Editing Cliff Thorburn (section)

==1980s==
===1980 world snooker champion===
Thorburn had defeated Virgo 6–1 in the round robin phase of the [[1980 Bombay International]], but lost 7–13 to him in the final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=63}} He won 5–3 against Virgo in the first round of the [[1980 Masters (snooker)|1980 Masters]], then lost 3–5 to Griffiths in the quarter-final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=64}} In advance of the [[1980 World Snooker Championship|1980 World Championship]], he practiced at a club near the Crucible that was owned by a friend, and gave up smoking and drinking alcohol for a week before the tournament. His first match was against Mountjoy, Thorburn finishing their first session behind 3–5. In the evening, he played cards and drank alcohol with friends until 5:00{{spaces}}am, resuming the match the next day by winning the first five frames in succession. Thorburn won the match 13–10.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} In the quarter-final, he beat [[Jim Wych]] 13–6, having led 5–3, and 10–6.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=1 May 1980 |title=Reardon goes out |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=20 }}</ref> He led [[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]] 5–3 after their first semi-final session, and 11–4 at the end of the second.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=3 May 1980 |title=Thorburn is so thorough |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=22 }}</ref> In the last session of the match, Thorburn extended his lead to 15–7 by the mid-session interval, then won 16–7 with a break of 114 in the 23rd frame,<ref>{{cite news |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=4 May 1980 |title=Professor Higgins's lesson |newspaper=The Observer |location=London |page=31}}</ref> becoming the first player to reach a second final at the Crucible.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}}

His opponent in the final was Higgins, the [[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]] champion.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Thorburn won the first frame, and Higgins won the next five. Thorburn won the seventh to make it 5–2, Higgins complaining after the frame that Thorburn had been standing in his line of sight, a claim that author and sports statistician Ian Morrison called "unfounded".{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Higgins led 6–3 at the end of the first session, extending this to 9–5 before Thorburn levelled the match at 9–9.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Writing in ''The Times'', Sydney Friskin described the match to this point as a contrast of styles: "the shrewd cumulative processes of Thorburn against the explosive break-building of Higgins". He also noted that each player had accused the other of distracting them during the match.<ref name="06MAYT">{{cite news |last=Friskin |first=Sydney |date=6 May 1980 |title=Thorburn recovers useful ground in the 'cold war' |newspaper=The Times |location=London |page=12}}</ref> Thorburn won the 19th and 20th frames, Higgins taking the following two to level at 11–11.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Thorburn went ahead at 12–11 and 13–12, Higgins levelling the match both times, and the third session ending 13–13.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=6 May 1980 |title=Thorburn pots the title |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=22 }}</ref>

In the final session, Higgins won the first frame then Thorburn won the next two, before Higgins equalized at 15–15. Thorburn led 16–15, and missed an easy {{cuegloss|brown ball}} that let Higgins in to make it 16–16.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} With a break of 119, Thorburn moved within a frame of victory at 17–16. In the 34th frame, leading 45–9 in points, he laid a {{cuegloss|snooker}} for Higgins, and made a 51 break after that to win the title.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} The [[BBC]]'s television coverage of the final had been interrupted by the broadcast of live footage of the [[Iranian Embassy Siege]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=1980: Thorburn outguns Higgins |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/world_champs_2002/1921222.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=12 April 2002 |access-date=30 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030403094538/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/world_champs_2002/1921222.stm |archive-date=3 April 2003 |url-status=live }}</ref> The conclusion of the final was watched by 14.5{{spaces}}million television viewers.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=66}} Thorburn is generally regarded as the first player from outside the United Kingdom to win the world championship, [[Horace Lindrum]]'s victory in the [[1952 World Snooker Championship]] usually being disregarded.{{efn|Following a dispute over money between professional players and the [[Billiards Association and Control Council]] (BA&CC), the players decided to organize the [[1952 World Professional Match-play Championship]]. The only players to enter the BA&CC's [[1952 World Snooker Championship]] were Lindrum and [[Clark McConachy]]. According to [[Clive Everton]], it was the World Professional Match-play Championship that was "recognised by the public as the genuine article".{{sfn|Everton|2012|page=32}}}}<ref>
* {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=John Higgins eyes more crucible titles |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=5 May 2009 |access-date=13 April 2020 |url-access=registration |quote="the modern era, which began in 1969 when the World Championship became a knockout event" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430020307/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |archive-date=30 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |last=Pitt |first=Nick |title=Snooker: Pocket man O'Sullivan eager to chalk up another title: The champion is in irresistible form as he starts his defence at the Crucible |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=20 April 2014 |page=13 |quote="in the modern era since 1969" }}</ref>{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} After the match, Higgins said of Thorburn "he's a grinder",<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=7 May 1980 |title=Thoroughly thriving Thorburn |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=25 }}</ref> and the nickname "The Grinder" was subsequently associated with Thorburn, seen as apt for his slow, determined style of play.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} Thorburn has aspired to be known by the nickname "Champagne Cliff", but admitted later that it never caught on.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sanderson |first=Peter |title=Cliff hangs on past memories |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2001/world_snooker_championship/1313514.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=4 May 2001 |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=17 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117173043/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/world_snooker_championship/1313514.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

He won the Canadian Open for a third successive year in [[1980 Canadian Open|1980]], defeating Griffiths 17–10 in the final,{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=65}} and was part of the Canada Team that reached the final of the [[1980 World Challenge Cup]], where they lost 5–8 to Wales.{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}} He led Higgins 5–1 in the semi-final of the [[1981 Masters (snooker)|1981 Masters]], but lost the match 5–6.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Brinkman Alex |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |location=London |date=1 February 1981 |page=44 |ref=none}}</ref> At the [[1981 World Snooker Championship|1981 World Championship]], as defending champion, he reached the semi-final where he lost 10–16 to [[Steve Davis]].<ref name="MJOYREC">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=20 April 1981 |title=Mountjoy recovers from demoralising start |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=15 |ref=none}}</ref> Following a 4–10 loss to [[Jimmy White]] in the first round of the [[1982 World Snooker Championship]], Thorburn decided to return to Canada.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} Thorburn had been number two in the [[Snooker world rankings 1980/1981|1980/1981 world rankings]], and reached number one in the [[Snooker world rankings 1981/1982|1981/1982 rankings]]. He won the [[1983 Masters (snooker)|1983 Masters]], recovering from 2–5 against Charlton to win 6–5 in the semi-final, and defeating [[Ray Reardon]] 9–7 in the final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=73}}

===1983 world championship maximum break===
In 1983, Thorburn became the first player to make a maximum break at the [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]],<ref name="GRAUN147" /> during the fourth frame of his second-round match against Griffiths,{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} and only the second player to make an official maximum in professional competition (after Davis at the [[1982 Classic (snooker)|1982 Classic]]).{{sfn|Morrison|1987|p=78}}<ref name="147S">{{cite web |url=https://wst.tv/wpbsa/official-147s/ |title=Official 147s |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=World Snooker Tour |access-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722103149/https://wst.tv/wpbsa/official-147s/ |archive-date=22 July 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thorburn started the break by {{cuegloss|fluke|fluking}} a {{cuegloss|red ball|red}}. While he was completing the break, play stopped on the tournament's second [[billiard table|table]] because his friend and fellow Canadian [[Bill Werbeniuk]] wanted to watch.<ref name="GRAUN147">{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Scott |last2=Burnton |first2=Simon |last3=Glendenning |first3=Barry |author-link3=Barry Glendenning |date=23 August 2013 |title=The Joy of Six: sporting flukes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/23/the-joy-of-six-flukes |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305184001/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/23/the-joy-of-six-flukes |archive-date=5 March 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The match against Griffiths ended at 3:51{{spaces}}am, Thorburn emerging as the winner, 13–12. He then defeated [[Kirk Stevens]] 13–12 (from 10–12) in the quarter-final, and [[Tony Knowles (snooker player)|Tony Knowles]] 16–15 (from 13–15) in the semi-final.<ref name="BBC83">{{cite news |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=7 April 2004 |title=1983: Davis' title but Thorburn's 147 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3557625.stm |website=BBC Sport |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918142016/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/3557625.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> During the semi-final, which finished at 12:45{{spaces}}am,{{sfn|Morrison|1988|pages=107–110}} Thorburn learnt that his wife Barbara had suffered a [[miscarriage]] on the day of his maximum break.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Childs |first1=Steve |last2=Watson |first2=Jeremy |date=June 1983 |title=Embassy world professional championship |magazine=Cue World |location=Sheffield |publisher=Transworld Publications |pages=23–32}}</ref> He played Steve Davis in the final. From 2–2 after the first four frames, Davis won four in a row to leave Thorburn behind 2–6, extending this to 2–9 at the start of the second session, and 5–12 at the end of the first day. Davis wrapped up victory on the second day, at 18–6, this being the first final at the Crucible to be completed in only three sessions.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=39}} Commenting on Thorburn's performance in the final, snooker historian [[Clive Everton]] observed that the long matches he had played in reaching the final had "left him so drained{{spaces}}... that he was able to offer only token resistance."{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=75}}

===1984 to 1989===
Thorburn enjoyed a resurgence in form during the [[1984–85 snooker season|1984–85 season]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|page=22}} He reached the final of the [[1984 Grand Prix (snooker)|Grand Prix]], where he lost to Dennis Taylor 2–10. In the semi-final, Thorburn had defeated the reigning world champion Steve Davis 9–7.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=29 October 1983 |title=Taylor pockets prize at last |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=25}}</ref> He also reached the final of the [[1985 Classic (snooker)|Classic]] in January 1985, where he met Thorne, the latter winning five frames in a row to win 13–8 after the pair had been tied at 8–8.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=14 January 1985 |title=Thorne breaks into the elite at last |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=23 |ref=none}}</ref> Thorburn was again runner-up in the [[1986 Classic (snooker)|1986 Classic]], this time losing to Jimmy White in the final 12–13. Thorburn fluked a pot on the {{cuegloss|green ball}} in the deciding frame, to leave White requiring snookers to win. White potted the brown and {{cuegloss|blue ball|blue}}, then laid a snooker on the {{cuegloss|pink ball|pink}}. Thorburn failed to hit the pink, which gave White the points he needed, and White then potted the pink and black to win the title.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=13 January 1986 |title=White nips in on last black |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=27}}</ref>

He won further Masters titles by defeating Mountjoy 9–6 in [[1985 Masters (snooker)|1985]], and White 9–5 in [[1986 Masters (snooker)|1986]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} He became the first player ever to retain the Masters title, and the first to win it three times.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|page=29}} Thorburn experienced success in the Scottish Masters, an invitational event which opened the snooker season, in [[1985 Scottish Masters|1985]] and [[1986 Scottish Masters|1986]]. He defeated Thorne 9–7 in the 1985 final, and Alex Higgins 9–8 the following year.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} He won the opening ranking event in the [[1985–86 snooker season|1985–86 snooker calendar]], the [[1985 Matchroom Trophy|Matchroom Trophy]], where he beat Jimmy White in the final 12–10, having trailed 0–7.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 October 1985 |title=Rainbow wins Arc |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=1}}</ref> He was then runner-up in the corresponding event the following two seasons, 9–12 to [[Neal Foulds]] in [[1986 International Open|1986]], and 5–12 to Davis in [[1987 International Open|1987]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}

In 1988 Thorburn was fined £10,000, had two ranking points deducted, and was banned for two ranking tournaments, by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. The Association's disciplinary committee had decided that Thorburn had brought the sport into disrepute, as a drug test that he took at the [[1988 British Open]] showed that he had "minute traces of cocaine in his urine sample".<ref>{{cite news |last=Acteson |first=Steve |date=13 May 1988 |title=Thorburn sentence ridiculed as lenient |newspaper=The Times |location=London |page=44}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 April 1998 |title=Snooker: Three players fail drug tests but remain anonymous |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-three-players-fail-drug-tests-but-remain-anonymous-1155528.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |access-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416152110/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-three-players-fail-drug-tests-but-remain-anonymous-1155528.html |archive-date=16 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> He compiled another maximum break in the [[1989 Matchroom League]], during a match against White.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 March 1989 |title=Snooker record for Thorburn |newspaper=Star-Phoenix |location=Saskatoon|page=48}}</ref>