Brooklyn still proud of Jean Balukas

Jude Rosenstock · Jul 1, 2013

http://www.brooklyntales.com/index/2013/06/30/jean-balukas-billiards-champion/

Posted yesterday.

EDIT: To avoid confusion, I didn't write this. My fiance (also from Bay Ridge) found this on Facebook today.

JAM · Jul 1, 2013

Jude Rosenstock said:
http://www.brooklyntales.com/index/2013/06/30/jean-balukas-billiards-champion/

Posted yesterday.

Very nice. Thanks for the cool pool read!

Maniac · Jul 1, 2013

That's a good read, Jude. Nice of 'em to remember her after all the years gone by.

The article shows just how cut-throat pool can be, even back then and among the women too.

I think the whole fiasco (or two) back then could have been handled with a little more tact and decency (not to mention common sense).

Maniac

Jude Rosenstock · Jul 1, 2013

Maniac said:
That's a good read, Jude. Nice of 'em to remember her after all the years gone by.

The article shows just how cut-throat pool can be, even back then and among the women too.

I think the whole fiasco (or two) back then could have been handled with a little more tact and decency (not to mention common sense).

Maniac

To be honest, this is the most I've ever seen reported on why Balukas quit. From my understanding, she's always been reluctant to discuss it in depth, at least, "on the record". The handful of times I've seen her, she's always seemed perfectly content. I don't think she left angry but I could be wrong.

John Novak · Jul 1, 2013

Jude Rosenstock said:
http://www.brooklyntales.com/index/2013/06/30/jean-balukas-billiards-champion/

Posted yesterday.

EDIT: To avoid confusion, I didn't write this. My fiance (also from Bay Ridge) found this on Facebook today.

Its sad to be screwed over by your own peers and SO_CALLED friends.

Robin Bell files a formal complaint because Jean said beat me with skill and not with luck??
Are you kidding me?? Are you that sensitive?? And you were suposed to be a close friend?? Id hate to see how you treat you casual friends

Everyone has said that when their opponents are getting lucky, Im sure Robin has also.

Its clear that the women didnt want her around to win anymore tourney's. They couldnt beat her, so they seen a chance to pressure her into quitting, instead of improving their game to beat her on the table.

Very Sad

punter · Jul 1, 2013

John Novak said:
Its sad to be screwed over by your own peers and SO_CALLED friends.

Robin Bell files a formal complaint because Jean said beat me with skill and not with luck??
Are you kidding me?? Are you that sensitive?? And you were suposed to be a close friend?? Id hate to see how you treat you casual friends

Everyone has said that when their opponents are getting lucky, Im sure Robin has also.

Its clear that the women didnt want her around to win anymore tourney's. They couldnt beat her, so they seen a chance to pressure her into quitting, instead of improving their game to beat her on the table.

Very Sad

I don't agree. To say those words where Bell could hear her, was a shark move by someone who could not accept getting beat. Robin was her best friend, and just because she was losing while Robin got a few rolls, she had to resort to that comment.? It was petty. I've seen a few male players do this too, who are losing to someone they think they should be beating, and it's just a shark move, IMO.

John Novak · Jul 1, 2013

punter said:
I don't agree. To say those words where Bell could hear her, was a shark move by someone who could not accept getting beat. Robin was her best friend, and just because she was losing while Robin got a few rolls, she had to resort to that comment.? It was petty. I've seen a few male players do this too, who are losing to someone they think they should be beating, and it's just a shark move, IMO.

The players couldnt hear the comment, only the commentators and the listening audience. The players were wearing a body mic and Jean mumbled it, she didnt yell it out.

The comment was made to the Ref. She felt he wasnt racking properly causing the 9 to track to the same top pocket twice in a row

punter · Jul 1, 2013

John Novak said:
The players couldnt hear the comment, only the commentators and the listening audience. The players were wearing a body mic and Jean mumbled it, she didnt yell it out

Ok, well I assumed Bell heard it or why else would she file a complaint?

John Novak · Jul 1, 2013

Jude Rosenstock said:
To be honest, this is the most I've ever seen reported on why Balukas quit. From my understanding, she's always been reluctant to discuss it in depth, at least, "on the record". The handful of times I've seen her, she's always seemed perfectly content. I don't think she left angry but I could be wrong.

Jude she wasnt angry, it was more of feeling betrayed by her peers and her so called friends. No woman will even break her records. The only thing she never obtained was to win a mens event, Im sure she would have if she didnt walk away

billy · Jul 1, 2013

Jude Rosenstock said:
http://www.brooklyntales.com/index/2013/06/30/jean-balukas-billiards-champion/

Posted yesterday.

EDIT: To avoid confusion, I didn't write this. My fiance (also from Bay Ridge) found this on Facebook today.

nice read, thanks

FranCrimi · Jul 1, 2013

I was around through most of that.

The WPBA got a bad rap when all they were trying to do was to raise their standards and look a little nicer on tour, and to make sure that they conducted themselves professionally in tournaments.

Jean made the 9 on the break three times in the finals (race to 7) against me in Atlantic City. She didn't complain once to the ref that maybe the racks were bad, and guess what? Neither did I. It happens. I wasn't happy about it but life goes on and I wasn't going to be a big baby about it, either.

I like Jean very much. Always did, but she was wrong in allowing everyone to think for years that she quit the game because the WPBA treated her unfairly.

She quit because she was ready to quit.

Jude Rosenstock · Jul 1, 2013

FranCrimi said:
She quit because she was ready to quit.

If it means anything, this is what I've always thought too. I'm sure if she really wanted to play again, she would have. I posted the story because it was the non-pool world recognizing one of our greatest players. I didn't want to rehash why she left because truthfully, after 25 years (or whatever it's been), does it really matter why?

punter · Jul 1, 2013

FranCrimi said:
I was around through most of that.

The WPBA got a bad rap when all they were trying to do was to raise their standards and look a little nicer on tour, and to make sure that they conducted themselves professionally in tournaments.

Jean made the 9 on the break three times in the finals (race to 7) against me in Atlantic City. She didn't complain once to the ref that maybe the racks were bad, and guess what? Neither did I. It happens. I wasn't happy about it but life goes on and I wasn't going to be a big baby about it, either.

I like Jean very much. Always did, but she was wrong in allowing everyone to think for years that she quit the game because the WPBA treated her unfairly.

She quit because she was ready to quit.

This is what I was thinking exactly. And you were there. Jean was a great talent, no doubt, but apparently cried a little if she got beat, at least by the women. Good post.

sfleinen · Jul 1, 2013

John Novak said:
The players couldnt hear the comment, only the commentators and the listening audience. The players were wearing a body mic and Jean mumbled it, she didnt yell it out.

The comment was made to the Ref. She felt he wasnt racking properly causing the 9 to track to the same top pocket twice in a row

punter said:
Ok, well I assumed Bell heard it or why else would she file a complaint?

Folks:

Here's the match in question, so you can judge for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO9Loink_ws&list=PL43CB87B76649721F

(This is a playlist, btw, and will cycle through all 6 parts automatically.)

The part where the second nine-on-the-snap occurs for Robin Bell, and Jean's subsequent comment, occurs here (5:55):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6QlFouHvt10#t=5m55s

-Sean

FranCrimi · Jul 1, 2013

Jude Rosenstock said:
If it means anything, this is what I've always thought too. I'm sure if she really wanted to play again, she would have. I posted the story because it was the non-pool world recognizing one of our greatest players. I didn't want to rehash why she left because truthfully, after 25 years (or whatever it's been), does it really matter why?

I certainly appreciate what you're saying, Jude, but it's hard to talk about her legacy without including her abrupt departure from pool when she was still very much in her prime.

JAM · Jul 1, 2013

FranCrimi said:
I was around through most of that.

The WPBA got a bad rap when all they were trying to do was to raise their standards and look a little nicer on tour, and to make sure that they conducted themselves professionally in tournaments.

Jean made the 9 on the break three times in the finals (race to 7) against me in Atlantic City. She didn't complain once to the ref that maybe the racks were bad, and guess what? Neither did I. It happens. I wasn't happy about it but life goes on and I wasn't going to be a big baby about it, either.

I like Jean very much. Always did, but she was wrong in allowing everyone to think for years that she quit the game because the WPBA treated her unfairly.

She quit because she was ready to quit.

I wasn't around then, but I think I read the WPBA wanted Jean to pay a fine, which she didn't want to do.

FranCrimi · Jul 1, 2013

JAM said:
I wasn't around then, but I think I read the WPBA wanted Jean to pay a fine, which she didn't want to do.

Correct. Not paying the fine was Jean's way of quitting.

Jean wasn't the only player who had been fined during that time. The WPBA was trying to get a handle on bad behavior, and other players were fined as well --- And they paid their fines.

Everyone was notified in advance that the WPBA was going to start cracking down on that kind of thing. After a short while everyone got the idea and fines were few and far between. We learned fast.

punter · Jul 1, 2013

sfleinen said:
Folks:

Here's the match in question, so you can judge for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO9Loink_ws&list=PL43CB87B76649721F

(This is a playlist, btw, and will cycle through all 6 parts automatically.)

The part where the second nine-on-the-snap occurs for Robin Bell, and Jean's subsequent comment, occurs here (5:55):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6QlFouHvt10#t=5m55s

-Sean

Thanks for posting this.

John Novak · Jul 1, 2013

FranCrimi said:
I was around through most of that.

The WPBA got a bad rap when all they were trying to do was to raise their standards and look a little nicer on tour, and to make sure that they conducted themselves professionally in tournaments.

Jean made the 9 on the break three times in the finals (race to 7) against me in Atlantic City. She didn't complain once to the ref that maybe the racks were bad, and guess what? Neither did I. It happens. I wasn't happy about it but life goes on and I wasn't going to be a big baby about it, either.

I like Jean very much. Always did, but she was wrong in allowing everyone to think for years that she quit the game because the WPBA treated her unfairly.

She quit because she was ready to quit.

The only reason Jean was fined was because Robin filed a formal complaint........The WBPA didnt do it on their own.... Yet it was ok for Robin to mutter "NO CLASS" during the same match and yet Jean didnt file a complaint or the WBPA didnt fine Robin for her comments. Totally unfair.............These were her So Called Friends

FranCrimi · Jul 1, 2013

John Novak said:
The only reason Jean was fined was because Robin filed a formal complaint........The WBPA didnt do it on their own.... Yet it was ok for Robin to mutter "NO CLASS" during the same match and yet Jean didnt file a complaint or the WBPA didnt fine Robin for her comments. Totally unfair.............These were her So Called Friends

Jean quit because she was ready to quit. She admitted that years later to me and publicly. Blaming Robin for Jean's behavior is out of order.

Brooklyn still proud of Jean Balukas

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