Well, here I am at WPBA Oregon at the beautiful Chinook Winds Casino and Hotel in Lincoln City, Oregon, located right on the west coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean, which I can see from my hotel room. It was a long trip to get here, which began with six hours alone on a plane, after which I spent nearly three hours on a shuttle from Portland Airport to Lincoln City. Mercifully, I had some company on my shuttle, including Jennifer Chen, Brittany Bryant, Naomi Williams, Lisa D'Atri, Candi Rego and Liz Taylor. The chat was warm and friendly, so the trip actually went by quickly.
On Wednesday morning, the annual meeting of the WPBA took place, but, to be honest, the day's more entertaining fare was the Hall of Fame banquet that followed and I was lucky enough to be there. Among those sitting at my table were good friends Allison Fisher, Kristi Carter, Melissa Herndon, Jennifer Barretta, and Aileen Pippin Dimmick. The chat was warm, the food was savory, but the real fun began when our esteemed emcee (Belinda) introduced the keynote speaker, Mike Shamos.
Mike, among the game's greatest-ever historians, gave an address and a video presentation about the history of women's pool, all the way from the sixteenth century up to the formation of the WPBA Classic tour in 1993. I suspect I was more famiiar with this history than all but a few in attendance, but I found it fascinating, and Mike definitely wowed me and the rest of the crowd. Thanks, Mike.
Next, emcee Belinda introduced Roy Dodson,who warmly and skillfully introduced his wife, our 2009 WPBA Hall of Fame inductee Robin Bell Dodson, whose entire playing career I saw up close and remembered well. Robin spoke with sincerity and humility, reminding the players of today to work hard and make this the best season of their lives. Her address was short and sweet, and Robin, whose personality is every bit as infectious as her smile, rose to the occasion and gave an upbeat, heartfelt thank you to the WPBA organization. When Robin stepped down, I, yes your own SJM, asked emcee Belinda whether I could share a few things to the audience about Robin.
I had no prepared remarks, but was happy to wing it. After acknowledging Robin's great competitive career and long-term excellence, I wanted to help the attendees appreciate that Robin had a big part in transforming the women's pro game. I noted that Robin had been the first of the WPBA players to excel at the jump shot, and that, just as Earl Strickland and Sammy Jones had popularized it in men's pool in the late 1980's, Robin had popularized it in women's pool n the early 1990's. I knew this because I was there when it happened. Humbly, and very much to my surprise, Robin noted that Ewa Mataya Laurance and Vick Paski had jumped before her, and had inspired her to master the jump shot. This seemed odd to me, for I'd been there. Surely, I couldn't be mistaken on this point. Was i guilty of revisionist history, I wondered?
I've since chatted with Ewa, who admitted that she'd jumped with a full cue before Robin, but that when she saw what Robin was able to do with the long-celebrated "Frog" jump cue, her reaction was "I gotta get me one of those." Ewa told me that it was Robin who inspired her to become a skillful jumper. These two humble women each cited the other as their inspiration for mastery of the jump shot! Oh, now I get it. Sort of.
So that's how the WPBA Hall of Fame luncheon went and it was great.
On Wednesday morning, the annual meeting of the WPBA took place, but, to be honest, the day's more entertaining fare was the Hall of Fame banquet that followed and I was lucky enough to be there. Among those sitting at my table were good friends Allison Fisher, Kristi Carter, Melissa Herndon, Jennifer Barretta, and Aileen Pippin Dimmick. The chat was warm, the food was savory, but the real fun began when our esteemed emcee (Belinda) introduced the keynote speaker, Mike Shamos.
Mike, among the game's greatest-ever historians, gave an address and a video presentation about the history of women's pool, all the way from the sixteenth century up to the formation of the WPBA Classic tour in 1993. I suspect I was more famiiar with this history than all but a few in attendance, but I found it fascinating, and Mike definitely wowed me and the rest of the crowd. Thanks, Mike.
Next, emcee Belinda introduced Roy Dodson,who warmly and skillfully introduced his wife, our 2009 WPBA Hall of Fame inductee Robin Bell Dodson, whose entire playing career I saw up close and remembered well. Robin spoke with sincerity and humility, reminding the players of today to work hard and make this the best season of their lives. Her address was short and sweet, and Robin, whose personality is every bit as infectious as her smile, rose to the occasion and gave an upbeat, heartfelt thank you to the WPBA organization. When Robin stepped down, I, yes your own SJM, asked emcee Belinda whether I could share a few things to the audience about Robin.
I had no prepared remarks, but was happy to wing it. After acknowledging Robin's great competitive career and long-term excellence, I wanted to help the attendees appreciate that Robin had a big part in transforming the women's pro game. I noted that Robin had been the first of the WPBA players to excel at the jump shot, and that, just as Earl Strickland and Sammy Jones had popularized it in men's pool in the late 1980's, Robin had popularized it in women's pool n the early 1990's. I knew this because I was there when it happened. Humbly, and very much to my surprise, Robin noted that Ewa Mataya Laurance and Vick Paski had jumped before her, and had inspired her to master the jump shot. This seemed odd to me, for I'd been there. Surely, I couldn't be mistaken on this point. Was i guilty of revisionist history, I wondered?
I've since chatted with Ewa, who admitted that she'd jumped with a full cue before Robin, but that when she saw what Robin was able to do with the long-celebrated "Frog" jump cue, her reaction was "I gotta get me one of those." Ewa told me that it was Robin who inspired her to become a skillful jumper. These two humble women each cited the other as their inspiration for mastery of the jump shot! Oh, now I get it. Sort of.
So that's how the WPBA Hall of Fame luncheon went and it was great.
I am absolutely planning on going to Lincoln City next year, if the WPBA returns. Hopefully our paths will cross then....We sure did have some great discussions in the old days!!