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.