Jimmy White was relegated again at the end of the season, and of course, World Snooker President Barry Hearn would give him another special professional qualification.
"Hey! That's my life. White said happily in an interview with The Guardian.
Fast forward 25 years, when he lost 18-17 to Stephen Hendry for the sixth time as runners-up at the World Championships. He led 37-24 in the decider, just a few balls away from his first world title.
However, he lost an ordinary black ball that could be scored with his eyes closed in his daily practice, and then the history we see today. White looked back on that time: "I had a twitch in my hand when I played blackball, and in snooker, if there was a little bit of wind, you would be in trouble. ”
"Maybe it's because I overdraw my body that causes that uncontrollable twitching."
Alex Higgins, his best friend and idol, is perhaps the best player of all time in a drunken state. The two's most impressive rivalry was in the semi-finals of the 1982 World Championships, where Higgins trailed 14-15 and 0-51 in the final three sets, dragging him into the decider with a stunning 69 points to win.
"Almost three or four shots were done under immense pressure – a rare few. The drunk man can also calm down, and the clearance is simply the best in history. White said of Higgins' performance.
But White thinks his loss is somewhat of a blessing in disguise, and he thinks that if he wins the championship, he may not live long. "I was just getting cocaine, and I liked to drink." White boldly revealed his history of drug use, "Whether I'm drunk or sober, I love cocaine. ”
"I was just getting famous, so instead of lining up to go into a nightclub, I was sucking in powder, and even though I couldn't remember that happiness afterwards, I still enjoyed it."
He also took other players with him, such as Kirk Stevens, who had no idea that his career was about to be destroyed by drugs. "Kirk doesn't know where to go, and I'm out of the street, and I know more than 20 sellers."
He stumbled for months, and luckily he squandered the money and suddenly figured it out one night. His withdrawal symptoms were severe, but it also gave him plenty of time to think and realize that it was time to stop.
Jimmy White has lived through cancer, drug rehabilitation, divorce and bankruptcy, lost more than £1 million in gambling, and now he has no alcohol or tobacco, and lives happily with his partner, Jerd Srazzechik. The two met in a match, and Jade was the opening walking girl.
He loves snooker as always and is still practicing hard. At the age of 57, he is still tapping into his last talent and continuing to participate in it. He had experienced all the pleasures that humans could experience, and his final choice was snooker.
Now he also works for European sports as an insightful and entertaining commentator, but no amount of fun is no match for snooker: not being able to get into the later stages of major events can also make White feel slightly unhappy and overwhelmed.
If White could return to his peak, would he make any changes?
His own response was: "I will prepare for important competitions in different ways, but I will not change my lifestyle." I've really lived, on my 50th birthday, the Rolling Stones performing at my party, which wasn't a bad thing for me growing up in London's Tooting community. ”