Melinda Bailey
Don and Mary.
Don Akerlow Don Akerlow is the publisher (along with his wife Mary) of the billiards magazines The Break, Rack’Em, and Stroke. Let’s find out more about Don (and Mary). Q: How did you two meet? A: On a blind date! Mary was introduced to Don as “Cheese” and “I have called him that all of these years.“ We fell for each other almost immediately. We jagged, made fun of each other and anybody else. We had the best time laughing and having fun but it was all over after we kissed. Love at first kiss.
Q: You’ve been married for 46 years. What is your success for a long, lasting, loving marriage?
14 | Billiards Buzz • December 2017
A: Laughter, listening to the other and respect. Q: How many kids, grandkids and great grand kids do you have? A: 2 kids, 6 grandkids and 2 great grandkids. Q: Have you lived in Montana your whole life? A: No, we traveled the lower 48 states for the first 8 years of our marriage.
Q: You and Mary have been a HUGE staple in the billiard industry because of your coverage of events in person and remotely across the country in your magazines. Why did you start publishing the magazines in 2000? A: We actually started publishing pool magazines way back in 1989. One of the magazines was an annual pool tournament magazine that I was delivering in the late summer of 2000 to McQ’s Billiards in Spokane,