# Silvino Francisco

Silvino Francisco (3 May 1946 – 14 December 2024) was a South African professional snooker player who won the 1985 British Open.

## Snooker career

Francisco came from a snooker-playing family. His brother Manuel and nephew Peter both played at a high level, Manuel 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. Prior to the start of the Final match, Francisco accused Stevens of playing under the influence of drugs. Francisco was subsequently fined for the comments. The world governing body of snooker, the WPBSA, accepted that the accusation was false and it is on record that Kirk Stevens has never failed a drugs test in the history of his career. Stevens later admitted to having an addiction to cocaine.
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.

## Personal life and death

Francisco suffered gambling problems towards the end of his professional career, to the extent of being declared bankrupt in 1996 due to income tax arrears.
In 1997, he was arrested for smuggling cannabis, and served three years in prison.
Silvino remarried June Francisco in the early 2000s. In his later years he dedicated himself to his family, specifically his grandchildren Enola and Osiris, charity work and the snooker youth.
Francisco died on 14 December 2024, at the age of 78.
He remains the only African snooker player to have won a professional snooker ranking event.

## Performance and rankings timeline

| Tournament | 1979/ 80 | 1981/ 82 | 1982/ 83 | 1983/ 84 | 1984/ 85 | 1985/ 86 | 1986/ 87 | 1987/ 88 | 1988/ 89 | 1989/ 90 | 1990/ 91 | 1991/ 92 | 1992/ 93 | 1993/ 94 | 1994/ 95 | 1995/ 96 | 1996/ 97 |
| Ranking | | | 17 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 33 | 57 | 81 | 125 |
| Ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Classic | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | 1R | 3R | 2R | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| Grand Prix | Not Held | Not Held | A | 3R | 3R | QF | SF | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 1R | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ |
| UK Championship | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | 1R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| German Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | LQ | A |
| Welsh Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | 2R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ |
| International Open | NH | NR | A | QF | SF | 1R | QF | 3R | 2R | 2R | Not Held | Not Held | 3R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ |
| European Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| Thailand Open | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Not Held | Not Held | QF | WD | 2R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| British Open | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | W | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| World Championship | A | QF | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ |
| Non-ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||
| Scottish Masters | NH | A | A | A | A | SF | A | A | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| The Masters | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | WD | A | A |
| Pontins Professional | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| Former ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Hong Kong Open | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | NH | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | NR | NH |
| Classic | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | 2R | 1R | 1R | QF | 3R | 3R | SF | 1R | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Strachan Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | MR | NR | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Former non-ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||
| Limosin International | SF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Pontins Brean Sands | Not Held | Not Held | F | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Pot Black | A | A | A | QF | 1R | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | A | A | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Australian Masters | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | NH | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | A | NH |
| South African Professional Championship | SF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | W | A | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Shoot-Out | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| World Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| World Seniors Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | QF | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
Performance Table Legend :
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | means an event was not held. |
| NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. |
| R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | means an event is/was a ranking event. |
* ↑ He was an amateur.
* ↑ New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking.
* ↑ The event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989), Dubai Classic (1989/90–1994/1995) and Thailand Classic (1995/1996).
* ↑ The event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/83–1983/1984).
* ↑ The event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)
* ↑ The event was also called the Thailand Masters (1983/1984–1986/1987 & 1991/1992) and the Asian Open (1989/1990–1992/1993)
* ↑ The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984)
* ↑ The event was also called the Australian Masters (1979/1980–1987/1988) and Australian Open (1994/1995)
* ↑ The event was also called the Hong Kong Open (1989/1990) and Australian Open (1994/1995)

## Career finals
### Ranking finals: 1 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1985 | British Open | Kirk Stevens | 12–9 |

### Non-ranking finals: 3 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1978 | South African Professional Championship | Perrie Mans | 5–9 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1983 | Pontins Brean Sands | Tony Meo | 7–9 |
| Winner | 1. | 1986 | South African Professional Championship | François Ellis | 9–1 |

### Team finals: 1

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Team/partner | Opponent(s) in the final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1989 | World Cup | Rest of the World | England | 8–9 |

### Amateur finals: 4 (4 titles)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1968 | South African Amateur Championship | | |
| Winner | 2. | 1969 | South African Amateur Championship (2) | | |
| Winner | 3. | 1974 | South African Amateur Championship (3) | Mike Hines | 7–0 |
| Winner | 4. | 1977 | South African Amateur Championship (4) | Ayoob Majiet | |