BCA Hall of Fame: Janscos Inducted Posthumously

BCA Hall of Fame: Janscos Inducted Posthumously

The legendary promoters were posthumously honored with 2019 BCA Hall of Fame induction. By R.A. Dyer It was in a nothing poolroom 300 miles from nowhere, a nothing poolroom with concrete walls, bleachers and overshot with the mingled odors of beer, cigarettes and desperation. For respectable pool players, the 1961 tournament at Johnston City’s too-hopefully named “Show Bar”...
Memories of the Johnston City Hustler Jamborees

Memories of the Johnston City Hustler Jamborees

Pool history includes plenty of examples of grander tournaments but few were as colorful as those in Johnston City. I have been thinking a lot lately about the famous 1960s Johnston City tournaments, especially given the recent selection of tournament founders George and Paulie Jansco for posthumous induction into the Billiard Congress Hall of Fame.  The colorful tournaments in Southern...

Video: Legend Taberski Performs Trick Shots

Here’s some footage of Frank Taberski performing a number of trick shots, including “Chinese Pool,” which was a popular variation of the game during the early 20th Century. Mike Shamos, in his excellent New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards, described Chinese Pool as a game “in which the cue ball is not stroked but is instead rolled down the groove formed by two cue...

News and More

Hustler & the Champ on Kindle

R.A. Dyer's critically acclaimed biography of Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats available in hardback or Kindle.

Expanded edition of Hustler Days

Biography of Lassiter, Fats and Jersey Red, released originally in 2003, now updated with expanded content.

Pool History in Billiards Digest

R.A. Dyer writes about a startling new Minnesota Fats discovery in the November edition of Billiards Digest.

Dyer featured in documentary

R.A. Dyer appears in Swimming with Sharks documentary, included in the 50th anniversary edition of The Hustler.

Janscos Inducted into Hall of Fame

Pool promoters George and Paulie Jansco receive posthumous induction. Read R.A. Dyer's story.