Pros who started to play pool late.

madmiller

madmiller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Every time I meet a pro or read about one, all of them got one thing in common - they all started playing really young, a lot of them during single digits of their age.
Does anyone know if there are any pros or champions who started playing the game late and made it to the top??
I heard that Ray Martin didn't shoot until he was in his 30s, but I am not sure about that.
 
I believe John Schmidt took up the game quite late by comparison. I believe he says on one video I have that he started in his late teens or early 20s.
 
Tricky question. BCA Hall of Famer Joe Balsis was a very accomplished junior player but walked away from the game in his early youth to go into to the family meat business. He returned to the game when he was about 40 and virtually every professional title he won came after this.

If you mean who took up the game at the most advanced age and reached pro level, it is very rare indeed for someone to take up pool beyond age 30 and reach pro level, and nobody comes to mind.
 
sjm said:
Tricky question. BCA Hall of Famer Joe Balsis was a very accomplished junior player but walked away from the game in his early youth to go into to the family meat business. He returned to the game when he was about 40 and virtually every professional title he won came after this.

If you mean who took up the game at the most advanced age and reached pro level, it is very rare indeed for someone to take up pool beyond age 30 and reach pro level, and nobody comes to mind.
Click to expand...
correct. That's exactly what I would like to know.
 
sjm said:
Tricky question. BCA Hall of Famer Joe Balsis was a very accomplished junior player but walked away from the game in his early youth to go into to the family meat business. He returned to the game when he was about 40 and virtually every professional title he won came after this.

If you mean who took up the game at the most advanced age and reached pro level, it is very rare indeed for someone to take up pool beyond age 30 and reach pro level, and nobody comes to mind.
Click to expand...

Didn't Mike LeBron have a similar story? He played when he was young and took a long hiatus to earn a living. After retiring from iron work he came back into the game right?
 
The WPBA's current seventh ranked player, Jennifer Barretta, began playing pool in her late 20's.
 
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