In Memorium – Nick Oliva
Nick and Jimmy Moore in Pacific Coast Tourney studying the cue ball in back of twelve ball. Seated is cue star Jimmy Mill looking on.
NICK OLIVA high run, 165-145-131-125-105 from Central Illinois a student of Don Tozer played in the Midwest for many years, moved to the West Coast about 5 years ago.
He turned down a contract with Cleveland Indians, played in minor league with Phil Caveretta of Chicago Cubs.
He has two brothers. Fine cue star Frank ,winner of Chicago City Champion High Run of 145-131-123-101.
Charles held Illinois State Championship, Won Herald American Pocket Billiards Tournament. High run 138-126-115-105.
NICK OLIVA the Decator, Ill., Cue sportman who will compete in the World’s Billlard Tournament on Navy Pier beginning, Feb. 16-22, 1940, said he got his greatest thrill here in Chicago, “I was playing Cowboy Weston and was leading the tournament,” he recalls. “In sizing up a shot, I brushed the ball and sat down. The referee wanted to know why I wasn’t shooting I told him I had fouled. It had escaped him and also Weston. Weston placed his cue on the table, faced the crowd and said, “Ladies and gentlemen I have seen the best and the worse in Billiards all over the world for the last 40 yrs., and I have just now met the most sincere sportsman and the finest gentleman in the game, I have never been thrilled.”
A Scottsdale man who finished among the leaders in the 1964 World’s All-Round Pocket BiIllards Tournament died in his sleep Saturday night in a Los Angeles Motel. NICHOLAS R. OLIVA 8518 Windsor, died in the prime of his live, He was only 46 years old.
He was an electronics buyer for Sperry-Phoenix, for the last four years, and was well know In Arizona purchasing circles, Prior to Sperry he was a buyer at Rocket Power and before that worked for Hughes Air CraftCo.
OLIVA is survived by his wife Evelyn, son Richard and Anthony, a daughter Mrs, Sandra Podeschine, a sister Mrs. Vera Catewood all of Scottsdale and a brother, Frank Oliva of Chicago.
Funeral services and burial are to be in Chicago.
Born at Red Wing, Minn., in 1918 OLIVA was active in sports in Danville and Chicago, Illinois area, including by name World’s Junior Pocket Billiard Champion at 13 years of age, in baseball he was a teammate of Phil Cavarretta of Chicago Cub fame on the 1934 American Legion World Champion team. At that time OLIVA Declined a Cleveland Indian Contract to enter business in Danville in the Air Force overseas. Veteran of World War II, OLIVA was a member of the championship armed forces baseball team.
Though always a ranking pocket Billiard Player, OLIVA played countless matches in 3 cushion billiards with the late Willie Hoppe several years ago. OLIVA finished seventh in the World’s Pocket Billiards meet. In Nov. OLIVA finished in world invitational at Jansco Johnson City, Ill.
In the past three years he played several exhibitions in the Valley against the then champion Willie Mosconi and the Golden Greek Jimmy Caras.