December 9, 2012

One Pocket Hall of Fame

Class of 2012 Inductees Announced

The nomination and voting process is now complete for our incoming class of One Pocket Hall of Fame inductees. OnePocket.org is pleased to announce that Shannon Daulton has been elected both for One Pocket and Bank Pool this year. He joins an elite small group of players that are represented both in the Bank Pool and One Pocket divisions of our Hall of Fame, and is the first to be elected to both in the same year. Shannon also becomes our youngest player ever inducted -- a fitting honor, since no player before or since has ever come to dominate the game of One Pocket at such an early age as Shannon did, beginning as a teenager. Congratulations to Shannon Daulton!

We are also proud to announce that the late champion Larry Price will be our second inductee in the discipline of Bank Pool this year. Larry was a two-time winner of the Derby City Classic Banks division.

April 18, 2012

Grady 'The Professor' Mathews Dies

January 3, 1943 - April 18, 2012

Grady Frederick Mathews III was born January 3, 1943 in San Antonio, TX and passed away on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. He was a son of the late Grady F. Mathews, Jr. and Sammie Lois Lynch Mathews. Grady is survived by his daughter, Marie Cram (Thomas); son, Grady Frederick Mathews, IV; grandson, Thomas Cram, Jr.; brothers, Steve Mathews and Vince Mathews; sisters, Karen Taylor and Terry Gary.

They called him ‘The Professor’, but they could just as aptly have called him Mr. One Pocket. It is hard to imagine a model for contributing more to the game of One Pocket than exhibited over the career of Grady Mathews; he has truly been an ambassador to the game.

When Grady was a teenager his family moved to San Mateo, California, just about 25 miles outside of the pool Mecca of San Francisco. Grady was a good natural athlete, but once he got started with pool, that is where he turned his attention. He proved to be an adept student of pool, especially the game of One Pocket, honing his skills at fabled Cochran’s in San Francisco ...

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Tribute to Grady Mathews

January, 2012

2012 Derby City Classic

Not since Mark Tadd at the Los Angeles Open in 1993 has a player so dominated a major all-around tournament like Shane Van Boening did this year at the 14th annual Derby City Classic. It took the straight shooting young man from Canada, John Morra, two tries to defeat Van Boening in the Banks finals, thus preventing what would have been a sweep for Van Boening, as he went on to win both the One Pocket and 9-Ball divisions.

Morra had entered the final Banks round with his "buy-back" still available, whereas Shane had suffered a loss in an earlier round. Shane prevailed in the first final match, but was finally dispatched by Morra in the second final match. Third place went to Brandon Shuff and 4th to John Brumback.

It only got better for Van Boening in the One Pocket division, as he navigated his way through a field of 312 players to sweep his way to the top prize. Not that it was easy, nor was it just his superior fire-power that carried him. He survived one match with veteran Chicago player Ike Runnels that included a single two hour game in which Shane clawed out a win after falling way behind.

Obviously, Van Boening also came away with the Master of the Table bonus. It was a great week for Van Boening overall, who took home $33,000 in purses and an extra $20,00 for the Master of the Table bonus.

Click here for many more photos from Derby City