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The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame welcomes one of the gameβs hardest working and most ferocious competitors when the Netherlandβs great Niels βthe Terminatorβ Feijen is inducted into the sportβs most prestigious club.
Feijen, 46, a two-time World Champion, was the clear choice of voters in the Greatest Players category and is the first Dutch-born player to be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
Feijen will formally be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Norfolk Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Va., in conjunction with the 2023 International Open pool tournament.
βObviously, this is a huge honor,β Feijen said when informed of his election. βTo be in the same club with my heroes β legends like Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland β is an amazing feeling.
βItβs something I really didnβt think about at all until about five years ago. I was still focused on trying to win tournaments. Once I was on the ballot, I know I was close a few times. You hope, but you have to tell yourself, βIt will happen when it happens.ββ
The road has been long and measured for Feijen, an avid athlete as a youth. After discovering pool in his hometown of The Hague at 16, Feijenβs pursuit of greatness was relentless, with a stint in the U.S. as a 20-year-old, playing against the stars heβd studied on so many videos. In short order, Feijen began placing in the top 10 in numerous international events. His first major breakthrough came in 2008, when he won the World Straight Pool Championship.
After finishing third in the World 10-Ball Championship that year, and runner-up twice in the World 8-Ball Championship (2010, 2011), Feijen finally captured his second world title at the World 9-Ball Championship in 2014. He won the World Pool Masters in 2013 and repeated as champion in 2018. His biggest years were 2013 and 2014, a two-year stretch in which he added back-to-back World Cup of Pool runner-up finishes, back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Derby City 10-Ball Challenge and a pair of Mosconi Cup wins and MVP honors to his Masters and World 9-Ball crowns. He won the Derby City 9-Ball title in 2007. He has appeared in 14 Mosconi Cups, winning eight times and earning MVP honors four times. He is three-time European 9-Ball Champion, seven-time European Straight Pool Champion and European 8-Ball Champion.
βI remember my father asking me years ago what I wanted to do in pool,β Feijen recalled. βI told him, βI want to win a world title and get into the Hall of Fame.β Crazy that it has happened.β
Voting for the 2023 BCA Hall of Fame was conducted by the USBMA Hall of Fame Board, which consists of USBMA members, elected At-Large members and living members of the Hall of Fame. In his fifth year on the ballot, Feijen was named on 29 submitted ballots (79%). American Corey Deuel was named on 17 ballots (48%). Jeremy Jones, JoAnn Mason-Parker, Stefano Pellinga, John Schmidt, Vivian Villarreal and Charlie Williams completed the 2023 ballot. To be eligible for consideration in the Greatest Players category, a player (a) must be 40 years old by Jan. 1 of the year of their inclusion on the ballot; (b) must have a professional playing career of at least 10 years; and (c) must have recorded significant achievements in U.S.-based and international events recognized by the BCA.
About United States Billiard Media Association
Founded in 2007, the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) is a non-profit association dedicated to elevating the visibility and status of billiards in the media at large. The USBMA consists of professional print, radio, TV, public relations and Internet media persons who cover cue sports. One of the associationβs main functions is nominating and electing players and notable figures to the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through Billiard Congress of America leadership. The Billiard Congress of America seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybodyβs game. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070.
PHOTO COURTESY MATCHROOM POOL
The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame welcomes one of the gameβs hardest working and most ferocious competitors when the Netherlandβs great Niels βthe Terminatorβ Feijen is inducted into the sportβs most prestigious club.
Feijen, 46, a two-time World Champion, was the clear choice of voters in the Greatest Players category and is the first Dutch-born player to be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
Feijen will formally be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Norfolk Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Va., in conjunction with the 2023 International Open pool tournament.
βObviously, this is a huge honor,β Feijen said when informed of his election. βTo be in the same club with my heroes β legends like Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland β is an amazing feeling.
βItβs something I really didnβt think about at all until about five years ago. I was still focused on trying to win tournaments. Once I was on the ballot, I know I was close a few times. You hope, but you have to tell yourself, βIt will happen when it happens.ββ
The road has been long and measured for Feijen, an avid athlete as a youth. After discovering pool in his hometown of The Hague at 16, Feijenβs pursuit of greatness was relentless, with a stint in the U.S. as a 20-year-old, playing against the stars heβd studied on so many videos. In short order, Feijen began placing in the top 10 in numerous international events. His first major breakthrough came in 2008, when he won the World Straight Pool Championship.
After finishing third in the World 10-Ball Championship that year, and runner-up twice in the World 8-Ball Championship (2010, 2011), Feijen finally captured his second world title at the World 9-Ball Championship in 2014. He won the World Pool Masters in 2013 and repeated as champion in 2018. His biggest years were 2013 and 2014, a two-year stretch in which he added back-to-back World Cup of Pool runner-up finishes, back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Derby City 10-Ball Challenge and a pair of Mosconi Cup wins and MVP honors to his Masters and World 9-Ball crowns. He won the Derby City 9-Ball title in 2007. He has appeared in 14 Mosconi Cups, winning eight times and earning MVP honors four times. He is three-time European 9-Ball Champion, seven-time European Straight Pool Champion and European 8-Ball Champion.
βI remember my father asking me years ago what I wanted to do in pool,β Feijen recalled. βI told him, βI want to win a world title and get into the Hall of Fame.β Crazy that it has happened.β
Voting for the 2023 BCA Hall of Fame was conducted by the USBMA Hall of Fame Board, which consists of USBMA members, elected At-Large members and living members of the Hall of Fame. In his fifth year on the ballot, Feijen was named on 29 submitted ballots (79%). American Corey Deuel was named on 17 ballots (48%). Jeremy Jones, JoAnn Mason-Parker, Stefano Pellinga, John Schmidt, Vivian Villarreal and Charlie Williams completed the 2023 ballot. To be eligible for consideration in the Greatest Players category, a player (a) must be 40 years old by Jan. 1 of the year of their inclusion on the ballot; (b) must have a professional playing career of at least 10 years; and (c) must have recorded significant achievements in U.S.-based and international events recognized by the BCA.
About United States Billiard Media Association
Founded in 2007, the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) is a non-profit association dedicated to elevating the visibility and status of billiards in the media at large. The USBMA consists of professional print, radio, TV, public relations and Internet media persons who cover cue sports. One of the associationβs main functions is nominating and electing players and notable figures to the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through Billiard Congress of America leadership. The Billiard Congress of America seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybodyβs game. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070.
PHOTO COURTESY MATCHROOM POOL
