Press release December 21, 2008

2008 Hall of Fame Votes are in

OnePocket.org is pleased to announce the results of their 2008 Hall of Fame elections. Come January 27th, it will be Jack Cooney and the late Marvin Henderson inducted for One Pocket, and Tony 'Fargo' Ferguson for Bank Pool. In addition, the Lifetime Pool in Action honor this year goes to action legend, Jimmy ‘Flyboy’ Spears. The fifth annual One Pocket Hall of Fame dinner is once again being held during the Derby City Classic tournament week. After ten years at the Executive West in Louisville, this year the Classic is being held at a new venue, the Horseshoe Casino, just across the river in Elizabeth, Indiana...

Click here for the full story

Artie Bodendorfer

Rack 'em up with

Artie Bodendorfer

This interview took place January, 10, 2006, when Artie came to the Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky for his induction into the One Pocket Hall of Fame. Artie is one of our less well known hall of fame inductees because he avoided tournaments, and the limelight in general, preferring after hours matches that gave him a chance to win big money. At his best, he perfectly embodied the "Chicago style" of strategically controlled One Pocket, which he took to a higher level than perhaps any other player.

 

Click here for our complete interview with Artie

Banking Legend

Javanley 'Youngblood' Washington

Banking Legend 'Youngblood' dead at 82

September 8, 2008

A family member has reported that the elderly Banks legend Javanley 'Youngblood' Washington died of a heart attack in his home in late July of this year. He had been living alone, and his body was discovered July 28th, but the coroner's office determined that the actual date of his death was several days earlier. With no known family, his body had been held at the morgue, awaiting someone to claim him until recently.

A store clerk who knew the reclusive senior these last couple of years, but had no idea about his pool background and was under the impression that he had no surviving family, discovered OnePocket.org and was surprised to see two sons accepted his HOF award. She contacted Onepocket.org, and we were able to contact one of his sons, who has since been in touch with the coroner's office to confirm his identity.

A memorial service took place September 18 at the Leak and Sons Funeral Home, which was well attended by his extended family. The pool world was well represented, including Fred Bentivegna and Sylvester Duncan, who both spoke at the service.

'Youngblood' was honored in absentia for our Hall of Fame in Banks in 2006. For those who missed this, 'Youngblood' was the premier banking legend in the black community for many years prior to the emergence of Leonard 'Bugs' Rucker. The award was accepted by two of his sons, because no one was able to locate the elder man, and it was not even clear if he was still living.

Click here for Youngblood's Hall of Fame page

Sylver Ochoa, who landed in second

twice on the weekend

Hollywood Jack Memorial One Pocket

July 4-6 , 2008

Texan Sylver Ochoa took to the road to Hollywood Billiards for the first annual Hollywood Jack Memorial One Pocket Tournament, but ultimately it was Scott Frost who took down the main event, leaving Ochoa to settle for second twice on the weekend.

'Hollywood Jack'  had been a regular at Hollywood Billiards, and was a very popular guy around the LA pool scene for years until his death in 2005. Jeff Bey, the current owner of Hollywood Billiards, generously added $3000 to this three day weekend of One Pocket that drew nearly 50 players between the Friday "Teaser" and the weekend's main event...

Click here for full results and photos

Scott Frost/Efren Reyes Challenge Match

May 3, 2008

Efren Reyes, regarded by many as the best One Pocket player in the world, was at Kolbys Corner Pocket in Tempe Arizona to play local superstar Scott Frost in an exciting challenge match for a $5000 purse. But in Scott’s home room, on his home table, Efren found he had his hands full. A crowd of over 200 people gathered to watch 'The Freezer' take on 'The Magician' in a race to eight, and what a treat they were in for. This was put on by Eclipse Media promoter Mark Cantrill and live streamed over the internet, which attracted nearly 750 viewers for this great One Pocket match-up.

Click here for a write-up and more photos

'The Freezer'

'The Beard' with Billy Incardona

One Pocket Hall of Fame Inductions

January 8, 2008

It was another full house for the 2008 One Pocket Hall of Fame dinner held Tuesday night during the middle of the action at the Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky. With special guests with names like Reyes, Varner, Bustamante and Corr, and veterans of the road like Di Liberto, LeBron and Rood, the room was chock full of veteran players and fans of pool action. This was truly an occasion of great players being honored by their peers. Like One Pocket inductee Billy Incardona said, “To be honored among all these great champions is really something special.”

Click here for our full write-up on the 2008 HOF dinner

Shane Van Boening, Man of Action

January 21, 2008

The young man from South Dakota continues to raise his game -- or games -- to new levels, as he took on big name after big name in late night action all week at Derby City. Although, it might have cost him a little in his showing in the main tournament room, Shane Van Boening certainly deserved to win the 2008 Louie Roberts Award for his series of big games in the action room.

Click here for more on the 2008 Louie Roberts Award