Shane Van Boening captured another US Open title, making an undefeated run to win the US Open One Pocket Championship on Sunday in Las Vegas.
The US Open One Pocket Championship started Mar. 23-25 at Griff’s in Las Vegas. CueSports International added $5,000 to the One Pocket Championship and $2,500 to the Bank Pool Championship, which Van Boening also won earlier in the week.
Van Boening swept through the 29-player field, giving up only three games during the entire tournament. His path included wins over: Jay Helfert, 4-0; Nick Beretanos, 4-1; Dee Adkins, 4-0; Ronnie Alcano, 4-0; before beating Oscar Dominguez, 4-1, to capture the hot seat.
Alcano, of the Philippines, would meet Van Boening in the final. Alcano bested: Jimmy Moore, 4-0; Wayne Pullen, 4-1; and Gus Briseno, 4-3, before Van Boening put in him the loser’s bracket, 4-0. On the B-side of the bracket, Alcano beat: Warren Kiamco, 3-2; Brandon Shuff, 3-1; and Dominguez, 3-1, to captured a spot in the finals.
During the finals, Van Boening played nearly perfect, keeping tight control of the table. Alcano won just one game in the single-race-to-five finals format.
Tournament organizer Mark Griffin, who also owns Griff’s in Las Vegas, said the US Open Bank Pool Championship and US Open One Pocket Championship will be held at Griff’s again in 2019, although dates have not been set yet. Both events will be $5,000 added, Griffin said.
“Jay Helfert has offered to add $2,500 to the Bank Pool Championship next year,” Griffin said. “It’s very generous of him and will help us draw a larger field in the future.”
For more information, contact Mary Coffman, CSI Marketing Manager, at 702-719-7665 or by email at mary@playcsipool.com.
Posting its results on-line, organizers of the 2014 Andy Mercer Memorial at Rum Runners in Las Vegas, opted for a bit of humor. The event's winner, Shane Van Boening, was declared to be its Supreme Champion, while runner-up Darren Appleton was Worthy Adversary. Semifinalist Bernardo Chavez was granted the title of Maybe Next Time.
While name recognition can be an unreliable way to predict tournament outcomes (as evidenced by Mercer over Duke in the on-going NCAA basketball tournament), Van Boening and Appleton seemed destined to meet in this $3,700-added (guaranteed) tournament that drew 64 entrants to Vegas on the weekend of March 21-23. While the field had its share of other 'names' like the Dominguez family (Ernesto and Oscar), Ozzy Reynolds and Jason Klatt, it was more clearly represented by Maybe Next Time; Bernardo Chavez hasn't (to our knowledge) ever finished higher than seventh since his name started to appear on payout lists, dating back to 2007. In this tournament, though, he challenged Appleton for the hot seat, and had the misfortune of facing Van Boening in the semifinals.
Appleton's path to the event victory went through Joe Canella, Sal Butera, Jim Carmona, and Tres Kane before coming up against Jason Klatt in a winners' side semifinal. Klatt had just sent (in order) Ozzy Reynolds and Van Boening to the loss side. Chavez, in the meantime, had gotten by Roger Bordley, Ramin Bahktiari, Jimmy Moore and Fach Garcia and picked up Oscar Dominguez in the other winners' side semifinal. Appleton sent Klatt over, while Chavez was busy doing likewise to Dominguez. Appleton gained the hot seat over Chavez and sat in it, waiting on Van Boening.
Van Boening opened his loss-side proceedings with a victory over Brian Parks, followed it by defeating Bordley and drew Dominguez (Oscar), as a result. Klatt came over to face Walter Glass, who'd eliminated Garcia and the other Dominguez (Ernesto). Klatt and Van Boening advanced to a quarterfinal re-match, won by Van Boening, who then ended Chavez' hopes for a re-match against Appleton. Chavez would go home with almost as much prize money for this one event than he's reported to have earned at the tables over the last four years.
Destiny's hand played out and the two winners of the last four US Open 9-Ball Championships (Appleton in 2010 and 2011, Van Boening in 2012 and 2013) met in a true double elimination final. Van Boening took both sets to claim the event title.
June 27th, 1913 – exactly 100 years ago, William Joseph Mosconi was born in Philadelphia. The legacy of the man whose name is synonymous with pocket billiards still lives on.
His father Joseph owned a pool hall, located in the same building as the family's apartment. But young Willie was not welcome inside the room: his father wanted him to become a dancer or an actor. The boy forced his father's hand when he showed remarkable skills around a pool table. He would practice as much as he could, using a broomstick and potatoes when he was not allowed to use the room's set of balls.
By age 6, his skills were so exceptional that Ralph Greenleaf, the reigning 14/1 World Champion, accepted to play a challenge match which he won by the close margin of 50 to 46! This match was the starting point of Willie's professional career. At age eleven, he became the World juvenile champion and continued to tour the country for many years.
After a few years away from the game, Willie came back in the competition in the hopes of making some money. His first attempt to qualify for the World Championship was successful. In the National Tournament, he finished second behind Georges Kelly, and the top four advanced to the World Tournament. In the main championship, he only placed 5th, with a high run of 65 balls.
His first World title came years later when in 1941, at age 27, he won the World Championship League Play. Played between November 1940 and May 1941, the 8-man league required to have 32 matches played between each of the participants. Mosconi's records were 176 wins, 48 losses, a high run of 126 and a best game in one inning.
Between May 1941 and April 1956, Mosconi would hold various World trophies 19 times. Leagues, Round-robins, Challenge matches… He was good at everything. His last challenge match win was against "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore, 1800 to 879. This was 14/1, played over 6 days in 150-point matches.
His most famous record was made during an exhibition in Springfield, OH, on March 19, 1954. A straight pool run of 526 consecutive balls (more than 37 consecutive racks cleared on an 8ft. Brunswick table with 5 1/4 inch pockets) which remains unbeaten to this day.
After suffering a severe stroke in 1956, he had to stop playing matches and exhibitions, but kept on promoting the game in different ways: he published two books (although ghost-written), was the technical consultant on "the Hustler" in 1961 and made several appearances in TV shows. He made a brief return to competition in the middle of the sixties, and announced his official retirement in 1966.
In 1968, the BCA welcomed Willie Mosconi in their Hall of Fame, at 55 years old. Until his death in 1993, he spent most of his time promoting the game making exhibitions, and attending trade shows across the country. The last exhibition match he played was on August 10, 1991 against fellow Hall of Famer Jimmy Caras. You can buy the DVD of this dinner show from Accu-stats here.
Mosconi died of a heart attack shortly after turning 80, on september 17, 1993. In 1994, when world's #1 cuesports promoter Matchroom Sport created a new event based on the Ryder Cup format – Team USA vs. Team EUROPE – They named it in honor of Willie.
Today, the Mosconi Cup is the most popular pool TV show in the world. It is played the first week of December every year and in 2013 it is going to celebrate in style its twentieth anniversary with a selection of players entirely consisting of wild-card picks. These ten players will have the honor of celebrating 20 years of Mosconi Cup, and 100 years of the legend's birth.
So this is the start of multiple celebrations in what could be called the "Mosconi year":
– June 27th, 2013 marks the 100 years anniversary of his birth
– September 17th, 2013 will mark the 20th year since his death
With a legacy that includes his 526 record-run that is still holding after 59 years, and the most popular pool show on the planet, Willie Mosconi's name will keep on living in the cuesports world, in the honor of a man who dedicated his whole life to his sport.
If you wish to learn more about Willie Mosconi, we recommend you to read the following books:
Willie's Game, an Autobiography. Published on April 28, 1993 – just a few months before his death.
The Hustler & The Champ: Willie Mosconi, Minnesota Fats, and the Rivalry that Defined Pool. A great book by R.A. Dyer.
Willie Mosconi On Pocket Billiards, a ghost-written book originally published in 1948.
Willie Mosconi's Winning Pocket Billiards, another ghost-written book originally published in 1965.
Enjoying a large increase in participation this year (with some divisions up 50-100%), the 2013 Pure X Cues ACS National Championships capped off a banner year of growth for the nine-year old American CueSports Alliance (ACS). The New Tropicana Las Vegas proved to again be an attractive venue for the event, as scores of entertainment venues are conveniently located in this section of The Strip! And most attendees stayed at The Trop. Players enjoyed online coverage in all divisions throughout the event via onsite monitors and their smart phones. A record $36,500 in added prize monies drew players from throughout North America to twenty-three divisions of competition. Despite the large turn-out, players such as Mike Singleton, Beth Fondell, Dustin Gunia, Jessica Frideres and the team Wrecking Crew (LA) still earned top honors in multi-events. All flow charts are still viewable by accessing www.compusport.us; then “Tournaments”; then “ACS Nationals.” With the jump in attendees, ideal dates in mid-May and the attractive location, many participants projected that these Championships on its 10th anniversary “will be even bigger next year!”
Singles action began at the first of the week with handicapped 9-ball. Mike Singleton of Sulphur, LA, improved on his past mediocre performances in the Nationals to outlast 69-year old Lyn Wechsler (Rochester, NY) for the Men’s 9-Ball Singles honors. On the distaff side, past 8-Ball champion Beth Fondell (Owatonna, MN) remained undefeated throughout, including her one final’s set against Phoenix, Arizona’s Bernie Store to earn her Women’s 9-Ball Singles crown! Results from the many divisions of 8-ball singles included: Dustin Gunia (Omaha, NE) displaying dominating form to defend his Men’s Advanced Singles 8-Ball crown over Lyn Wechsler (Rochester, NY) ; Beth Fondell (Owatonna, MN) obtaining a rare double by outlasting defending champion Jessica Frideres (Fort Dodge, IA) on the last ball of the deciding set to claim the Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Singles title – 7-6; Ben Sutherland (Peoria, AZ) losing to Julian Russell (Fort McMurray, ON/CAN) in the first set of the finals, only to recover to gain the deciding set for the Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles championship; Toni Barnes (Shawboro, NC) scoring a title with a one-set finals defeat over Sophia Morquecho (Glendale, AZ) for the Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles laurels; once-defeated Dennis Coolen (Bridgewater, NS/CAN) outdistancing Joe Herne (Hogansburg, NY) in two sets for the Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles division success; and Melanie Jacobs (Hogansburg, NY) besting Frances Jensen (Calgary, AB/CAN)in one set for the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles glory.
In the senior-aged 8-ball singles divisions, Carl Coffee (Pueblo, CO) took down Claude Gragg III (Arlington, TX) in the first set of the finals for the Men’s Senior (55+) 8-Ball Singles crown – leaving Gragg to take the runner-up position for the second straight year; Debbie Snook (Boone, CO) stopped three-time defending champ, Shawn Modelo (Antioch, CA), in the winner’s bracket finals and then took the Women’s Senior (50+) 8-Ball Singles title by upending Linda Asleson (Billings, MT) in two sets in the tourney finals; and Richard Foley (Ketchikan, AK) delegated undefeated Charles Smith (Whitesboro, TX) to the runner-up position for a second straight year in taking the Super Senior (65+) Singles 8-Ball Singles title in two sets!
The two Scotch Doubles 8-Ball divisions showcased perhaps the most dominant amateur scotch doubles team in the country, with defending champions Dustin Gunia and Jessica Frideres (NE/IA) capturing the Advanced Scotch Doubles division with a comfortable one-set win over Labernaline Store/ Steve Stowers (AZ); and the team of Arlene David/ Bill Mason (VA) needing just one set as well to claim victory over Sophia Morquecho/ Burt Balancad (AZ) in the Open Scotch Doubles category.
With the ACS schedule in the latter portion of the week allowing non-conflicting accommodation of entry into both 9-ball and 8-ball team competitions, there was still plenty of competition to keep every player involved – especially those out of the money who automatically qualified for free second-chance team divisions! In the Men’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division, defending champion Dick’s Pick [Ronnie Allen, Jimmy Moore, Greg Kuhl, George Huffman, Chris Akey and James Carmona] (Las Vegas, NV) reloaded but with the same results to take down Jitnot (NS/CAN) in the title match in two sets – after Jitnot had originally claimed the hot seat. The Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division showcased Victoria’s Secret [Susie Miller, Linda Asleson, Jonella Staus and Teresa Keller] (MT) outpointing Colorado’s T’s Bar in the round-robin format. In the Men’s Open 8-Ball Team competition, once-defeated Wrecking Crew [Mike Singleton, Blaine Stanford, Jamie Spivey, Rodney Browne III and Luke Coffey] took two sets from No Flash (AZ) in the title match. The Women’s Open 8-Ball Team division’s San Antonio’s Fuhgettaboutit [Barbara Wisdom, Kenyon Juo Young, Sophie Lopez, Kawania Watson and Maria Lopez] survived a deciding set over After Eight (FL) for the title.
Harbor Hills (WI) [Al Carmody, Mark Schmidt, Tim Gamerdinger, Tom Decker and John Schlapman] needed only one set in the Men’s Standard 8-Ball Team division final’s clash to make Comrades (GA) the bride’s maid. In the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Team division, British Columbia’s Venus Envy [Theresa Warren, Susan Johnston, Susan Kottke and Roxanna Alton] took off the deciding set of the finals to repel New York’s Mohawk Chicks for the crown.
The 3-person 9-ball team divisions featured some of the top 8-ball team placers as well. Undefeated Gotta Have It [NE/IA] [Jerrod Frideres, Jessica Frideres and Dustin Gunia] turned back Las Vegas’s Dick’s Pick in the first set of the finals for the Men’s Advanced 9-Ball Team title. Open 8-Ball Team runner-ups – After Eight (FL) [Flori LeHart, Michelle Jarrell, Janet Smith and Jamie Toennies], succeeded in ousting Miller Time (FL) for the Women’s Open 9-Ball Team laurels. In the Men’s Open 9-Ball Team category, Wrecking Crew (LA) [Jamie Spivey, Mike Singleton and Luke Coffey] doubled up on its Open 8-Ball Team win to capture this title as well with a two-set finals sweep over 9 Ball Shockers (AZ).
In the 9th Annual ACS National Artistic Pool Championships, Dennis Brown of Creston, BC claimed another title for Canada, edging out hundreds of entries. ACS would like to especially thank our title sponsor – Pure X Cues, as well as Gary Benson and his tournament direction staff at High Country Promotions, as well as the exhibiting vendors and the host site – the Tropicana Las Vegas! The ACS Nationals is already looking to returning to the Tropicana May 10-17, 2014! The ACS is a national non-profit, member-governed association which will sanction any local pool league (whether player-run or owner-operated) via a $10 annual sanction fee. Contact the ACS at 1-888-662-1705 or www.americancuesports.org for complete information on sanctioning your league!
The ACS currently sanctions leagues in 38 states and enjoys reciprocal relations with its sister organization in Canada (Canadian Cue Sport Association – CCS). Twelve state associations are affiliated to ACS; and the ACS offers the Midwest ACS Championships each January at the Riverside Resort & Casino in Iowa. The ACS produces a national amateur Pure X All American Tour each Fall thru Spring and offers certification for both instructors and referees dedicated to the sport.
The American CueSports Alliance (ACS) conducted its most successful national championships to date with a record $36,500 in added prize monies drawing players from throughout North America to twenty-three divisions of competition at the 2012 Lucasi Hybrid ACS National Championships in Las Vegas. Over 90% of attendees chose the host hotel, the Tropicana Las Vegas, for lodging – primarily attracted by early-bird hotel rates and discounted entry fees. The Tropicana Las Vegas is near the center of the action on the Las Vegas strip, and the dates – May 5-11 – and the gorgeous setting of this renovated property have quickly won over the players as a great site for pool action! The biggest highlight of these Championships was San Antonio TX capturing four of the nine team titles up for grabs!
Singles action began at the first of the week with handicapped 9-ball. Dustin Gunia of Omaha, NE, improved on his 4th place performance in 2011 by outperforming fellow Nebraskan – Chris Siefken (Lincoln, NE) – in the finals for the title by a 10-4 margin. On the distaff side, Susan Orr (Las Vegas, NV) took two sets in the final against Richmond, Kentucky’s Samantha Patton (2-5, 5-2) to earn her crown! Results from the many divisions of 8-ball singles included: Dustin Gunia performing a rare double by outpointing Glenn Atwell (Clay Center, KS) 7-4 in the finals of Men’s Advanced Singles 8-Ball; Jessica Frideres (Fort Dodge, IA) adding to her growing list of ACS Nationals titles with a come-from-behind, two-set finals decision over undefeated Kawania Watson (San Antonio, TX) in the Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Singles – 7-3/7-4; Richard Louapre (Jersey City, NJ) double-dipping undefeated Robert Nelson (Sycamore, IL) 5-4/5-3 for the Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles championship; Susan Orr scoring another title with a 4-2 finals defeat of Mandy Schneider-Hood (Houston, TX) for the Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles laurels; undefeated Joey Glover (Virginia Beach, VA) outdistancing David Field (Calgary, AB) in the first set of the finals – 5-3 – for the Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles division success; and Bernadine Crowchild (Calgary, AB) besting Arlene David (Virginia Beach, VA) by a 4-1 margin for the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles glory.
In the senior-aged 8-ball singles divisions, Dennis Brown (Creston, BC) took down Claude Gragg III (Arlington, TX) in the deciding set of the finals, 5-3, for the Men’s Senior (55+) 8-Ball Singles crown; Shawn Modelo (Antioch, CA) captured her third straight Women’s Senior (50+) 8-Ball Singles title by clipping Susan Kornerly (Two Rivers, WI) 4-3 in the finals; and Keith Parker (Henderson, NV) needed only one finals set to take the Super Senior (65+) Singles 8-Ball Singles title from Charles Smith (Whitesboro, TX) by a 5-2 margin!
The two Scotch Doubles 8-Ball divisions included the powerhouse duo of Dustin Gunia and Jessica Frideres (each winners of their respective Advanced Singles 8-Ball divisions) defending their 2011 title in the Advanced Scotch Doubles division with a narrow 7-6 finals win over Susan Orr/Ricky White (Las Vegas, NV); while the Canadian team of Anne Sinclair/ Michael Therrien (ON) needed just one set as well to claim 4-2 victory over Grand Junction, Colorado’s Sandra Walsh and David Miles in the Open Scotch Doubles category.
With the ACS schedule in the latter portion of the week allowing non-conflicting accommodation of entry into both 9-ball and 8-ball team competitions, there was still plenty of competition to keep every player involved – especially those out of the money who automatically qualified for free second-chance team divisions! In the Men’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division, Dick’s Pick [Greg Kuhl, Donnie Branson, Rocky Phipps, Fred Boggs, Lyn Wechsler and Jimmy Moore] (Las Vegas, NV) defended its 2011 title by eclipsing Virginia’s Brass Bell 13-8 in the title match. The Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division showcased Knaw Kaw Min [Becky Mowdy, Brandy Phillips, Judy Griffith, Sherry Griffin and Jan Aust] (WA) battling to a final’s win over Ontario’s Eenie Meenie Miney Moe. At this point, Team Mireles from San Antonio, TX started collecting titles. In the Men’s Open 8-Ball Team competition, undefeated Team Mireles [Frank Ferrer, Shane Manaole, Pat Powers, Jacob Jimenez, Rick Robles, Gerard Jimenez, Lupe Sanchez and Eric Aicinena] outdistanced New York’s Foreign Policy 13-9 in the title match. The Women’s Open 8-Ball Team division showcased the Virginia team of Footers Femme Fatale [Alena Joyce, Tiffiny Ebner, Diana Wirt and Marcia Schomburg] recovering from big deficits in two sets of the finals (2-7/4-7) to claim the top prize by 10-8/10-7 scores over Iowa’s No Balls Just Racks.
The Men’s Standard 8-Ball Team division witnessed a similar rebound for eventual winner, The Tribe (BC) [Tyler Chan, Doug Narcisse, Charles Narcisse, Adam Beeds and Bill Armstrong]. In the first match of the tournament, The Tribe faced Las Vegas’s Dick’ Pick and trailed 8-12 before recovering for a 13-12 win. Dick’s Pick was not deterred and marched through the B-side of the bracket for another shot at The Tribe in the finals. Again, The Tribe was down again at 9-12, but won the last four games for the Championship by another 13-12 margin! In the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Team division, Virginia’s Inland Reef 1 [Michelle Carawan, Tavonia Millender, Beverly Michelle Carawan, Teresa Price, Jennifer O’Brien and Ashley Hoover] took the undefeated route to the finals and repelled El Paso’s Twinz by a 10-7 margin for the crown.
The 3-person 9-ball team divisions were swept by San Antonio TX! Once-defeated Team Mireles Too [Rick Robles, Shane Manaole, Pat Powers and Gerard Jimenez] took down Las Vegas’s Ray’s Babys in two sets by 19-17/19-11 margins for the Men’s Advanced 9-Ball Team title. Another San Antonio team, Vito’s Ladies [Mary Ida Gamez, Elizabeth Blancas, Kawania Watson and Sophie Lopez], captured the Women’s Open 9-Ball Team laurels with a 10-8 victory over Eenie Meenie Miney Moe [ON]. In the Men’s Open 9-Ball Team category, Team Mireles [Frank Ferrer Jr., Jacob Jimenez, Lupe Sanchez and Eric Aicinena] struck again with a 19-13 finals decision over New York’s Foreign Policy (victims in the MOT8 finals as well!).
In the 8th Annual ACS National Artistic Pool Championships, Connie Eddins of Santee CA. edged out the boys for the title. ACS would like to especially thank our title sponsor – Lucasi Hybrid Cues, as well as Gary Benson and his tournament direction staff at High Country Promotions, as well as the exhibiting vendors and the host site – the Tropicana Las Vegas! The ACS Nationals is already looking to returning to the Tropicana May 11-17, 2013! The ACS is a national non-profit, member-governed association which will sanction any local pool league (whether player-run or owner-operated) via a $10 annual sanction fee. Contact the ACS at 1-888-662-1705 or www.americancuesports.org for complete information on sanctioning your league!
The ACS currently sanctions leagues in 38 states and enjoys reciprocal relations with its sister organization in Canada (Canadian Cue Sport Association – CCS). Twelve state associations are affiliated to ACS; and the ACS offers a Lucasi Hybrid Midwest ACS Championships each January at the Riverside Resort & Casino in Iowa. The ACS produces a national amateur Lucasi Hybrid All American Tour each Fall thru Spring and offers certification for both instructors and referees dedicated to the sport.
The great Lassiter was the whole show as the billiard pros met for the $12,000 melon at A.G. Bakers Tampa Fla., tournament.
There was three segments of play. 14-1 Pocket Billiards Nine Ball and One Pocket. Each catagory carried first prize money of $1200. Luther Lassiter captured first place in both the 14-1 and Nine Ball portions of the tourney. Danny Jones finished second. A.J. Puckett was third Jimmie Moore and Harry Petrose tied for fourth position in the 14-1 category. Nine ball play found Lassiter also the winner with Jones again placing second. Don Watson captured the one pocket honors with Eddie Taylor runnerup and Joe Spaeth third. One of the highlights was the highrun situation. Jimmie Moore had the high run of 124 going into the final day of play when Lasiter steps to the table and runs 125 and out to capture this prize as well. A.G. Baker is to be complimented for a fine tournament that was extremely exciting to the spectators who cramed The Baker’s Billiard Academy in Tampa Florida.
