Terry Griffiths obituary: The postman who became a world champion

Terry Griffiths, who passed away at the age of 77, had a successful career as a player, coach, and commentator.

Griffiths, who had previously worked as a postman and bus conductor, went professional in 1978 and won the world championship on his very first try by defeating Dennis Taylor in the final of the 1979 World Championship.

Griffiths reminisced about his early career, saying, "I started out as a miner at 15 in Pontarddulais. After that, I worked as a bus conductor and later as a postman before eventually joining the insurance industry."

Before I knew it, I became the world champion.

"It was an amazing experience for me - the highlight of my professional journey."

The Welsh player also claimed victory at the Masters in 1980 and secured the UK Championship title in 1982.

Upon retirement, Griffiths transitioned into a flourishing career as a coach and gained popularity as a television analyst and commentator.

His Llanelli accent, spoken in gentle, quiet tones, along with his subtle sense of humor, made him stand out to audiences right away.

While many will recall Griffiths for his humorous remarks during broadcasts and his careful approach to playing earlier in his career, he also enjoyed considerable success as a coach after hanging up his boots in 1997.

He coached many top players, including world champions like Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams, Ken Doherty, and John Parrott.

Born in Llanelli in 1947, Griffiths held various jobs throughout his long and successful amateur career, including postman, insurance salesman, miner, and bus conductor.

In 1975, he claimed victory in the Welsh Amateur Championship, followed by wins in the English Amateur Championship in both 1977 and 1978. He then transitioned to a professional career in 1978.

In 1979, Griffiths needed to secure a spot in his first World Championship. Once he achieved that, he went on to defeat Perrie Mans in the opening round and then took down the legendary Alex Higgins in the quarter-finals.

Following his impressive victory over Eddie Charlton in a thrilling semi-final, Griffiths shared his excitement in a post-match interview that has been aired numerous times since then: "I've made it to the final, can you believe that?!"

Griffiths went on to beat 1985 champion Taylor with a score of 24-16 in the final, claiming the prestigious world title on his very first try.

Later in 1979, he joined forces with Ray Reardon and Doug Mountjoy as part of the Welsh team that triumphed in the first-ever World Snooker Cup, defeating England with a score of 14-3.

Griffiths' wins at the 1980 Masters and the 1982 UK Championship make him one of just 11 players who have achieved snooker's prestigious Triple Crown.

Even though these were his final titles in rankings, Griffiths made it to the World Championship final again in 1988, but unfortunately, he lost to his longtime competitor and six-time world champion, Steve Davis.

Griffiths never managed to defeat Davis in their seven matches at the Crucible, yet both players were significant figures during a wonderful period in the history of snooker.

In the 1980s, players became well-known figures as they featured on popular television programs like Pot Black, a competition that Griffiths took home in 1984.

The 1990s were a bit challenging for Griffiths, yet he chose to retire on his own terms, maintaining a world ranking of 23rd.

His last match took place in the opening round of the 1997 World Championship, where he lost in a decisive final frame to his fellow Welsh player Mark Williams, whom he would later go on to coach to a world title.