Who were/was the first European player(s) to make huge international waves?

[Black-Balled]

Riko Diks came over in the mid 90s and beat us up in VA.

Can't remember if he played a major event but he won a lotta large ones.

 

[Cornerman]

We always talk about the Philipino invasion and how guys like Efren, Bustamante, Parica and Alcano came over and were doing amazing. I know, and from watching, early mosconi videos that there were still predominantly snooker players playing in the event with pool players like Tom Storm in the fray.

But who were the first big time European players to come over and show that Europe was here to play with the big boys of America and the Philippines? Was it a wave of players or was it one at the beginning who opened the door for many more to come?

You'll need to do research on Word Team Billiards, which pre-dated the Mosconi Cup and was really the inspiration for the event. The best European team definitely was Germany. Ireland, Scotland, and the UK all had former snooker players, and they couldn't play pool for the life of them. As others have said, Oliver Ortmann was the first that made a big splash in the US, but a young redhead name Ralf Souquet was close behind him.

 

[Cornerman]

...oh, that is surprising.

why is that surprising???

 

[Dan_B]

...I've looked back at the headline, the opening point and,
I'm still stunned the player with a game like few have doesn't at least have a plaque around here, somewhere.
I hope this doesn't become a befuddlement for me very long.

 

[Island Drive]

SK came to tulsa one yr for a camel event. guy could flat play. he'd bet with both hands and back it up on the table.

Would you say this man played as good as Searcy or Wade Crane?

 

[Island Drive]

You'll need to do research on Word Team Billiards, which pre-dated the Mosconi Cup and was really the inspiration for the event. The best European team definitely was Germany. Ireland, Scotland, and the UK all had former snooker players, and they couldn't play pool for the life of them. As others have said, Oliver Ortmann was the first that made a big splash in the US, but a young redhead name Ralf Souquet was close behind him. View attachment 691737

Mike and Souquet played in the Worlds in Konigswinter Germany 1993.

 

[Cornerman]

...I've looked back at the headline, the opening point and,
I'm still stunned the player with a game like few have doesn't at least have a plaque around here, somewhere.
I hope this doesn't become a befuddlement for me very long.

The question per the OP was about European pool players who came to the US to make waves, as opposed to the Filipinos that came to the United States to make a big splash. That would not have been Ronnie O'Sullivan in any imagination.

- Ronnie is not a poolplayer
- He never made a splash in the US as a poolplayer
- He would have been 15 when Oliver Ortmann already became the first European to win a major pool event in the US.

 

[Dan_B]

... those are astonishing points, thanks.
I'd thought I seen / heard he had a good game 15.

 

[Cue Alchemist]

Ralf Souquet is the one I remember. He was big name at the end of 90s. Very highly regarded!!

 

[Cornerman]

... those are astonishing points, thanks.
I'd thought I seen / heard he had a good game 15.

He had a good snooker game at 15. But that has nothing to do with this thread.

 

[jay helfert]

Can not forget Leonardo Andam as part of the Filipino invasion. Many players from Philippines came before Alcano. Santos, Marlon, Edgar Acaba, Luat, Gallego, and Lining just to name few.

Kiamco and Gabica are two more who left their mark here in the early 2000's.

 

[jay helfert]

Would you say this man played as good as Searcy or Wade Crane?

It would have taken a prime Denny Searcy or Wade Crane to have beaten him. Denny's game had faded somewhat by the 1990's and Wade Crane was busy with his own poolroom, although I recall Steve saying he purposely ducked him. I have some home movies of Steve playing money games with Tang, Raphael and Danny Bassavich at my home in the San Fernando Valley in 2000. They played 20 a man Ten Ball and it was a pretty spirited battle between them. I think Danny got the best of that game overall.

For me a dream match-up would have been Denny vs. Wade in the late 70's or early 80's. I don't think it ever happened though. Somebody prove me wrong. I think if they had played we would have known about it. Buddy meanwhile played everybody when he was in Shreveport! Only Dan Louie ever beat him down there.