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ABOUT
THIS INDUCTEE: Irving
Crane was born in Livonia,
New York. His love for the game started as a child, when he was
given a toy billiard table. Although he played steadily as a teenager,
he did not enter tournament play until the age of 23. He won his
first world title in 1942. Since then, he has won almost two dozen
major championships, including the world crown in 1946, 1955, 1966,
1968, 1970, 1972, plus the International Roundrobin championship
in 1968. Read more.
Acknowledgement: The
following information listed in this section of The8Knights is credited
to the Billiard Congress of America. Check out their official site
at http://www.bca-pool.com.
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Sang Chun Lee
1954 - 2004
Inducted 2007
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Sang
Chun Lee discovered his life's own path as
a boy in South Korea at the age of 15 when he took an
interest in carom billiards. When he immigrated to the
United States in 1987, it was his dream "to make 3-cushion
billiards beautiful in America." Sang, often times to
referred to a "the human walking highlight reel," is
single-handedly responsible for the 3-cushion resurgence
in the United States (a game that was nearly extinct
before he arrived in the states) and for planting the
seeds of 3-cushion as a gentleman's sport. His achievements
include: 1993 World 3-Cushion Champion; winner of five
BWA Worldcup tournaments; 12 consecutive U.S. National
3-Cushion Championships (1990-2001); 10 consecutive
Korean National Championships (1978-1987); winner of
numerous national and international tournaments in Korea
and the United States; a personal high run of 28; and
a best game of 50 points in four innings. Sang also
opened two billiard rooms in New York City - SL Billiards
and New York City's Carom Café, the largest 3-cushion
billiard room in the country. Sang died in 2004 at the
age of 50. He has left behind him a wake of devoted
fans, all who remember him as a true champion that always
offered his time, encouragement and vast knowledge to
any player that took an interest in carom billiards.
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Earl Strickland
1961 - Present
Inducted 2006
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Earl
Strickland was a dominant player during the
1980s and 1990s, and continues to be so today. He currently
holds over 100 tournament titles and has been named
“Player of the Year” five times. He won the Akron Open
nine times and the US Open 9-Ball Championship five
times: 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997 and 2000. He has won the
World 9-Ball Championship six times: 1984, ‘88, ‘90,
‘91, ‘94 and 2002. He most recently won the World Pool
Masters Trick Shot Challenge in 2003. In addition to
his individual championships, he has been a team member
on nine winning U.S. Mosconi Cup teams, including 2005,
and was captain in two of those years. He has conducted
numerous exhibitions at trade shows, Air Force bases
and at the Raoping Billiard School in China. Mr. Strickland
maintains an active charity schedule, donating exhibition
time for programs such as Pool Aid ’95, D.A.R.E., Paralyzed
Veterans of America, Brenner Children’s Hospital, Billiard
Education Foundation, Children’s Burn Center and others. |
Robin Bell Dodson
1956 - Present
Inducted 2005
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Robin
Bell Dodson began playing pool at the age
of 12 and four years later, she won the California Women’s
State Championships. After a five-year break from the
sport, she returned to billiards in 1984 with a new
foundation and fervor for the sport she loved. Robin
is known for her steely determination and accurate shot
making, which she used to claim 27 professional tournament
titles. She finished in the top four on 25 occasions
and captured six major titles from 1985-90, including
the 1989 National Championships and the 1990 WPA World
9-Ball Championships. In 1991, she won her second WPA
World Championship, several additional titles and was
named Player of the Year. From 1985-93 she never ranked
lower than third in the Women’s Professional Billiard
Association (WPBA) and in 1998, she returned to the
winner’s circle at the BCA Twin Cities Classic. That
win, along with six added top finishes that year, earned
her the No. 8 spot for the season. Aptly nicknamed “Bankroll”
for her ability to win the big-money events, she earned
$400,000 in career prize monies, including two $20,000
purses in back-to-back wins at the Gordon’s Championships
in 1994 and ‘95. |
Mike Massey
1947 - Present
Inducted 2005
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Mike
Massey has been playing pool for 45 years
and won his first professional tournament (9-Ball) in
1971. Considered pool’s best trick shot artist for almost
30 years, Mike has given substantial visibility to the
sport by traveling the globe to perform exhibitions,
teach pool and compete in a variety of disciplines.
He holds multiple national and international titles,
including the World Artistic Pool Championship in 2000,
‘02 and ’03. He won the National 9-Ball Championship
in 1982, the Senior Masters 9-Ball Championship in 1997
and in 1996 he participated on the winning team in the
Mosconi Cup. He has won the World Trick Shot Championships
in Snooker on two occasions, and he is a repeat champion
of ESPN’s Trick Shot Magic, winning in 2000, ‘01, ‘03
and ’04. He’s been in five movies, acting, performing
trick shots or serving as a technical advisor, plus
did the voice-over commentary on the DVD of the movie
The Hustler and recreated the difficult shots performed
in the movie and is featured in the documentary. In
2003, he co-wrote Mike Massey’s World of Trick Shots
with Phil Capelle, and is a regular contributor to billiard
publications. |
Ewa Mataya Laurance
1964 - Present
Inducted 2004
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Ewa
Mataya Laurance is one of the best-known
and recognizable stars in billiards. Known as “The Striking
Viking”, she began her career in her native Sweden,
where she captured the National 9-Ball Championship
in 1980. In 1981, she won this title again and also
won the 14.1 Championship and the European 14.1 Championship.
She won the World Open 9-Ball Championship in 1983 and
1984, and she captained the winning team in the Old
Milwaukee Team Cup in 1984. In 1988, Ms. Laurance won
the International 9-Ball, the World 8-Ball and the U.S.
Open Women’s 9-Ball Championships. She set the Women’s
High Run record for Straight Pool in 1988 and has held
it (except for 10 minutes in 1992) since then. She also
won the 1991 WPBA National, the 1991 Women’s U.S. Open
9-Ball and the 1994 WPA World 9-Ball Championships.
Ms. Laurance has made many TV appearances, written four
books, received the Billiard & Bowling Institute
of America (BBIA) Industry Service award, visited U.S.
troops in Bosnia, is the only billiard player ever featured
on the cover of the New York Times Magazine and currently
serves as President of the WPBA.
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George Balabushka
1912 - 1975
Inducted 2004
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Cue
maker George Balabushka
was born in Russia on December 9, 1912. He arrived in
the U.S. in 1924 and began designing and building children’s
wooden toys and educational materials, which gave him
an intimate knowledge of the properties of various woods.
After 30 years as a woodworker and Straight Pool player,
he began making pool cues. He was an innovator in cue
construction, finishes and designs. Mr. Balabushka was
quickly recognized as the premier cue maker of his era,
inspiring other cue makers and elevating the demand
for custom cues. He was the first to be inducted into
the American Cuemakers Association (ACA) Hall of Fame
in 1993. Because of their playability, design and rarity,
Balabushka cues have become legendary and highly collectible.
A Balabushka cue was featured as an object of admiration
in the book and movie The Color of Money. Mr. Balabushka
died in 1975 at the of age 62.
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Edwin Kelly
1938 - Present
Inducted 2003
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Edwin
Kelly was born in Waterbury, Connecticut,
on May 17, 1938. He learned to play billiards by watching
the locals and practicing 12 hours a day. If he ever
saw a shot that he hadn’t seen before, he’d stop the
game and insist that his opponent show him how it was
done. Mr. Kelly entered the 1963 Johnston City World
All-Around, placing second to Luther “Wimpy” Lassiter.
Excerpts of their final match were shown on national
television. But road trips were still necessary to supplement
a player’s income, and he traveled with Eddie Taylor,
Alvin Clarence "Titanic" Thompson and Ronnie Allen.
He was crowned the World 9-Ball Champion in 1965, and
in 1966, he won the 9-Ball and One Pocket divisions
of the Johnson City World All-Around Championships.
In 1969, he won the L.A. Open World Pocket Billiard
(14.1) Championship and in 1971, he won the One Pocket
title and All-Around World Championship title. Over
the years, Mr. Kelly became friends with Fred Astaire
and James Caan, and he knew Peter Falk and Richard Conte,
Hollywood stars who frequented the West Coast events.
With his dapper attire, movie star looks and brash confidence,
he fit in perfectly with the elite movie crowd. This
lifestyle and his “smooth” play earned him the nickname
“Champagne Eddie”.
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Efren Reyes
1954 - Present
Inducted 2003
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Eren
Reyes was born in Pampanga, Philippines,
on August 26, 1954. At the age of five, he went to live
with his uncle who owned a pool room in Manila. He picked
up the nickname “Bata”, which means “The Kid” in his
native language. Young Efren worked as a billiard attendant,
sleeping on the pool table so he could play as soon
as he woke up. He taught himself the “simple” shots
such as English, draw, follow-through and position by
watching the good players. But his secret may be found
in what he learned from the weaker players, who sometimes
made unintentional, but brilliant shots. This ability
to make the “impossible shot” earned him the nickname
of "The Magician". Mr. Reyes is a Gold Medal winner
in the Asian Games (9-Ball) and Southeast Asian Games
(Snooker). In 2001, he won the richest first prize in
pool history ($163,172) in the Tokyo 9-Ball Championship.
He is also a champion at Rotation and Balkline. His
many wins include the 1995 Pro Tour Championship, 1995
PBT World 8-Ball, 1999 Derby City One-Pocket, 1999 ESPN
Ultimate Challenge, 1999 WPA World 9-Ball Championship,
2000 Camel Pro 8-Ball, 2001 Masters 9-Ball, 2002 Challenge
of Champions and 2003 Mid-Atlantic 9-Ball Championship.
He led his country’s team to victory in the World Team
Billiards event.
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Loree Jon Jones
1965 - Present
Inducted 2002
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Loree
Jon Jones began playing billiards at age
four at her home in Garwood, New Jersey. Recognizing
her talent, her father built wooden boxes around the
table so she would be the correct height for him to
teach her the sport. Her father was her instructor,
and her mother became her daily practice partner. She
ran her first rack of balls at age 5. At age 11, she
became a pro player with the Women’s Professional Billiard
Association (WPBA) and known as “Queen of the Hill”.
At age 15, she won the World 9-Ball tournament, becoming
the youngest player, male or female, ever to win a world
title, a feat recognized by the Guinness Book of World
Records. From 1987 to 1993, she won 18 tournaments,
including her third WPBA National Championship. When
she won the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World
Championship, she had held every title possible in women’s
professional pocket billiards. Her greatest victories
are eight World championships, three National championships
and three U.S. Open championships. At the time of her
induction, she held over 50 titles, and over the course
of her career, Ms. Jones was recognized five times as
“Player of the Year” by Pool & Billiard Magazine
and Billiards Digest.
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Jim Rempe
1947 - Present
Inducted 2002
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Jim
Rempe was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania
and began to play billiards at age six. “My goal, ever
since I was a small child, was to be the best pool player
in the world,” he once remarked. At age 13, he renewed
his interest in billiards, playing up to 10 hours a
day. To further his skill, he frequently went to New
York to watch the top pros. After high school, he traveled
across the country for three years, improving his game
by playing all the best players. He turned professional
at age 22. He played so much better than anyone else,
he became known by his nickname, “King James”. From
1972 until 1978, he won more championships than any
other player in the world. In total, he has won nearly
100 major championships and 11 world titles. Included
on his long list of top finishes are the World One-Pocket
Championship, the World 9-Ball Championship, the World
Straight Pool Championship, All-Around Champion of the
World and the Mizerak Senior Tour . Also known as “The
Ambassador of Pool”, he has traveled the world sharing
his secrets on billiards. An international star and
the first major player to bring modern pool to Europe
and the Orient, Mr. Rempe has loyal subjects on every
continent.
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