This is a brief history of the carom billiards organizations that have allegedly been in charge of our game since the early 1970's when I began my involvement with the game. I never had any illusions about being a champion although I did make a final here and there and even won one official USBA Tournament [ask Mike Melloy-he will confirm] but that was a fluke involving a snow storm and the two favorites not being able to get there.
IN THE BEGINNING there were two organizations: The American Billiards Association [ABA] was formed in the mid-west and became national and played for prize money which meant at the time it was not acceptable to the Union Mondiale de Billard [UMB or World Billiard Union] as they were still trying to maintain the facade of amateurism as they were trying to suck up to the International Olympic Committee to get billiards included in the games. THEY ARE STILL TRYING AND IT IS 50 YEARS LATER and the only thing that has changed is that billiards are now playing for money above the table rather than below it. The Olympics went professional and for ten years we now had two INTERNATIONAL carom organizations at each others throats [BWA vs. UMB] until the UMB swallowed the BWA whole and turned professional.
Meanwhile, back in the states, I believe the ABA came first [late 60's] and then when the UMB informed them that, as they were a “professional” organization, ABA players could not play in world events sanctioned by the UMB we formed the Billiard Federation of the United States of America [BFUSA] and this organization’s, based in California, only purpose was to hold one tournament a year, an amateur event to qualify two Americans to play for the world’s championship, where ever the UMB decided to hold it [in Las Vegas once in the 1970's and once in the 1980's and never in this country since then.]
These two organizations existed side by side, not necessarily in agreement, until I believe 1986 when they merged to become the United States Billiard Association. It is now 30 years later and the organization has been a failure. Sang Lee might have changed that but alas he up and died on us and since then there has been no leadership in the USBA [and I am speaking as a former president] to speak of until Mazin assumed the presidency. Mazin has recruited and number of people to work with and for him because he realized years ago that running the USBA is NOT a ONE MAN JOB and that he would need help if it ever came to that.
The main organizational failure is not having "trained trainers" who would in turn be able to teach the game to both pool players and juniors and NOT to concentrate on their own game. That is the organization's focus has been on tournaments for its members rather than the teaching and exposing of the game to non-players. This must change but in my dim view it is to late.
With out naming names there exists currently a cadre of 8 people who are ACTIVELY WORKING OFF THE TABLE to promote carom billiards in America. You are either on the team or off it. DO NOT ASK THE BILLIARDS WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU BUT ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR BILLIARDS......are you part of the problem or part of the solution???
So to all you little nits out there who do not even have one student that you are teaching [probably a good thing as you probably only play 0.400 which is pathetic and does not qualify you as a teacher] all I can say is you can continue in your own little world, play a few innings with some old friends, AND WATCH THE GAME DIE OR YOU CAN GET OFF YOUR FAT ASSES AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING. The choice is yours, I have made mine......
IN THE BEGINNING there were two organizations: The American Billiards Association [ABA] was formed in the mid-west and became national and played for prize money which meant at the time it was not acceptable to the Union Mondiale de Billard [UMB or World Billiard Union] as they were still trying to maintain the facade of amateurism as they were trying to suck up to the International Olympic Committee to get billiards included in the games. THEY ARE STILL TRYING AND IT IS 50 YEARS LATER and the only thing that has changed is that billiards are now playing for money above the table rather than below it. The Olympics went professional and for ten years we now had two INTERNATIONAL carom organizations at each others throats [BWA vs. UMB] until the UMB swallowed the BWA whole and turned professional.
Meanwhile, back in the states, I believe the ABA came first [late 60's] and then when the UMB informed them that, as they were a “professional” organization, ABA players could not play in world events sanctioned by the UMB we formed the Billiard Federation of the United States of America [BFUSA] and this organization’s, based in California, only purpose was to hold one tournament a year, an amateur event to qualify two Americans to play for the world’s championship, where ever the UMB decided to hold it [in Las Vegas once in the 1970's and once in the 1980's and never in this country since then.]
These two organizations existed side by side, not necessarily in agreement, until I believe 1986 when they merged to become the United States Billiard Association. It is now 30 years later and the organization has been a failure. Sang Lee might have changed that but alas he up and died on us and since then there has been no leadership in the USBA [and I am speaking as a former president] to speak of until Mazin assumed the presidency. Mazin has recruited and number of people to work with and for him because he realized years ago that running the USBA is NOT a ONE MAN JOB and that he would need help if it ever came to that.
The main organizational failure is not having "trained trainers" who would in turn be able to teach the game to both pool players and juniors and NOT to concentrate on their own game. That is the organization's focus has been on tournaments for its members rather than the teaching and exposing of the game to non-players. This must change but in my dim view it is to late.
With out naming names there exists currently a cadre of 8 people who are ACTIVELY WORKING OFF THE TABLE to promote carom billiards in America. You are either on the team or off it. DO NOT ASK THE BILLIARDS WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU BUT ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR BILLIARDS......are you part of the problem or part of the solution???
So to all you little nits out there who do not even have one student that you are teaching [probably a good thing as you probably only play 0.400 which is pathetic and does not qualify you as a teacher] all I can say is you can continue in your own little world, play a few innings with some old friends, AND WATCH THE GAME DIE OR YOU CAN GET OFF YOUR FAT ASSES AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING. The choice is yours, I have made mine......
