West Virginia isn't exactly known for its pool, even though pool pro John Schmidt aka "Mr. 400" may leave his mark on Wheeling. My father was from West Virginia, and when I think of this beautiful area of the country, I have visions of scenic mountains, coal mines, and good music. Pool, though, doesn't come to mind.
Recently, Caldwell, WV, decided to honor one of its own who was killed in an automobile accident: Chan Whitt, a promising young pool player. Often decked out in a snazzy tuxedo, little Chan appeared on ESPN, “The Today Show,” “PM Magazine,” “Good Morning America,” “Sports World” and “That’s Incredible.”
Until little Chan Whitt Jr. appeared with his bag of magical pool tricks, the only claim to fame in this hamlet was the “Caldwell Hump,” an exaggerated piece of roadway inside a tunnel that, when crossed at a high speed, nearly hurled occupants through the roofs of vehicles.
Learning at the feet of his father, Whitt, a child prodigy, quickly turned the billiards world upside down, deftly performing stunts that seasoned veterans couldn’t duplicate.
More than once, an embarrassed adult walked sheepishly away from a table, his ego deflated by a pint-sized player whom one journalist dubbed “cute and deadly.”
He crossed the globe, winning a major tournament once in Japan, and appeared well en route to a rewarding career, until his life was cut short in a highway accident in 1994.
“There was no big-headedness in him,” his mother recalled. “He was very genteel.”
In an interview with United Press International, a reporter was not only struck by his array of tricks, but also by his politeness, when Whitt prefaced every answer with a “yes, sir” or a “no, sir” — rare for a youngster in this era, especially one so talented with world acclaim.
Chan’s father figured his son eventually would have become the world’s greatest billiards player. Someday, he hopes to set up a 30-table pool hall, with a bar and restaurant, decorating it with at least 1,000 photographs of his famous son.
When they unveilled the sign, Chan's sisters erupted in tears. These are proud people, and 17 years later, they still mourn and wonder what could have been with the Prince of Pool.
Source: Prince of Pool Whitt Gets Roadside Honor [retrieved 8 May 2011]
Chan Whitt Sr., center, embraces his daughter and Chan Whitt Jr.’s sister, Priscilla Johnson, right, as Whitt’s other sisters, Melissa Durnen, left, and Dawn Whitt, not pictured, react to seeing the sign dedicated to their brother for the first time Wednesday afternoon in Caldwell.
Recently, Caldwell, WV, decided to honor one of its own who was killed in an automobile accident: Chan Whitt, a promising young pool player. Often decked out in a snazzy tuxedo, little Chan appeared on ESPN, “The Today Show,” “PM Magazine,” “Good Morning America,” “Sports World” and “That’s Incredible.”
Until little Chan Whitt Jr. appeared with his bag of magical pool tricks, the only claim to fame in this hamlet was the “Caldwell Hump,” an exaggerated piece of roadway inside a tunnel that, when crossed at a high speed, nearly hurled occupants through the roofs of vehicles.
Learning at the feet of his father, Whitt, a child prodigy, quickly turned the billiards world upside down, deftly performing stunts that seasoned veterans couldn’t duplicate.
More than once, an embarrassed adult walked sheepishly away from a table, his ego deflated by a pint-sized player whom one journalist dubbed “cute and deadly.”
He crossed the globe, winning a major tournament once in Japan, and appeared well en route to a rewarding career, until his life was cut short in a highway accident in 1994.
“There was no big-headedness in him,” his mother recalled. “He was very genteel.”
In an interview with United Press International, a reporter was not only struck by his array of tricks, but also by his politeness, when Whitt prefaced every answer with a “yes, sir” or a “no, sir” — rare for a youngster in this era, especially one so talented with world acclaim.
Chan’s father figured his son eventually would have become the world’s greatest billiards player. Someday, he hopes to set up a 30-table pool hall, with a bar and restaurant, decorating it with at least 1,000 photographs of his famous son.
When they unveilled the sign, Chan's sisters erupted in tears. These are proud people, and 17 years later, they still mourn and wonder what could have been with the Prince of Pool.
Source: Prince of Pool Whitt Gets Roadside Honor [retrieved 8 May 2011]
Chan Whitt Sr., center, embraces his daughter and Chan Whitt Jr.’s sister, Priscilla Johnson, right, as Whitt’s other sisters, Melissa Durnen, left, and Dawn Whitt, not pictured, react to seeing the sign dedicated to their brother for the first time Wednesday afternoon in Caldwell.
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