Terry Griffiths facts for kids
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Griffiths in 1991
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| Born | 16 October 1947 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
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| Died | 1 December 2024 (aged 77) Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Sport country |  Wales |
| Professional | 1978–1997 |
| Highest ranking | 3 (1981/82) |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 1 |
| World Champion | 1979 |
Terence Martin Griffiths (born 16 October 1947 – died 1 December 2024) was a famous Welsh snooker player, coach, and TV expert. He won many amateur titles, like the Welsh Amateur Championship in 1975. He also won the English Amateur Championship twice, in 1977 and 1978. Terry became a professional player in June 1978 when he was 30 years old.
In only his second professional tournament, he made it to the 1979 World Snooker Championship final. There, he beat Dennis Taylor 24 frames to 16. This was a big deal because he was only the second player ever to win the World Championship after having to qualify first. The first was Alex Higgins in 1972. Later, Shaun Murphy also did it in 2005. In 1988, Terry reached the World Championship final again, but he lost to Steve Davis 11–18.
Terry Griffiths was very consistent, reaching at least the quarter-finals of the World Championship for nine years in a row, from 1984 to 1992. He also won the Masters in 1980 and the UK Championship in 1982. Winning these three major tournaments (World Championship, Masters, and UK Championship) is called achieving snooker's Triple Crown. Terry was also runner-up at the Masters three times. He retired from playing professionally in 1996 to become a director for coaching. He coached many top players like Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams. Terry passed away in December 2024 at the age of 77.
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Terry's Early Life
Terry Griffiths was born in Llanelli, Wales, on 16 October 1947. He went to a special school but was asked to leave because he often skipped classes. He then went to a different school where he played rugby union with future Welsh national players. Terry started playing snooker when he was 14.
After school, he worked in a coal mine. At 16, he became the youngest person to win the Llanelli and District snooker championship. He later worked as a bus conductor and a postman, which gave him more time to practice snooker. When he was 17, he won the West Wales snooker championship. He married Annette in 1969, and they had two sons, Wayne and Darren. Terry made his first "century break" (scoring 100 points or more in one turn) when he was 24. He won the Welsh Amateur Championship in 1975 and the English Amateur Championship in 1977 and 1978.
Becoming a Professional Player
Terry Griffiths became a professional snooker player on 1 June 1978. People in the snooker world thought he would do very well because of his strong shots.
In his first professional tournament, he almost won but lost a very close match. However, he quickly showed his talent. In 1979, he qualified for the 1979 World Snooker Championship. He beat some big names, including Alex Higgins, to reach the final. In the final, he played against Dennis Taylor, who was also in his first World Championship final. Terry won the match, becoming world champion in only his second professional tournament! This was a huge achievement. He was the first player to win the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield after coming through the qualifying rounds.
After winning the World Championship, Terry's ranking went up to eighth in the world. He also helped the Welsh team win the first World Cup of snooker in 1979. Later that year, he played in the UK Championship final, but lost in a very close match.
Winning More Big Titles
In 1980, Terry won the Masters tournament, beating Alex Higgins. This was his first time playing in the Masters, and he won it! He also won the Irish Masters in 1980.
The next year, in the 1980 World Championship, Terry lost in the first round. This was the start of something called the "Crucible curse," where first-time champions at the Crucible often struggle to defend their title. But Terry's ranking still went up to fifth in the world.
He continued to win, taking the Irish Masters again in 1981 and 1982. He also won the Classic in 1982 in a very exciting match against Steve Davis. At the end of 1982, Terry won the UK Championship, beating Alex Higgins in another close final. His highest world ranking was third in 1981–1982.
Later Career and Coaching
Terry Griffiths kept winning other tournaments, including Pot Black in 1984 and the Malaysian Masters. He also won the Singapore Masters and the Hong Kong Masters. He won the Welsh Professional Championship three times. In 1987, Terry opened his own snooker hall in Llanelli, called the Terry Griffiths Matchroom.
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In the 1988 World Snooker Championship, Terry reached the final for the second time, but he lost to Steve Davis. Even though he lost, people said he played his best snooker since winning in 1979.
Terry retired from playing professionally in 1996. He became the Director of Coaching for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. He was a very respected coach and worked with many top players, including Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, and Ding Junhui. Terry believed that coaching was mostly about the "mental side" of the game, not just the technical skills.
In 2007, Terry was given an OBE award for his great work in snooker. He also created a new system for snooker called "SQ" in 2021. His son, Wayne Griffiths, is also a snooker coach in Hong Kong. Terry won over a million pounds in prize money during his career.
Terry Griffiths was diagnosed with dementia in 2024. He passed away in his hometown of Llanelli on 1 December 2024, at the age of 77.
Publications
- 1981: Championship Snooker (with Clive Everton)
- 1984: Complete Snooker (with Julian Worthington)
- 1989: Griff : the Autobiography of Terry Griffiths (with Julian Worthington)
See also
In Spanish: Terry Griffiths para niños
