The WPBA Carolina Classic Thread

[vagabond]

even if it wasn't an entire tour, i think it would be interesting to say the least if there was one event a year, that all pro players men and women were invited to.

thanks

Howdy,
when Jean Balukas was playing pool,men were trrified of her presence in the tournament because the defeat might cause embarassment of life.She did beat some very top men pros of the time.
I do not know whether u are familiar with the name Peg ledman or not.In the yester years she also beat some very big name men.
One of those men has been visiting this message boards and I am not mentioning the name.
In 1988/ 89 (?)women split from the men and formed their own organiztion.Women pros felt that under the leadership of particular individuals(I am not mentioning the names) women were oppressed/opportunities denied/descriminated and said Adios to Men and formed their own organization.Ofcourse the women are really doing well but not as well as they anticipated.Cheers
Vagabond

 

[sjm]

I'd like to commend the WPBA for their excellent and informative website. Everything one needs to know is right there in black and white. I am quite impressed that the ranking system is explained in full detail, to include the ranking points received by every single player....I've spoken to several lady pros about the WPBA, their likes and dislikes. In my honest and most humble opinion, the lady pros are quite fortunate to belong to an organization where everything is out in the open, available for full disclosure.....When it comes to the WPBA, I commend the organization for establishing a level playing field, with opportunities to compete in high-profile and lucrative tournaments open to all members, thanks to an equitable and fair ranking system....

Hip, hip, hooray, tap, tap, tap, bravo, nice going, congratulations, well said, and, oh yes, I agree.

On a forum where WPBA bashing is alarmingly frequent, it's nice to read such a well-reasoned post about something that's very right about the WPBA. A level playing field is what the WPBA is all about, but there's more to it than what goes on at the pro level. WPBA regional tours all over the country enabling the deserving to earn their shot on the WPBA tour are also part of a system that continues to provide access to all worthy comers.

In recent years, the regional tour system has brought us Sarah Ellerby, Melissa Herndon, Jennifer Barretta, Romana Dokovic, Ga Young Kim, Hsin Huang and Kim Shaw. Every one of them is or has been a top 16 seeded player on the tour. This year, the regional tour system has brought us Kelly Fisher, who already merits mention among the elite with three top fives in just five WPBA events played. The regional tour system will bring us Wendy Jans pretty soon, too. In short, the WPBA system works.

The founders of the WPBA and those that have followed them have much to be proud of, and it is their vision that exlains why the WPBA is the only professional pool organization that has withstood the test of time. Count me among the many that feels that these ladies don't get nearly as much credit as they deserve.

 

[Blackjack]

Howdy,
when Jean Balukas was playing pool,men were trrified of her presence in the tournament because the defeat might cause embarassment of life.She did beat some very top men pros of the time.
Vagabond

I lost to Jean Balukas in 1988 McDermott Masters. I have no shame in admitting that. She played a great match. She's a great player and a great lady. I'd love to see her come back.

 

[Tbeaux]

Huh!

Looks like I am a v-cash loser.

Landshark who'd you put ur vBucks on?
If it was "other" isn't Helena still in it or is WPBA site slow with results?

Heck Allison to Karen back to Allison....whew for my vBucks sake I hope the "Hammers" up to the task!

Terry

 

[sjm]

A source I consider reliable has indicated to me that Thornfeldt has beaten Corr to advance to the final against Fisher.

 

[JAM]

A source I consider reliable has indicated to me that Thornfeldt has beaten Corr to advance to the final against Fisher.

For all who picked "Other" on the V-Bookie, Helena Thornfeldt is our horse in the race. Go, Helena! I like my bet of 200 V-chips at 20-to-1 odds!

JAM

 

[DoomCue]

I lost to Jean Balukas in 1988 McDermott Masters. I have no shame in admitting that. She played a great match. She's a great player and a great lady. I'd love to see her come back.

I got a chance to speak with Madame Balukas in Rocky Mount last night for a little while, and one of the questions I asked her was if she was contemplating a comeback. Her friends laughed and said she was, but she said that although she does get an itch every once in a while, she has no plans to try her hand at the tour again. She said she hasn't played a pro event in 17 years (so I guess you were one of her last victims, David ) and that's a long time away from pro-caliber competition. She said she does play every once in a while back home in Brooklyn, but she doesn't play seriously anymore.

What amazed me was that Jean had been at the tournament for quite a while, but I didn't see people clamoring for her autograph or stopping her to talk or any of the usual fan type stuff UNTIL Steve Tipton announced that she was in the arena. Apparently, nobody knew about the legend in our midst (I did, but hey, I'm a pool geek!). Funny that the woman without whom there probably wouldn't be a WPBA was virtually unknown by the "fans" at the tournament.

-djb

 

[landshark77]

Landshark who'd you put ur vBucks on?
If it was "other" isn't Helena still in it or is WPBA site slow with results?

I can't read....I thought Helena was out! Actually my v-horse is out already... BUT being that Mike's choices were so vague, I will consider Helena my ball in hand oppertunity to score some v-cash.

I do hope that Mike will put up some individual matches for future stakes...had I known that was not gonna happen with this tourney I wouldn't have been so nitty with my stakes!

 

[landshark77]

As per Gayle on the CCB, Alison took this tourney. Congrats Alison.

Now I can saw for sure that I am a v-loser, eh, I always was though.

I'll win one day...and you will too...we all just have to keep on keepin' on until then.

 

[vagabond]

I got a chance to speak with Madame Balukas
What amazed me was that Jean had been at the tournament for quite a while, but I didn't see people clamoring for her autograph

-djb

Howdy,
She ,still,is my dream girl.
vagabond

 

[vagabond]

I lost to Jean Balukas in 1988 McDermott Masters. I have no shame in admitting that. She played a great match. She's a great player and a great lady. I'd love to see her come back.

Howdy Black Jack,
It is great of u to reveal that.You earned my respect and you are a real Man.From now on I will treat u as my friend.
1988 Mcdermott-was it in Phoenix,AZ? Cheers
Vagabond

 

[vagabond]

Allison is my Diva

As per Gayle on the CCB, Alison took this tourney. Congrats Alison.

Now I can saw for sure that I am a v-loser, eh, I always was though.

I'll win one day...and you will too...we all just have to keep on keepin' on until then.

Howdy,
Allison is my DIVA.Three Cheers to Allison Fisher for the win.
Vagabond

 

[Kerry Impson]

The women split from the men at the end of 1992, and thus 1993 was the first year of the Classic Tour (just to clarify an earlier post).

 

[vagabond]

The women split from the men at the end of 1992, and thus 1993 was the first year of the Classic Tour (just to clarify an earlier post).

Thanks for the info,kerry
Vagabond

 

[landshark77]

Hello JAM,

It's not a level playing field. I will E-mail you a copy of the seeding process and a standard WPBA contract if I can find it. I scanned it in as a word doc and can't find were I saved it. Just let me know.

There also is no way the 9-5 work a day ladies can compete with a 8 or 9 ladies who just play pool. Also if you become a member there is a chance like me you will never receive your news letter I never have. LOL

Cheers,

"Gremlin"

LMAO! I'm still waiting for them to e-mail me back to tell me when the 2004 FL tourney tix go on sale!

Hey Gremlin, I would LOVE to see a copy of that contract if you would share. I know you offered it to JAM, but I figured I'd let it be known that I too am VERY interested to see it.

 

[DoomCue]

Where men's pool has an edge is in the depth of its fields. Once you get past the top 25 or so by ranking on the WPBA tour, the level of play drops quite a bit, and players incapable of scoring upsets over Top 16 seeded players are few and far between. It is this lack of depth that, in part, explains why those at the top have had little trouble defending their turf over the years.

When I go to a UPA event, I feel about half the field is capable of scoring an upset over an Archer or a Reyes. When I go to a WPBA event, however, I sense that only about one sixth of the field is capable of beating Allison Fisher or Karen Corr. The talent pool is very deep in men's pro pool, not so deep in women's pro pool.

Having said that, however, the play of the women is getting stronger and stronger, and the future may bring us WPBA events having far deeper talent pools than those of today.

After all is said and done, Doomcue, the reason I attend so many WPBA events is that women's pro pool is an outstanding product. I'm glad to learn that you got to see it up close.

I thoroughly enjoyed it - it's nice to see good pool, whether the players are male or female.

Last night, after the matches, I spoke to a friend of mine about the depth of talent in the women's game compared to the men's, and we reached the same conclusion you have. Look at the US Open. Who would've picked Gabe to come out on top? Or Hohmann at the WPC? I think you're right, probably half of the field has a chance to snap off a men's tourney, while only a handful have that chance at a women's tourney. While the talent is starting to catch up, it's clear that of Corr, Fisher, Thornfeldt, and Lee, at least two of them will be in the TV rounds at every WPBA tournament. I hope you're right about the talent pool catching up since that can only be good for the game in general.

-djb

 

[Deanna Michelle]

Yay! Go Alli. Everyone knows I'm happy about this one.

woo! If I had a voice, I would go rollerblading and shout all that....guess I'll *just* go rollerblading instead. **drags landshark77 with me**

Dea

 

[Blackjack]

Howdy Black Jack,
It is great of u to reveal that.You earned my respect and you are a real Man.From now on I will treat u as my friend.
1988 Mcdermott-was it in Phoenix,AZ? Cheers
Vagabond

No it was in Detroit I think.(???) Finals was Sigel losing to Reyes. Pretty sure I wasnt the only one to feel her sting in that tournament.