Silvino Francisco

Silvino Francisco
Born (1946-05-03) 3 May 1946
Sport country  South Africa
Nickname The Silver Fish
Professional 1981–1997
Highest ranking 10 (1987/88)
Career winnings £363,571[1]
Highest break 128 (1983 World Championship qualifying)
Century breaks 12
Tournament wins
Ranking 1
Non-ranking 1

Silvino Francisco (born 3 May 1946) is a retired South African professional snooker player who won the South African Snooker Championship 4 times.

Francisco comes from a snooker-playing family. His brother Mannie and nephew Peter both played at a high level, Mannie having been a runner-up in the World Amateur Billiards Championship on several occasions, and Peter having risen to the world ranking of number 14.

Francisco won the 1985 British Open, beating Kirk Stevens 12–9. Afterwards, he accused Stevens of playing under the influence of drugs, and was fined and penalised ranking points.[2] When Stevens admitted a drugs problem, the penalty was reversed.[3]

He was involved in another scandal after the 1989 Masters. After losing 5–1 to Terry Griffiths in the last-16, it was discovered that there had been heavy betting on that exact score. Francisco was arrested, but later released without charge. Gambling problems followed, to the extent of being declared bankrupt in 1996 due to income tax arrears, having split up from his second wife who claimed his £350,000 house, and having to pay maintenance for his 4 children. He later took to working evenings in a friend's fish and chip shop for extra cash.

In 1997, he was arrested for smuggling cannabis, and served three years in prison.[3]

Career finals

Ranking event finals: 1 (1 title)

Outcome Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Winner 1985 1985 British Open Canada Kirk Stevens 12–9

Non-ranking event finals: 3 (1 title, 2 runners-up)

Outcome Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Runner-up 1978 1978 South African Professional Championship South Africa Perrie Mans 5–9
Runner-up 1983 1983 Pontins Brean Sands England Tony Meo 7–9
Winner 1986 1986 South African Professional Championship South Africa François Ellis 9–1

References

  1. ↑ http://cuetracker.net/Players/Silvino-Francisco/Career-Total-Statistics
  2. ↑ "Snooker Association acquits Stevens over drug addiction". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1985. p. 41. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
  3. 1 2 "Where are they now? : Silvino Francisco". BBC Sport. 2002-01-31. Retrieved 2011-05-01.


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