Here's the 1st article wrote by Bill Smith for "Billiards Digest", back in 1991 detailing the problem and a solution thats seem to be still in place in this country today.
Where Have The Tournaments Gone?
HOW COME THE greatest country
in the world can't get a national
3-cushion billiards tournament, with
some meat on it, off the ground? A
modest lull might be understandable.
But billiards is in the absolute
doldrums in America, with virtually
no competition for two years!
I think the place to start is with a
completely new organization, of and
for the top players, with a management
tearn at the helm to put our individual
talents to best use. We have,
in our present ranks, outspoken types
who would be well-suited in
spokesperson roles. Others are skilled
at instruction, and educating the
public about the game itself; I've contributed
along those lines in the past
and would be more than happy to continue
doing so. Because of billiards' international
appeal, bilingual players
would be very valuable, and so on. But
someone's got to do something.
In the pool world, players have accomplished
a partial solution along
lines similar to What I've proposed.
The Men's Professional Billiards
Association (MPBA) has been able to
increase the players' lot from nine major
tournaments in 1990 to 20 for
1991. This came about because the top
players were fed up with observing
thatin golf, the lOOth-leading moneywinner
was still at the six-figure level;
and most caddies were doing better
than pool players in general. So they
knuckled down and went to work;
they drove a good bargain with television,
and now at least some dozens of
professional players can anticipate
making some sort of living from their
game. It proves the old'adage, "If you
want .something done right, do it
yourself."
In billiards, we normally consider
Europe to be the hub of the game,
Europeans are having their problems
with tournament play too, at least with
meets that can provide money consistent
with the level of play. But they dp
have one thing going for tHein that we
don't-: They play a continuous circuit
of club team matches that keeps their
competitive level as high as it is. That,
along with their depth of players and
their geographical convenience, is the:
real reason Americans are not oil the
same par—but we could be, if we had
the same opportunities -
True, it's a littlerknown problem;
on the surface, our game seems too
technical and difficult to recruit new
talent readily. But it can be learned,
and once that's accomplished, the
game's alluring mystique often makes
it compulsive, and even hypnotic. I've
proved that dozens of times, and so
have other generous players, We
desperately need corporate intervention,
just as pool does; but billiards
boasts more professional people, with
appropriate contacts, in its ranks. I
know of no top player who, if he had
the financial resources, would not
cbme forward and dd; his part for the
game, and that certainly includes me.
Golf, for years, has had a "satellite
circuit'' composed of players and tour-
; naments just under the prestigious
PGA level. Of course the purses aren't
anything close to what the PGA cir-
.cuit's are, but these budding stars are
still able to stay with their ganie and
help promote it and themselves in
some way. Who funds these secondechelon
tournaments? The players
themselves, of course, or in some
.cases, their backers. Billiards should
follow suit. There are unquestionably
some wealthy, influential people who
are supposed to be loyal patrons of
this great game. Loosen your pockets
a bit; gentlemen; we can't all be champions,
and some of us should be willing
to settle for being avid supporters
and financial suppliers for the game.
Sponsor a tournament, or at least a
player. If we're going to recruit anew
generation of young players, we need
to form an alliance; of management,
media, promotion and instruction.
•Otherwise, what's to become of our
great game? In the '50s;Life did a profile
on the immortal Willie Hoppe, in
which he was asked how he thought
our game compared to others involving
a ball. He stated* "Billiards is the
ultimate test of man's control over a
ball." That's just as true 40 years later,
and those words are not likely to be
topped. Ultimately, it's up tons.
I've said my piece. Any response,
dialogue, rebuttals? , : -
Your silence is deafening, fellas.
Bill Smith, of Chicago, is one of the
country's top three-cushion players.
sincerely,
Gilbert Najm
Professional Amateur. 3 Cushion Billiards
Where Have The Tournaments Gone?
HOW COME THE greatest country
in the world can't get a national
3-cushion billiards tournament, with
some meat on it, off the ground? A
modest lull might be understandable.
But billiards is in the absolute
doldrums in America, with virtually
no competition for two years!
I think the place to start is with a
completely new organization, of and
for the top players, with a management
tearn at the helm to put our individual
talents to best use. We have,
in our present ranks, outspoken types
who would be well-suited in
spokesperson roles. Others are skilled
at instruction, and educating the
public about the game itself; I've contributed
along those lines in the past
and would be more than happy to continue
doing so. Because of billiards' international
appeal, bilingual players
would be very valuable, and so on. But
someone's got to do something.
In the pool world, players have accomplished
a partial solution along
lines similar to What I've proposed.
The Men's Professional Billiards
Association (MPBA) has been able to
increase the players' lot from nine major
tournaments in 1990 to 20 for
1991. This came about because the top
players were fed up with observing
thatin golf, the lOOth-leading moneywinner
was still at the six-figure level;
and most caddies were doing better
than pool players in general. So they
knuckled down and went to work;
they drove a good bargain with television,
and now at least some dozens of
professional players can anticipate
making some sort of living from their
game. It proves the old'adage, "If you
want .something done right, do it
yourself."
In billiards, we normally consider
Europe to be the hub of the game,
Europeans are having their problems
with tournament play too, at least with
meets that can provide money consistent
with the level of play. But they dp
have one thing going for tHein that we
don't-: They play a continuous circuit
of club team matches that keeps their
competitive level as high as it is. That,
along with their depth of players and
their geographical convenience, is the:
real reason Americans are not oil the
same par—but we could be, if we had
the same opportunities -
True, it's a littlerknown problem;
on the surface, our game seems too
technical and difficult to recruit new
talent readily. But it can be learned,
and once that's accomplished, the
game's alluring mystique often makes
it compulsive, and even hypnotic. I've
proved that dozens of times, and so
have other generous players, We
desperately need corporate intervention,
just as pool does; but billiards
boasts more professional people, with
appropriate contacts, in its ranks. I
know of no top player who, if he had
the financial resources, would not
cbme forward and dd; his part for the
game, and that certainly includes me.
Golf, for years, has had a "satellite
circuit'' composed of players and tour-
; naments just under the prestigious
PGA level. Of course the purses aren't
anything close to what the PGA cir-
.cuit's are, but these budding stars are
still able to stay with their ganie and
help promote it and themselves in
some way. Who funds these secondechelon
tournaments? The players
themselves, of course, or in some
.cases, their backers. Billiards should
follow suit. There are unquestionably
some wealthy, influential people who
are supposed to be loyal patrons of
this great game. Loosen your pockets
a bit; gentlemen; we can't all be champions,
and some of us should be willing
to settle for being avid supporters
and financial suppliers for the game.
Sponsor a tournament, or at least a
player. If we're going to recruit anew
generation of young players, we need
to form an alliance; of management,
media, promotion and instruction.
•Otherwise, what's to become of our
great game? In the '50s;Life did a profile
on the immortal Willie Hoppe, in
which he was asked how he thought
our game compared to others involving
a ball. He stated* "Billiards is the
ultimate test of man's control over a
ball." That's just as true 40 years later,
and those words are not likely to be
topped. Ultimately, it's up tons.
I've said my piece. Any response,
dialogue, rebuttals? , : -
Your silence is deafening, fellas.
Bill Smith, of Chicago, is one of the
country's top three-cushion players.
sincerely,
Gilbert Najm
Professional Amateur. 3 Cushion Billiards
