is an ambassador for Canadian snooker. Through his patient approach, I have seen him coach someone who was having a problem due to cueing across the cue ball to being able to cue in a straight line in a matter of half an hour! Cliff Thorburn is like a very good bottle of wine that just gets better with age.
https://youtu.be/YjIoia_6jMEthttps://youtu.be/DFeZSQrhenk
Recently Cliff has branched out onto social media, creating his own Facebook page. Thorburn was born in the same year as my Mother, 1948 and so this must have been daunting for a 72 year old but I have been very impressed with how he has adapted to using the phenomenon of social interaction as a means of using his own persona to spread the snooker message. For many watching, this has been a trip down memory lane, an account that they catch up this great Canadian player as he recounts stories from his playing days in person. This is definitely a draw puller and also opens the door to see some hidden gems from the “golden era” of snooker via photographs, footage of matches or trivia quizzes.
https://www.facebook.com/104219161244390/posts/121098036223169/?vh=e
I have been lucky enough to have met Cliff several times and have got to know the man himself. Thorburn is very softly spoken but beyond the this veneer, is a man with true grit. He has experienced the rough and tumble of the real world and yet has overcome this to become a snooker champion. This is no mean feat in any era of the sport and although he is often described as a slow and methodical player, like Terry Griffiths, Peter Ebdon and Mark Selby, Cliff is able to use his grinding tactic to squeeze out a win.
Perhaps he could be described as a cobra that restricts his prey. I have witnessed him on the table, as a raconteur and a karaoke king and he is brilliant at each. The wry smile behind the greying moustache, is accompanied still by that distinctive sparkle in his eyes. Thorburn may be a few years older but he is also a brilliant coach and is an ambassador for Canadian snooker. Through his patient approach, I have seen him coach someone who was having a problem due to cueing across the cue ball to being able to cue in a straight line in a matter of half an hour! Cliff Thorburn is like a very good bottle of wine that just gets better with age.
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