John Virgo facts for kids
Virgo in 2003
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| Born | 4 March 1946 Salford, Lancashire, England |
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| Sport country |  England |
| Professional | 1976–1994 |
| Highest ranking | 10 (1979/80) |
| Best ranking finish | Semi-final (x4) |
John Virgo was born on March 4, 1946. He is an English snooker player who became a professional. He is also well-known as a sports commentator for snooker games. John Virgo won four big professional titles during his career. These included the 1979 UK Championship, the 1980 Bombay International, and the 1984 Professional Snooker League. For seven seasons, he was one of the top 16 snooker players in the world. He also reached the semi-finals of the 1986 British Open and the 1979 World Snooker Championship. He was also a runner-up in the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters.
Contents
John Virgo's Snooker Career
Starting as a Professional (1973–1978)
John Virgo first played in a major tournament in 1973. This was the American Pool Tournament for The Indoor League. He made it to the semi-finals but lost. In 1976, he became a professional snooker player. At that time, famous players like Ray Reardon and John Spencer were very popular. Even though he was 30 years old, John Virgo was still one of the younger players on the snooker circuit. In 1977, he reached the semi-finals of the 1977 UK Championship. He lost a very close match by just one frame.
Winning the UK Championship and Reaching the Top 10 (1979–1990)
John Virgo's best years in snooker were around 1979. He reached the semi-finals of the 1979 World Snooker Championship. After that, he won the 1979 UK Championship. This was a huge win for him! On his way to the final, he beat famous players like Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. In the final, he played against the world champion, Terry Griffiths. John Virgo won, even though he had two frames taken away because of a misunderstanding about the game's start time. In the 1979–80 season, he reached his highest ever ranking, becoming world number 10.
In 1986, John Virgo reached the semi-finals of the 1986 British Open. He lost to Willie Thorne in that match. By the end of the 1989–90 season, he was ranked world number 14. However, he dropped out of the top 16 players the next season.
Later Career and Retirement (1991–1995)
In 1993, John Virgo tried to qualify for the Grand Prix and the UK Championship. He did not make it to the main events. He stopped playing professional snooker in 1994.
John Virgo's Television Career
When John Virgo performed in snooker shows, he often did trick shots. These are amazing shots that look impossible. He also did funny impressions of other snooker players. During the 1981 World Snooker Championship, he showed off his impressions of players like Alex Higgins and Steve Davis. He often did these acts after snooker matches that finished earlier than expected.
From 1991 to 2002, John Virgo was a co-host of a TV game show called Big Break. He hosted it with Jim Davidson. The show was about snooker and had three players and three contestants. John Virgo became famous for his catchphrase, "Pot as many balls as you can!" He would say this when explaining the rules of the first round. After that round, he would show a snooker trick shot. The contestant who lost that round could try to copy his trick shot to win a prize.
Today, John Virgo is a well-known TV snooker commentator. He mostly works for the BBC when they show important snooker tournaments. When he is commentating, he often says, "Where's the cue ball going?" He says this if the white ball looks like it might go into a pocket by mistake.
In 2021, there was news that John Virgo and his colleague Dennis Taylor might leave the BBC. However, in 2022, it was announced that they would continue working for the BBC for a longer time. Later in 2022, the BBC told John Virgo that he would stay on for the "foreseeable future."
Other Activities and Projects
John Virgo has also written books. In 2011, he published a book about Alex Higgins called Let Me Tell You About Alex. In 2012, he released another book called Amazing Snooker Trick Shots.
In 2012, John Virgo was in a radio play called Sunk. He played himself in the show. In the play, he helped a young man who dreamed of becoming a snooker champion.
He also worked with a company called Liberty Games. Together, they made online videos about trick shots called the Trick Shot Academy. In 2014, John Virgo released his own trick shot app. It was called John Virgo's Snooker Trick Shots and was available on phones and tablets.
John Virgo's Personal Life
John Virgo has two children. He has a son from his first marriage and a daughter from his second marriage. He separated from his first wife, Avril, in 1991. In 2010, he married his second wife, Rosie.
Images for kids
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John Virgo in 2003
See also
In Spanish: John Virgo para niños
