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October, 2011

Johnston City

50th Anniversary of Jansco Brothers First Tournament 1961-2011

October 25th, 1961 the world of pool in America woke up to a remarkable new kind of tournament that shook the pool establishment out of a deep slumber. It was an unusual event on several fronts; one being the unlikely location for a major national pool tournament, deep in rural southern Illinois. Second, it was a game, One Pocket, not recognized by the established sanctioning body of pool in America at that time, the Billiard Congress of America. Third, the tournament boldly featured a number of known hustler pool players who had not participated in the few sanctioned events of the mid-century -- whether by their own choice, or because they were not invited due to their reputations. And finally, the promoter was a total newcomer to pool tournament promotions, a fellow who had his roots more in the gambling side of pool than the establishment side of pool, the remarkable George Jansco. So who were the Jansco Brothers, and what made them think a small town in southern Illinois could become the “Billiard Capitol of the World”?

Click here for more of the story about the Jansco's legendary Johnston City tournaments

  

Johnston City Jansco Cue Club

The Jansco's original Cue Club Billiard Academy,

site of the first Johnston City tournament 

 

Jansco Brothers Johnston City

George & Paulie Jansco in 1961


 

US Open One Pocket

Efren Reyes rises to the top of a stellar field

 

Efren Reyes 2011 US Open One Pocket Champion

2011 US Open One Pocket champion, Efren Reyes

 

May15, 2011

Cue Sports International brought back a new and improved US Open One Pocket to the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Nevada for 2011 to a full field, and solid crowds of avid One Pocket fans. Originally planned for a field of 48, Mark Griffin of CSI responded to demand for more spots, so the field was increased to 64, with all spots claimed. The field was a good mix of former champions, from legends like Danny Di Liberto to repeat champion Efren Reyes, to young challengers like Sylver Ochoa, with the ranks partly filled by a series of qualifier tournaments held in different parts of the country.

Reyes seemed in comfortable form, unfettered by recent eye sight and back problems, and he moved through the field undefeated. Not that it was easy -- he had to reach back and exploit some of that Reyes magic to steal a key match from a very solid playing Corey Deuel. That match came down to hill-hill in the race to 4 winners side, and Corey needed only one ball to clinch with 4 balls on the table -- two of which were right next to Corey's own pocket. Yet, somehow Efren survived to advance.

Click here for more of the story


March 26, 2011

John Brumback

Official OnePocket.org sponsored player

OnePocket.org is pleased to announce their first ever sponsored player representative, Banks champion and One Pocket Hall of Fame member John Brumback. John will be representing OnePocket.org in the upcoming US Open One Pocket Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 12-15, courtesy of the membership of OnePocket.org, in particular raffle winner "Deeman" and Mark Griffin of Cue Sports International, who made the entry spot available to a OnePocket.org player/member.

  

Click here to find out how you can help support the OnePocket.org player sponsorship program

 

John Brumback, OnePocket.org player representative

OnePocket.org sponsored player, John Brumback

  

Wrap up interview with John Brumback following the

2011 US Open One Pocket


January, 2011

Derby City Classic

Highlights 2011

This year at the 13th edition of Greg Sullivan's Derby City Classic, new champions were crowned in both One Pocket and Banks as well as for the all-around title, and a professional poker player turned a strong heart for high stakes toward pool to claim the Louie Roberts Award.

In Banks, two-time defending champion John Brumback gave it a good run towards a three-peat, but ran out of gas late on the final night, as the Banks division played out into the wee hours of Tuesday AM. With Brumback left in third place, two Filipino's battled it out for the Banks title, with Alex Pagulayan eventually prevailing over Ronnie Alcano.

The One Pocket division also saw an unusual final, as favorite after favorite fell by the wayside, and the finals came down to Earl Strickland and Shane Van Boening. Shane won in an entertaining hill-hill final.

Van Boening became the youngest player ever to be crowned the all-around champion at Derby City.

Click here for a gallery of photos from Derby City Classic

 

Shane Van Boening, 2011DCC One Pocket champion

Shane Van Boening, One Pocket &

DCC All-around Champion

 

Alex Pagulayan, 2011 Derby City Banks Champion

Alex Pagulayan, 2011 DCC Banks Champion

Dave 'Viffer' Peat, AKA 'Dippy Dave' winner of the 2011 Louie Roberts Award

Dave "Viffer" Peat, winner of the 2011 DCC Louie Roberts Award

Click here for more of the 2011 Louie Roberts Award story & more photos


Wade Crane competing at the Carolina Open 2005

 

Wade 'Boom-Boom' Crane Dies

Wade Crane, the great all-around player from Rome Georgia, died in a car accident December 26th in Knoxville, Tennessee.


Wade was born February 20, 1944 and got started playing pool as a teenager. Known best as one of the most powerful 9-Ball players of his time, Wade won numerous tournaments both under his real name, Wade Crane, and his road name, 'Billy Johnson' in a career that spanned from Johnston City to recent Derby City Classic events.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Townson-Smith Funeral Home, Robbinsville, NC - Robbinsville.

Wade Crane has been selected posthumously for the Lifetime Pool in Action award to be presented at the upcoming One Pocket Hall of Fame dinner January 25th during the Derby City Classic.

Click here for Wade Crane's Lifetime Pool in Action page on OnePocket.org

Wade Crane's Wikipedia page


The GosPool

by Freddy Bentivegna

Freddy 'The Beard' Bentivegna has done it again, as he follows up his first book, Banking with the Beard, with this second volume of banks and outrageous pool stories.

Click here for our review

 

One-Pocket Man

A novel by Albert J. Betz

OnePocket.org is pleased to present the exclusive serialized publication of One-Pocket Man, a new novel by OnePocket.org member Al Betz. One-Pocket Man is a fast-paced crime novel, not a pool instructional book! It features a mid-life hit man for the Chicago mob who is offered the chance to trade a new life for spilling what he knows to the FBI. He happens to be a pool player and a One Pocket fan, but old habits die hard....

Click here for Chapter One

Click here for Chapter Two

Click here for Chapter Three

Click here for Chapter Four

Click here for Chapter Five


 

Banking with the Beard

by Freddy Bentivegna

Freddy 'the Beard' Bentivegna has just published a unique new book on banking, entitled Banking with the Beard, Secrets of a Master Banker.  Chicago has for years been host to a culture of big action Bank Pool, home to legends such as 'Bugs' Rucker, Glenn 'Piggy Banks' Rogers, and of course, 'The Beard'.

Click here for our complete review

 


 

Derby City Classic

Louie Roberts Award

Given annually to the player or backer that brings the most "action and entertainment" to the Derby City Classic, in the spirit of the late Louie Roberts. Prior winners are:

* 2003 Alex Pagulayan *

* 2004 Tony Watson *

* 2005 Scott Frost *

* 2006 Cliff Joyner *

* 2007 Chris Bartram *

* 2008 Shane Van Boening *

* 2009 'Scooter' Goodman *

* 2010 Jeanette 'Black Widow' Lee *

Congratulations, 2011 winner, 'Dippy Dave' Peat

Click here for more of the 2011 Louie Roberts Award story & more photos


We've moved the older news and interviews...

To make our home page load easier -- but nothing has disappeared!

Click here for the 2010 News Archive

Click here for the 2009 News Archive

Click here for the 2008 News Archive

Click here for the 2007 News Archive

Click here for the 2006 News Archive

Click here for the 2005 News Archive


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