Jimmy White (born May 2, 1962) is a snooker player known to announcers as the "whirlwind" or the "working man's champion". The former epithet referring to his ability to build a total clearance of 147 within minutes. The latter in turn speaks to his having parlayed a misspent youth into sports stardom.
Having turned professional in 1980, he regrettably gained great fame as being immensely talented, but even more temperamental. His swift clearances pleased the crowd, but it was not a conscious trademark, for he played with similar dispatch even when he clearly knew the weight that succeeding or failing the shot would have to a crucial frame. It just was in his nature. This speed was unsurpassed for a long time, before the appearance of Tony Drago, an even more temperamental and speedy break-builder (he was nicknamed analogously "the hurricane").
In later years his speed has toned down somewhat, but so has a bit of his brilliance. However, his popularity hasn't diminished.
He has won nine ranking tournaments, including the British Open (in 1987 and 1992) and the UK Championship (in 1992). However, the World Championship title has remained elusive, despite reaching the final six times (starting in 1984, and then each year from 1990 to 1994).
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