Jean Balukas - I've Got a Secret

iowa_player

iowa_player

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is great stuff !

In this 1966 episode, 6 1/2 year old Jean Balukas demonstrates her skills at pocket billiards, more commonly known as pool. She is later joined by her 5 year old sister Laura. Information on Jean's fascinating career can easily be found online. For example, from Wikipedia: "At just 9 years old she placed 5th in the 1969 U.S. Open straight pool championship, and placed 4th and 3rd respectively in the following two U.S. Opens. From that early start, Balukas completely dominated women's professional pool during the 1970s and 1980s." And there's much more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNAtK-Qhlqg&feature=related
 
Balukas was agreat player. I once saw a tape of her playing in the 1987 mens U.S. Open 9 ball and she beats Larry Liscotti 11-1, her stroke was really strong. I wish she'd have kept playing, I'm sure she would've had a really great rivalry with Allison Fisher.
 
Balukas

She's one of my all time favorites. I sure wish she kept playing or that I lived on the east coast so I could check out her pool room. I have a great DVD of her playing Ewa. With our own Jay Helfert commentating. She is a champion pure and simple with a Lion's heart and a wicked stroke.
 
Bobby said:
Balukas was agreat player. I once saw a tape of her playing in the 1987 mens U.S. Open 9 ball and she beats Larry Liscotti 11-1, her stroke was really strong. I wish she'd have kept playing, I'm sure she would've had a really great rivalry with Allison Fisher.
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cyrex said:
She's one of my all time favorites. I sure wish she kept playing or that I lived on the east coast so I could check out her pool room. I have a great DVD of her playing Ewa. With our own Jay Helfert commentating. She is a champion pure and simple with a Lion's heart and a wicked stroke.
Click to expand...

She did turn out to be a great player for sure .
I thought this was a great clip I loved her little accent :thumbup:
 
cyrex said:
She's one of my all time favorites. I sure wish she kept playing or that I lived on the east coast so I could check out her pool room. I have a great DVD of her playing Ewa. With our own Jay Helfert commentating. She is a champion pure and simple with a Lion's heart and a wicked stroke.
Click to expand...

I have that video also. Ewa sure looked different a diamond in the rough.

I had heard so much about Jean and was happy to get the DVD. I thought she played terrible. I'm sure it wasn't one of her better performances. If that was any indication of her game Allison would kill her. I would like to find another match that shows her true speed.
 
Did you notice that one of the questioners was actress Betsy Palmer who went on to play Jason Voorhees mother in Friday the 13th?

Great clip, thanks for posting.
 
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