Sad day in the pool world - Mika Immonen 1972 * 2025

93 WPA Worlds/Konigswinter Germany.
Mika and Ralph were singing and barkin' the loudest on stage before the event began, having the time of their life.
And then these guys showed up before play began, Euro humor.


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What a sad day. Such a natural talent and a very easy going personality. I had the pleasure of meeting him once and we chatted a little about Mezz cues.
I can't get over how young he passed, Mika was just four years older than me. My condolances to his family and friends.
 
When I learned of this coincidence, I was in complete shock, but Mika and I were born in the same hospital (15 years apart, of course).

Oddly enough, we were both born at St Mary's Hospital in London, England. We were equally shocked to learn that the other was born in London, where I lived for just the first four months of my life, but so it was.
 
For those of us who love pool, 2025 has been tough, as we have lost four BCA Hall of Famers in Dan DiLiberto, Buddy Hall, Terry Bell and Mika Immonen. It's a reminder to all of us that we can never take the presence of the legends of pool for granted, and that we must tell them how much they mean to us when afforded the opportunity.
 
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sjm said:
For those of us who love pool, 2025 has been tough, as we have lost three BCA Hall of Famers in Dan DiLiberto, Terry Bell and Mika Immonen. It's a reminder to all of us that we can never take the presence of the legends of pool for granted, and that we must tell them how much they mean to us when afforded the opportunity.
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Don't forget Buddy Hall.
 
Met him a couple of times over the years - always very cordial and pleasant to talk with. He was only 3 months younger than me and I know that he felt that there was plenty of life still to be lived, because that's the way I feel today. 52 is far too young, whether you're a professional pool player or someone raising a family out of the public eye - it's just a sad reminder of the need to live each day to the fullest and never miss an opportunity to tell those you hold close how much you love them. RIP Mika Immonen - a fierce competitor, son and brother.
 
sjm said:
The text message to which I woke up was heartbreaking. Mika and I spent a lot of time together over the years, both playing pool and socializing. I even staked him once in a match with George "Ginky" San Souci, another star of New York pool who left us far too early in life.

I recall how, in the late 1990s, Mika's visa never allowed him more than 90 days at a time in the United States, so he'd come to America, stay for a couple of months with our mutual friend and WPBA pro Lisa Merkin, who lived just a few blocks from Amsterdam Billiards, and then go back to Finland. Sure enough, not too long afterwards, he'd come back to America and repeat the process. He told me back then that he did not feel that his game could fully develop in Finland and that competing regularly in the Northeast United States would allow him to reach his potential. Much like it was to be with Jayson Shaw and Mike Dechaine, Mika's game developed greatly on Mike Zuglan's Joss Northeast tour, arguably the strongest regional tour in the United States.

Although we caught up briefly at the US Open 9ball, the last significant social time I spent with Mika was at the 2024 BCA Hall of Fame Dinner in Orlando, where he sat on the podium of honor for what would prove to be the final time.

Mika and I took a selfie together in July just after the unveiling of a painting of him, which I have attached,

Rest in peace, Mika, and thanks for the memories.
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Thanks Stu for this history and insight into Mika's rise to greatness.
In my mind, you and Mika are linked by table 11 at Amsterdam, where for years you spent time working with Jen Barretta, and when Jen wasn't on the table, Mika was, especially in the period when he was dominating the pool world.
 
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