Niels is 41 years old and he is definitely future member HOF
But the same story is Thorsten Hohmann who is 39 years old.. 
2018 BCA HOF: Davenport and Hofstatter
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Niels is 41 years old and he is definitely future member HOF
But the same story is Thorsten Hohmann who is 39 years old.. 
Niels is 41 years old and he is definitely future member HOF
Yes, I knew Niels was eligible and that Thorsten isn't yet.
I thought Sigel was under 40 (35) when he was inducted. When did this requirement change?
I also thought of Thorsten, especially after he just won another ‘World’ 14.1 Title.
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A few years ago, Freddie (Cornerman), who is on the voting committee, mentioned that the minimum age had been raised to 40. But I don't know the actual year it was done.
He was on the ballot, and I thought for sure was a shoe-in along with Corey, who changed the game of 9-ball.
Freddie <~~~ will start campaigning
It has to be 40 by the time the calendar year comes up. Thorsten will be on next year's ballot.
Sigel and Balukas got in when the age limit wasn't 40.
I've been a voting member since 2008, so I know it had already changed by then.
Freddie <~~~ only one vote
What's the qualifications to be a voting member?
I think these would be interesting. Although international titles are important, this is a Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, so US titles seem to be more prevalent.
Raymond Ceulemans' induction raised an eyebrow, but he did have a couple of significant titles in Las Vegas among his 100 titles, and represented many different disciplines.
Again, it would be interesting to see how the vote would go.
Freddie <~~~ can't count caroms, let alone votes
You need to be part of the billiard media, specifically the USBMA.com,
There are "at large" friends of billiards members that aren't part of the media, but have been asked to participate in voting. Additionally, all living members of the BCA HoF get to vote.
Anymore, any potential new member has to go through some approval process. Some members are taken off the list due to inactivity in billiard media.
Freddie
Very true but some fans and I suppose voters are actually angry with Corey for just that. Stick your head in the sand fellas.
I don't know why there's such a movement to get all these players in the BCA HOF when they are still in their early 40s and still in the their competitive playing careers. I don't get it? Jean Balukas has them all beat making it into the HOF at 26, Ewa at 40, Johnny Archer at 40, Allison at 41, Jeanette Lee at 42, Karen Corr at 43, and Earl at 45. I just don't understand what the rush is? The HOF for all other sports is like a minimum of 5 years after you've been retired for good from the sport.
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I feel the same way....lots of time for the younger ones, including Corey’s road partner
when they were teenagers.
I was very pleased when Jimmy Moore, Danny Dilberto, and Jose Parica got in...
...now it’s time, IMO, for Jimmy Mataya and Davis Howard...while they can still enjoy it.
Thanks for the response Fred! Makes sense, although I still have a few questions on the whole process.
You say U.S Titles, but I often see players discussed who won very few major titles, if any. Pool is much different then most sport/games, as in some of the best players were not interested in winning titles. This makes the process a little different/tougher then other HOF’s, imo.
On another note, what about a player like Chao Fong-Pang? I believe he won 2 World Championships, and was one of the best players in the world for years. Many of the names I see being thrown out there were not as good as he was. If the answer was that they won more titles in the U.S, then I would be good with that. However, some of the players I have seen discussed didn’t play many tournaments, let alone win a lot of them.
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I think it’s fair to say that some of these players like Chao need someone to champion them and do a nomination. Then let the voters vote.
There’s no movement, Chris. The rules are currently set at minimum 40 years old, which is better than the no minimum from previous years. Let’s celebrate the win.
Pro golf has been similar for years. Active players have been able to be in the World Golf HoF for decades. They just changed the requirements and now Tiger Woods won’t get in for a while. Not sure that’s right.
Freddie <~~~ might want it older
Thanks for clarification. I knew 40 was the minimum, which, although they don't have a minimum age to make the HOF in other sports, it would be an appropriate mimimum age for all those contact sports in which players almost always are retired before they turn 40.
However, in pool, players can remain in their prime well in to their 40s, and can still maintain being very pro tournament competitive well in to their 50s such as Earl, and even once in a while in to their 60s such as Efren!
Here is a local newspaper article on Kim. Not sure how long these stick around....
https://www.modbee.com/latest-news/article221323425.html
https://www.modbee.com/latest-news/article221323425.html
A few names that come to mind for future Hall of Fame considerations are Mike Zuglan who heads the longest-running regional tour in the US, keeping pool alive and well for players of all caliber; Steve Booth, for his contributions to the game of one-pocket, which are too numerous to name here; Jay Helfert, writer, commentator, tournament director, tournament promoter, et cetera, et cetear, et cetera; Grady Mathews, a shame he couldn't enjoy this honor when he was alive as a player, tournament promoter, commentator, writer, author. I could think of a few others, when time allows.
When I went to high school, there were cliques, exclusive groups that were not welcoming to some people that didn't fit in. We had the hippies, the militant ethnic groups, the greasers, and the tea-baggers. I was like the Fonz and walked a beat to my own rhythm, not following anyone or any clique, but I did make an effort to get along with everybody.
My opinion about the BCA's Hall of Fame is that some of the inductees are very worthy of this honor, so worthy that it's a given, but some of the inductees seem to be friends of friends and are in with the In Crowd of the pool world, the cliques. It is a beautiful comaraderie of these pool peeps, who gather once a year to celebrate pool. It's nice that the BCA hasn't dropped this function like they did the once-a-year BCA Open, which was really an invitational, for professional pool players, consisting of 50 from USA and 50 from non-USA pros, if memory serves me right.
Players like Grady are forgotten, yet his contributions and championship titles should have merit. He's dead now, though, and there's no one to campaign for him. I can think of a few players like this who the BCA's nominating committee, whoever they are, should put on the ballot.
When I went to high school, there were cliques, exclusive groups that were not welcoming to some people that didn't fit in. We had the hippies, the militant ethnic groups, the greasers, and the tea-baggers. I was like the Fonz and walked a beat to my own rhythm, not following anyone or any clique, but I did make an effort to get along with everybody.
My opinion about the BCA's Hall of Fame is that some of the inductees are very worthy of this honor, so worthy that it's a given, but some of the inductees seem to be friends of friends and are in with the In Crowd of the pool world, the cliques. It is a beautiful comaraderie of these pool peeps, who gather once a year to celebrate pool. It's nice that the BCA hasn't dropped this function like they did the once-a-year BCA Open, which was really an invitational, for professional pool players, consisting of 50 from USA and 50 from non-USA pros, if memory serves me right.
Players like Grady are forgotten, yet his contributions and championship titles should have merit. He's dead now, though, and there's no one to campaign for him. I can think of a few players like this who the BCA's nominating committee, whoever they are, should put on the ballot.
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