Calendar

On this day in 1985, pool legend Efren Reyes showed up anonymously at Red’s Billiards, in Houston, Texas, to participate in the room’s 9-Ball Open. This was his first known appearance in the United States. The tournament’s 108-man field included many of the nation’s top players, including Earl Strickland. But Reyes (then traveling under the pseudonym Cesar Morales) came out on top.

Although sportswriter John Grissim came across Reyes in Manilla during the 1970s and wrote then about his prowess, and although Reyes was considered the Philippines top player by 1985, when he showed up at Reds he was completely unknown. Reyes beat Wade Crane (then playing under the alias Billy Johnson) in the tournament final.

“I didn’t even know the rules,” Reyes said months after his first U.S. victory. “I figured as long as I keep making balls, I will win.”

February 2 is the birthday of champion caroms layer Dieter Müller. Mr. Müller won his first German championship title in 1967 in Düsseldorf and in total won 32 German championship titles. In 1969, at a tournament in the Netherlands, Mülle won the first of his eight European titles. He also racked up four world championships.  Dieter Müller was born on Feb, 2, 1943.

Allison Fisher, one of the winningest competitors in all of pro sports, was born on Feb. 24, 1968 in Cheshunt, England. She won her first world title at the age of 17, and so far has won over 80 national titles and 11 world titles. Ms. Fisher, known colloquially as “The Duchess of Doom,” was inducted into the Billiard Congress Hall of Fame in 2009.

Don Willis (May 1, 1909 – March 2, 1984) was the long-time road partner of the great Wimpy Lassiter. Willis participated in few tournaments, but rather earned his reputation as a gambling road player. You can read more about his partnership with Lassiter and their “Big Hoorah” hustle at the #poolhistory website, here. 

William Emmett Blankenship was born in Olden, Missouri, an unincorporated area north of West Plains, on April 6th, 1892. He won the world pool title on his first attempt in 1916. Blankenship was the first person to run over a hundred balls at Straight Pool and had a personal best high run of 287 balls during an exhibition in Jackson, Michigan.

On April 11, 1996, Earl Strickland ran 11 consecutive racks to win the “Dallas Million-Dollar Challenge.”  Conducted during the first Professional CueSports Association tournament in 1996, in Dallas Texas, the challenged include rules stipulating that anyone who could break and run 10 racks would win a million dollars. Because of a reported racking “glitch” Strickland needed to run 11.

However, the promotional company immediately balked at paying the prize, which, according to reports, could be accepted as a lump sum of $630,000 or as a 20-year annuity with payments of $50,000. After some legal wrangling with the insurance company, Stickland reportedly ended up with more than the $630,000 than he would’ve taken as a lump sum — even after paying $200,000 in legal fees.

Hugo Kerkau, a German carom billiards player and world champion, was founder of “Café Kerkau” (1901) and the Kerkau Palace (1910), both located in Berlin. The Kerkau Palace had 48 tables and was famous for chess playing as well as pool. Kerkau was born on December 13, 1874 and died, at age 43, on April 15, 1918.

Alfredo De Oro, the Cuban billiards star, is largely forgotten these days — probably because his spectacular career occurred before living memory and because his exploits were overshadowed by the very colorful Ralph Greenleaf, who followed close on his heels. But de Oro was among the first inductees into the Billiard Congress Hall of Fame. He also mounted a championship career that would rival that of Greenleaf or any of the other lions. De Oro was born April 28, 1863 and died on April 23, 1948.

Don Willis (May 1, 1909 – March 2, 1984) was the long-time road partner of the great Wimpy Lassiter. Willis participated in few tournaments, but rather earned his reputation as a gambling road player. You can read more about his partnership with Lassiter and their “Big Hoorah” hustle at the #poolhistory website, here. 

Buddy Hall, the famous Rifleman,  was inducted into the Billiard Congress Hall of Fame in 2000. A two-time U.S. Open winner, Mr. Hall was a phenomenon during the 1980s and 1990s, having one scores of titles, and is considered as one of the all time great nine-ball players. He was born on May 29, 1945 and died on May 22, 2025 in Metropolis, Illinois.