A New Hall Of Fame

B

blud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
OK, FOLKS, LISTEN UP.

I'm starting a new, "WORLD BILLIARDS HALL OF FAME", for our people in our beautiful sport.

This award will include people from around the world, not just the states.

There will be several categories.

All categories will be treated the same, meaning, none are above the other.

CATEGORIES!

1.- PLAYERS,
all players will have to of played for at least 20 years, and won several major and minor events, and be respected for his or her efforts, over the years.

2.- CUEMAKERS,
These folks will also have to of devoted at least 20 years of service to repairing and or building cues. Only Top hands, please..

3.- SERVICE AWARDS!
There can be several types of categories, Stake horses, promoters, sponcers, magazines,collectors of memoribila,and cue collectors alike, or just folks who have given it there best shot for our game over the years. Devoted individuals.

4.-POOL-ROOM-OWNERS,
[many room owners do give this sport there "all" and never get the reconition they deserve].This will be for those who run great rooms, and add much to the betterment of our sport.

5.- SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR.

NEW CATEGORY,
6.- MEMORIAL HALL OF FAME,

NEW INFORMATION,
No more than 3 HOF'S, can be inducted at the same time from any single category. [Memorial HOF, can have any number inducted at any time].

The induction can be held at any time during the year, and up to, two times a year. Locations and tournaments, and dates will be announced later on.



We can have several folks, in the same category, be inducted at the same time, or have several categories awarded the same night.


All of these categories will be treated equally. None above the others.


AWARDS,

The first HALL OF FAME awards, will be given out at Grady's tournament in Dec. 8th / 12th-2004, at the Grand Casino. The awards date will follow. For more information about the tournament, [ go to, www.gradymathews.com].....

Please fell free to submit names and which category he or she falls in. Please, just names and categoies only, no drawn out why and why not's. [ no speaches]..

NO KNOCKING ALLOWED. If you submit a name and knock another, the submitted name, along with yours will be removed and NOT REPLACED. Off the ballot for good.


Let's be fair minded folks...

thanks

blud
 
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blud said:
OK, FOLKS, LISTEN UP.

I'm starting a new, "WORLD BILLIARDS HALL OF FAME", for our people in our beautiful sport.

This award will include people from around the world, not just the states.

There will be several categories.

All categories will be treated the same, meaning, none are above the other.

CATEGORIES!

1.- PLAYERS,
all players will have to of played for at least 20 years, and won several major and minor events, and be respected for his or her efforts, over the years.

2.- CUEMAKERS,
These folks will also have to of devoted at least 20 years of service to repairing and or building cues. Only Top hands, please..

3.- Service awards!
There can be several types of categories, Stake horses, promoters, sponcers, magazines,collectors of memoribila,and cue collectors alike, or just folks who have given it there best shot for our game over the years. Devoted individuals.

4.-Pool-Room owners,
[many room owners do give this sport there "all" and never get the reconition they deserve].This will be for those who run great rooms, and add much to the betterment of our sport.

5.- Sports person of the year.

All nominated people, MUST BE ALIVE..when nominated.

We can have several folks, in the same category, be inducted at the same time, or have several categories awarded the same night.


All of these categories will be treated equally. None above the others.


HALL OF FAME AWARDS,

The first HALL OF FAME awards, will be given out at Grady's tournament in Dec. 8th / 12th-2004, at the Grand Casino. The awards date will follow. For more information about the tournament, [ go to, www.gradymathews.com].....

Please fell free to submit names and which category he or she falls in. Please, just names and categoies only, no drawn out why and why not's. [ no speaches]..

NO KNOCKING ALLOWED. If you submit a name and knock another, the submitted name, along with yours will be removed and NOT REPLACED. Off the ballot for good.


Let's be fair minded folks...

thanks

blud
Click to expand...
Hall of Fame? I think we need a Pro Tour, before we have a Hall of Fame.
 
blud said:
OK, FOLKS, LISTEN UP.

I'm starting a new, "WORLD BILLIARDS HALL OF FAME", for our people in our beautiful sport.

This award will include people from around the world, not just the states.

There will be several categories.

All categories will be treated the same, meaning, none are above the other.

CATEGORIES!

1.- PLAYERS,
all players will have to of played for at least 20 years, and won several major and minor events, and be respected for his or her efforts, over the years.

2.- CUEMAKERS,
These folks will also have to of devoted at least 20 years of service to repairing and or building cues. Only Top hands, please..

3.- Service awards!
There can be several types of categories, Stake horses, promoters, sponcers, magazines,collectors of memoribila,and cue collectors alike, or just folks who have given it there best shot for our game over the years. Devoted individuals.

4.-Pool-Room owners,
[many room owners do give this sport there "all" and never get the reconition they deserve].This will be for those who run great rooms, and add much to the betterment of our sport.

5.- Sports person of the year.

All nominated people, MUST BE ALIVE..when nominated.

We can have several folks, in the same category, be inducted at the same time, or have several categories awarded the same night.


All of these categories will be treated equally. None above the others.


HALL OF FAME AWARDS,

The first HALL OF FAME awards, will be given out at Grady's tournament in Dec. 8th / 12th-2004, at the Grand Casino. The awards date will follow. For more information about the tournament, [ go to, www.gradymathews.com].....

Please fell free to submit names and which category he or she falls in. Please, just names and categoies only, no drawn out why and why not's. [ no speaches]..

NO KNOCKING ALLOWED. If you submit a name and knock another, the submitted name, along with yours will be removed and NOT REPLACED. Off the ballot for good.


Let's be fair minded folks...

thanks

blud
Click to expand...
All i am going to say Blud, is this (and this is no knock), that if Earl isn't in it, it's no hall of fame...

Thanks,

Jon
 
blud i would like to say jersey red and steve cook!!!! they just dont seem to get thier just due. thanks :D
 
men

thebigdog said:
Hall of Fame? I think we need a Pro Tour, before we have a Hall of Fame.
Click to expand...

Hey bigdog,

With all due respect sir, It would be nice if you would stick to our topic, the hall of fame.

I must agree, it would be nice to have a true mens-pro-tour.Why don't you start one?

I'm taking names of living people, only.

Red visited me every day in my houston shop, he and Steve were very good friends, but this "hall" is for the living, so the living can take advantage of it while alive, and make some money doing so.

Honor those who are living so they and there family and friends, can celebrate with them.

This is how it's set up and will stay that way.

The BCA's got a hall, and in my opinion, much to be desired, and is very political. This is why I'm kicking this one off.

This hall will never become political as long as I'm at the helm..

blud
 
please

blud said:
OK, FOLKS, LISTEN UP.

I'm starting a new, "WORLD BILLIARDS HALL OF FAME", for our people in our beautiful sport.

This award will include people from around the world, not just the states.

There will be several categories.

All categories will be treated the same, meaning, none are above the other.

CATEGORIES!

1.- PLAYERS,
all players will have to of played for at least 20 years, and won several major and minor events, and be respected for his or her efforts, over the years.

2.- CUEMAKERS,
These folks will also have to of devoted at least 20 years of service to repairing and or building cues. Only Top hands, please..

3.- Service awards!
There can be several types of categories, Stake horses, promoters, sponcers, magazines,collectors of memoribila,and cue collectors alike, or just folks who have given it there best shot for our game over the years. Devoted individuals.

4.-Pool-Room owners,
[many room owners do give this sport there "all" and never get the reconition they deserve].This will be for those who run great rooms, and add much to the betterment of our sport.

5.- Sports person of the year.

All nominated people, MUST BE ALIVE..when nominated.

We can have several folks, in the same category, be inducted at the same time, or have several categories awarded the same night.


All of these categories will be treated equally. None above the others.


HALL OF FAME AWARDS,

The first HALL OF FAME awards, will be given out at Grady's tournament in Dec. 8th / 12th-2004, at the Grand Casino. The awards date will follow. For more information about the tournament, [ go to, www.gradymathews.com].....

Please fell free to submit names and which category he or she falls in. Please, just names and categoies only, no drawn out why and why not's. [ no speaches]..

NO KNOCKING ALLOWED. If you submit a name and knock another, the submitted name, along with yours will be removed and NOT REPLACED. Off the ballot for good.


Let's be fair minded folks...

thanks

blud
Click to expand...


Ladies and Gents,

I have ask for names and categories. Only have one name so far.

Some are giving opinions and not submitting names. This is not being productive.

I'm taking my valuable time to do this, looks like you could respect my efforts.

PLEASE STICK TO THIS TROPIC, THE HALL OF FAME, if not, please refrain from posting, other comments.

names and category only.

thank you.
blud
 
new names

Just checked my private mail, [poolcues@direcway.com], and have more names, and they are,

PLAYERS, Earl Strickland, Grady Mathews, Danny DiLiberto, Bill [winnie beanie]Statton, Leonard "bugs" Rucker, Ronnie Allen,

Cuemakers, Bill Schick, Bill Stroud, Paul Motty, Timmy Scruggs, [ Leonard Bludworth, I'm removing my name, but thanks anyway]..

Collectors, Lucky [from japan], R. Welty,

Stake horses, Harry Platis,

Tournament direction, Scott Smith, Grady Mathews

Room-Owners,Kerry Herbert-Portland Me., Ricky Byrd-Mobile Al.

Sports Person, Nick Varner, Belinda [compos]Calhoun,

I will coniinue to up date everyday or two.

blud
 
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While I applaud an attempt to create a HOF with some input from people other than industry bigwigs and a selection process that isn't as mysterious as why men have nipples, isn't your (Blud's) attempt yet one more reason pool needs a true governing body? If your attempt goes through, who's going to recognize it? Just you and Grady? While I absolutely do think the BCA HOF needs an overhaul in its processes used for membership, I'm not too sure I think that warrants starting over with a new HOF altogether. Perhaps getting the BCA to change its structure for choosing members of the current HOF is a better solution than just arbitrarily deciding to create a new one. For instance, I, a basic nobody in the world of pool, could create my own HOF and put only players I like in it. Without a true governing body, I could do just that. However, who would care, and who would recognize it? Furthermore, who would even know about it? Do you plan to publicize this new HOF in different pool publications? Isn't that going to be hard to do since most of them have a hand in the current HOF?

The state of pool is such right now that every little thing seems to polarize players and fans, i.e., Sardo Racks, jump cues, the UPA, the WPC, phenolic tips, invitational tournaments, Barry Behrman, and the list goes on and on. Does pool really need TWO Halls of Fame?

Seems to me that pool needs a real governing body for all of professional pool first, then everything else falls into place. Otherwise, it's all just putting the cart before the horse.

-djb <-- just for the hell of it, I nominate Allen Hopkins, Mike Sigel, Steve Mizerak, Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, Efren Reyes, Jose Parica, Steve Davis, Takeshi Okamura, Fong Pang Chao, Ralf Souquet, Nick Varner, Raymond Ceulemans, every gambler Grady Mathews wants to be in a HOF somewhere, and my friend Barry Cooper, who taught me everything I know about the game of pool
 
blud said:
Hey bigdog,

With all due respect sir, It would be nice if you would stick to our topic, the hall of fame.

I must agree, it would be nice to have a true mens-pro-tour.Why don't you start one?

I'm taking names of living people, only.

Red visited me every day in my houston shop, he and Steve were very good friends, but this "hall" is for the living, so the living can take advantage of it while alive, and make some money doing so.

Honor those who are living so they and there family and friends, can celebrate with them.

This is how it's set up and will stay that way.

The BCA's got a hall, and in my opinion, much to be desired, and is very political. This is why I'm kicking this one off.

This hall will never become political as long as I'm at the helm..

blud
Click to expand...

Blud,
I think your idea has merit but I repectfully disagree with your "only the living" policy. I think by doing so you open yourself to being as political as the BCA. I also feel it disrespects the people who came before you, and others, that without their service to the billiards industry, your service and your honoree's service may have never happened.

This is unfortunate that when one organization becomes to politically charged, any off shoot organization that follows also becomes politically motivated to their own agenda's, and in trying to slap the face of their predecessors, become as arrogant, or off kiltered.

Best regards,

Joe

ps: call me when someone starts something out of their own goodness and not just to play tit for tat when their feelings get hurt...
 
When it comes to H.O.F selections in the world of pool, there's no doubt some may have been slighted.Last year Earl Strickland was nominated and didn't get in....go figure.Love him or hate him he has won 3 WPC and at least one or two US Opens. Those are MAJOR tourneys in the world of pool.Winning 4 or 5 majors in any other sports( tennis, golf etc) would make you a mortal lock to get in on the FIRST ballot.It shouldn't about personality or politcal favourtism. The main criteria in the players catergory is what happened on the pool table.Having said that, Ewa Laurance deserved to get in the H.O.F and I'm sure Earl will get in soon as well.

If I'm not mistaken pool only lets in one player per year while other sports let in more.Given that format, no doubt that some players who could be in the H.O.F are not.It's rather unfortunate.RJ
 
WHY??? I hate to just shoot down an idea, but do we really need this and who cares??? As far as only living people go, well that's just a joke. What will you do if someone on the list dies?? Do they get the boot? What if someone who is alive is to old, or ill to party and enjoy it, will they not get in? As far as saying it won't be political that's just a joke, every hall of fame in the world is political. The baseball hall of fame doesn't have Pete Rose or people like Jim Rice in it who deserve to be. Politics plays a roll in everything and you claiming it won't is silly, you of all people know how this industry is. IMO it's a waste of time and effort, but you seem to want to do *something* so have at it and have fun.

Jim
 
I tend to side with Jim on this one. If you are a great player and respected by your peers then it really shouldn't matter one whose 'greatest of all time' list you appear on.

Blud: I am sure your cues are great having read nothing but positive stuff about them (except for the price :D). Grady is undoubtedly a terrific player and has been for a long time. Bugs: same thing.

You know you are great, we know that you are great, isn't that all that matters?
 
How about some support!!!

I don't understand why everyone can't be positive when a person of Leonard's stature in the billiard community tries to do something good. Leonard and I have both offended some people over the years but as I think back on it, they needed to be offended.
The BCA is just an awful group. They could be the greatest thing to ever hit pool but they choose to be inept, misguided and pretty much self-serving.There are quite a few great champions who probably will never make it into the BCA's HOF, men like "Bugs", Ronnie Allen, "Jersey Red", etc.
Now here's Leonard, who loves the men and women who deserve HOF consideration, at least, and he states clearly that this is to be non-political and well, I say he deserves our mutual respect and support.
These things being said, I'll get the ball rolling from here, Leonard, by nominating in the Player's catagory: "Bugs" Rucker and Ronnie Allen-In the special service catagory:Harry Platis, for having an 800 number for pool players to call and borrow money and for being good action for 25 years, etc.-Cuemakers, Leonard Bludworth, Paul Mottey and Timmy Scruggs-Room owners, Kerry Herbert in Portland, ME and Ricky Byrd in Mobile,AL- Sportsman of the Year, Nick Varner
Good luck, Leonard. That's the best I can do for now.
Grady
 
Does anyone read the instructions. Blud asked for names with no speeches. If you don't agree with this thread, start another one explaining why and don't clog up this one with opinions. Thank you very much, Sam
 
classiccues said:
Blud,
I think your idea has merit but I repectfully disagree with your "only the living" policy. I think by doing so you open yourself to being as political as the BCA. I also feel it disrespects the people who came before you, and others, that without their service to the billiards industry, your service and your honoree's service may have never happened.
Click to expand...


I think this is a good point. And what would happen to a person's name (like Grady) who would be elected and one week later get whacked in a car accident to move to the pool hall in the sky? Would you have to remove him from the Hall? Couldn't that be solved by having an Old Timer's
Posthumous/R.I.P. section right from the start for all the others from the past? Sooner or later everyone will be transferred over to that category anyway and history plays as much a role as the present or the future.

I have to go with Earl as a top pick, but how many are going to be allowed into the Hall on an annual basis in any or all categories?
 
My votes

While I have so many names in my head the first ones that came to my mind were as follows:

Cuemaker - Ernie Gutierrez - Ginacue
Pool Player - Efren Reyes - I think he has been playing for at least 20 years
Service Award - Martin Scorsese and Paul Newman for "Color of Money" - helped popularize pool IMHO.
 
Hi Blud,

Like most others at this forum, I detest the way billiard players in general have been treated by the current BCA. Before you strike out on your own, have you contacted Greg Sullivan? Greg, IMHO, has given our game a potential new lease on life. It would be a pity to compete with him (new BCA) when one HOF is all that is necessary. Of course, if the good old boys who wrecked the HOF to begin with will continue "electing", go get'em!

In the service catagory, I would like to nominate Joe Kerr of Joker Productions. Although his service to our industry was cut short by illness, I know of no other director / promoter from the eighties and nineties whose events were so well run. Joe is highly respected by all those he came in contact with.

Before your HOF starts electing the current people we are all familiar with, why not have a group of "older" players give recognition to some of the people passed over by the BCA. Whether it was due to racism, being a known gambler, drug use, whatever, some of them helped create or re-create the games we now love.
 
Let me preface my remarks by stating that I know and respect cuemakers as devoted, capable craftsmen who strive for excellence. Like other equipment makers, they take pride in their work and are part of their sport's foundation.

Not that I've said that, though, why would cuemakers be in the Hall of Fame? Are the equipment makers in any other sport in that sport's hall of fame?

Maybe I just need a little education on this, and advance thanks to anyone who provides it.
 
JoeyInCali said:
Please feel free to submit names and which category he or she falls in. Please, just names and categories only. No drawn-out why and why not [ no speeches]..
Click to expand...
LOL, so i guess ignorant people annoy you too huh?

Thanks,

Jon
 
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