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One Pocket
players
In the Billiard
Congress of America Hall of Fame
As
one of the oldest games in pocket billiards, many of our greatest
players over the years have engaged in a little One Pocket
along the way. For a few, One Pocket was one of the
principle games of their careers; others came to the game
later in their lives, after stellar careers in other disciplines;
and still others were lured to the game by the all-around
format popularized first by the Jansco Brothers,
and more recently by the Derby City Classic.
The following players -- all already enshrined in the Billiard
Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame -- all have
some One Pocket in their resumé:
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BUDDY ‘The Rifleman’ HALL *
Known for many years as the archetypical 9-Ball champion,
Buddy has more recently shown he has the knowledge, creativity
and patience to become a One Pocket champion as well
Elected to the
BCA HOF in 2000
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LARRY ‘Boston Shorty’ JOHNSON *
The only player to win four of the Jansco Brother’s
One Pocket tournaments, taking advantage of his strong
Three Cushion skills and his all-around talent – ‘Shorty’
is one of the very few players in the BCA Hall of Fame primarily
on the basis of their One Pocket success Elected
to the BCA HOF in 1999
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Orig.
Johnston City poster
Click
to enlarge
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EDWIN ‘Champagne Eddie’ KELLY *
Ed Kelly and Steve Cook are the only tournament winners from the
original Johnston City days that have since won
a more recent major One Pocket event -- Eddie having won
Grady Mathew’s Super Tournament of 1993 to
go along with his 1966 Johnston City win
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 2003
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LUTHER LASSITER *
Lassiter was the dominant all-around player during the Johnston
City and Stardust days, and though he
was more heavily favored at Straight Pool and 9-Ball, he
played One Pocket well enough to win the One Pocket
division in 1969
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1983
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RAY MARTIN *
With the decline of Straight Pool's popularity, Ray has
taken to a little One Pocket, including a fourth place
finish in the 2004 Gulf Coast Classic
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1994
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STEVE MIZERAK *
After 'retiring' from Straight Pool, Steve came out of retirement
to enter several One Pocket events during the 1990's, garnering
second place finishes in two Legends of One Pocket
events Elected to the BCA HOF in 1980
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JAMES REMPE *
Jim won the 1971 Johnston City One Pocket
division to go along with his many victories in Straight Pool and
9-Ball
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1980
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EFREN ‘Bata’ REYES *
Regarded as the top all-around player of today, Efren has five
times entered the Derby City Classic, and five
times risen to the top of those crowded and talented fields to win
the One Pocket division. In four of those years he was also aptly named ‘Master
of the Table’
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 2003
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MIKE SIGEL*
Known primarily for Straight Pool and 9-Ball, Mike has extended
his winning ways to occasional One Pocket events as well
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1989
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EDDIE ‘The Knoxville Bear’ TAYLOR *
Known as one of the greatest Bank Pool players ever, his superb
banking skills helped carry him to victory in two of the original
Johnston City One Pocket tournaments along
with his 1967 Stardust One Pocket win,
Eddie went on to capture all-around titles at both Johnston
City and Stardust events
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1993
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NICK VARNER *
A top all around player who has brought his disciplined and accurate
style to One Pocket with great success
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1992
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RUDOLPH ‘Minnesota Fats’ WANDERONE *
Along with Bank Pool,
One Pocket is said to have been his best game, and it was
certainly his favorite game -- though of course being pool’s
greatest entertainer is what actually brought him election to the
BCA Hall of Fame -- Fats was a very vocal early promoter of the
game of One Pocket
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1984
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HAROLD WORST *
One of several players
whose interest in One Pocket may have been sparked by the
Johnston City and Stardust 'All
Round' events, Worst won the 1965 Stardust One
Pocket division
Elected to the BCA
HOF in 1970
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