BCA Insider 75th Anniversary

CELEBRATING YEARS

BCA THROUGH THE YEARS

HAVE SOME FUN AND PROMOTE YOUR STORE WITH A PODCAST ONE-ON-ONE WITH BILLIARDS DIGEST

PUBLISHER MIKE PANOZZO

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Keith Loria billiardskeith@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Charles S. Donnavan Warren Howard Anthony Stoeckert

ADVERTISING

Shane Tyree shane@bca-pool.com

(303) 243-5070 x23

DESIGN/LAYOUT

ART DIRECTOR

Julie Snee julie.snee@gmail.com

BCA Board of Directors

CHAIRMAN

Philippe Singer, The Predator Group

VICE-CHAIRMAN

Shane Bouchard, Maine Home Recreation

SECRETARY

Ed Liddawi, Sandcastle Billiards

TREASURER

Nick Kroll, Viking Cues

BOARD MEMBERS

Jacklyn Ady, The Brunswick Billiard Group

Debbie Corvey, Boynton Billiards

Maria Martinez-Trent, Beyer & Brown/ Pool Tables Plus

Robbie Selby, R and R Outdoors Trey

Champion

OPENING LETTER

As we celebrate the remarkable 75th Anniversary of the Billiard Congress of America, we also commemorate a milestone in my professional journey: my promotion to CEO of the Billiard Congress of America. While, it is still very awkward for me to say, “BCA CEO Shane Tyree” out loud, it is truly an honor. I am humbled to be able to lead this association and steer it towards a new horizon as we set the stage for the association’s next 75 years.

In this edition, we look back at the remarkable legacy of the Billiard Congress of America. With 75 years of unparalleled dedication to the sport and industry, we will take a closer look at the history of your association, broken down into 25year increments. We sit down with a preeminent historian of the sport, Billiards Digest’s Mike Panozzo. And we profile all BCA Directors as we attempt to read the Magic 8-Ball for the Billiard Congress of America’s next 75 years.

We hope by exploring our history it will help inspire and prepare you to envision our sport and industry’s next 75 years. Together with our passionate Board of Directors, staff and extended volunteer network, we will forge new paths, develop new initiatives, and foster an inclusive environment that welcomes aspiring players, seasoned professionals, and everyone in between.

I firmly believe that this diamond anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the power of unity. It is through collaboration, cooperation, and a shared love for the game and industry that we can achieve greatness. I invite each of you to join us in celebrating this remarkable milestone, as we honor the legacy of the BCA and chart an inspiring course for our future.

Together, let’s embrace the rich heritage of cue sports in America and embark on a collective journey of growth, unity, and success to propel the sport, the industry and the association’s success for another 75 years.

SHANE TYREE, BILLIARD CONGRESS OF AMERICA

HAVE SOME FUN AND PROMOTE YOUR STORE WITH A PODCAST

By Anthony Stoeckert

Starting a podcast of your own can be a great way to spread the word about everything going on in your store, engage with your customers, and increase traffic to your social media platforms. And while the idea of recording, editing, and posting a podcast may seem daunting, there are plenty of experts who promise it’s actually quite easy.

“With the technology today, you can start a podcast with just your phone,” says Erik Allen, founder and owner of ErikAllenMedia.com, and the host of a podcast titled, The Erik Allen Show . “There are lots of platforms you

could use from your phone to host your podcast, but my favorite would be Spotify for Podcasters. Bonus –it’s free!”

Many podcasters prefer to record their episodes via their computers, which Allen says costs some money, but not an awful lot. He does recommend investing in a microphone, headphones, and a webcam.

“I started with a $40 Snowball Mic, $20 headphones like Sony ZX Series, and the $70 Logitech C920X,” Allen says of his setup. “You could also get away with

the built-in camera on your computer if you don’t plan to release a video version of your podcast.”

Khairul Azam, head of marketing for LonelyAxe.com, says you will need either a USB or XLR microphone, depending on your setup.

“For example, if you’re recording solo from a laptop, a USB microphone would be a good choice,” Azam says. “A computer is required to record and edit your podcast. You’ll also need audio editing software such as Audacity, GarageBand, or Adobe Audition. Head-

phones can also be helpful for monitoring audio quality.”

Dawn-Michelle Lewis is a podcast producer and host of hiStories: Accounts of the Human Condition, who also advises clients on starting podcasts as the founder and CEO of Salutations Media Co. She says that in addition to the standard equipment, podcasters also should use pop filters, or pop guards, which are the foam covers that are placed over the top of a microphone to reduce annoying popping sounds.

She also stresses the importance of one piece of equipment.

“For the love of all things holy – any time you’re doing anything that involves audio, please wear headphones! The naked ear cannot hear everything the microphone picks up,” she says. “With headphones on, you can avoid potential sound issues, such as a bad cord connection, an air conditioner buzzing in the background, or even a dull hum in the room you wouldn’t have heard otherwise.”

DEFINING YOUR PODCAST

One important step you need to take is to decide exactly what the focus of your podcast is going to be. Ask yourself what the goal of your podcast is. Ultimately, you want to promote your store and build on your sales, but what content do you want to share in order to do that? Focusing only on your store can be limiting. If you want to build an audience, even a small one, you need to post engaging content, on a consistent basis.

“Decide what your podcast is about first, even if it is tempting to just sit in front of a microphone and start talking,” says Jason Klamm, who runs StolenDress Podcast Network, home of such podcasts as Comedy on Vinyl and Dan and Jay’s Comedy Hour. He has produced thousands of podcast episodes and has consulted with notables, such as Craig Ferguson, on launching podcasts. “The subject and purpose of your show can change over time, but you need to start with a seed of an idea. That idea can be the standard-issue ‘I’m going to talk with my friends,’ of course, but you’ll draw more people if the show is about something you’re interested in.”

Klamm says he decided to talk about vinyl comedy records for his first podcast, because it was a topic no one else was covering, he says that was even before the recent comeback vinyl records have experienced.

“I wanted to pick my niche, and less than a year in, I was getting big comedy names on the show,” he says. “Not because I was an expert – it took a few years of doing the show to become one – but because those names liked my interest and wanted to share theirs with me.”

As a billiard retailer, you want to build an audience of people who play pool and other table games. Consider a segment that shares news from the world of billiards or a “This Day in Pool His-

tory” segment. One of the best options is to have on guests, especially professional players, or even your customers – when it comes to a good guest for a podcast, fame is nice, but most important is that your guests are good conversationalists. Hearing about a new cue or table from a pro or passionate player is more engaging content than a store owner sitting by themselves, talking about what they sell.

Also keep in mind, every episode shouldn’t be a sales pitch. You want people to listen regularly and share your podcast with others, and the best way to do that is to provide entertaining content on a regular basis – aim for episodes of about 20 to 30 minutes. A lot of people recommend posting episodes weekly, but that can be tough. Every other week should be fine to start, and what’s important is that you post regularly and on schedule.

“Target a specific niche and audience,” Azam says. “Many creators are copying each other, so targeting a specific industry can help a new podcaster stand out. Also, newcomers shouldn’t wait for the audience to find them. Be active in trying to find the audience yourself.”

TIME TO RECORD

Now that you have the equipment you need and you know what you want to talk about on your podcast, it’s time to actually talk into that microphone and record your first episode. The good news here is that there are lots of options for doing this, many of which are free.

“I used Zoom to record my podcast for years and then about a year ago, switched to Riverside.fm as it allows me to record video in 9:16 size for Instagram and YouTube Shorts,” Allen says. “With podcasting, you have to have a host site where an RSS feed is created. An RSS feed is like your address, so when you upload your podcast to your host site of choice, it can distribute your recording to iTunes, Spotify,

etc. I personally use BluBrry as my host site and am on the $20 per-month plan. I really love their customer service, which is super-responsive and jumped on a Zoom with me to ensure I had everything set up correctly on my end.”

Klamm has some great news when it comes to recording.

“As for recording, that’s probably the simplest part – sit down, hit record on your computer and go,” he says.

ALL ABOUT EDITING

With so many people podcasting, you have to have confidence that you can do it, too. But based on what the experts say, one of the toughest parts comes after you record your episodes and start editing them.

“This is a little trickier,” Allen says. “I personally edit my own shows using iMovie on my MacBook Pro. There are editing services out there and you can find folks on Fiverr to do the editing for you.”

Allen releases episodes of his podcast, The Erik Allen Show, every Friday night, and says he prefers to edit shows himself because this way, he’s deciding what the finished episodes are like.

Lewis says that programs like iMovie work well for video podcasting.

“For audio-only, free programs like Audacity exist,” she says. “There are also AI programs, like Podflow, which will correct the audio for you.”

Klamm notes that there are free editing software options.

“One of the most popular options is Audacity,” Klamm says. “You might even record your audio straight into Audacity, save the file, and then cut your podcast from there. If you don’t know anything about audio editing,YouTube has endless tutorials on everything from the bare basics to more involved ways to make

your stuff sound good. It can be relatively easy to learn, though it will take some time to have any finesse.”

Azam adds that there are several audio editing options, including Audacity, GarageBand, and Adobe Audition.

“These programs allow you to remove background noise, cut out unwanted parts of the recording, adjust the levels, and add effects like music and sound effects,” he says.

POSTING YOUR PODCAST

Azam says that after you’ve finished recording and editing your podcast episode, it’s time to export the audio file in a format like an MP3 or AAC.

“Next, you need to find a podcast hosting platform to upload your audio file to, such as Anchor, Buzzsprout, or Podbean,” he says. “The process to post your podcast on iTunes or Spotify is similar. For example, to submit a podcast on iTunes, you’ll need an Apple ID. After that, you can submit your podcast using the RSS feed. You can find the RSS feed link on your podcast hosting service. For Spotify, the process is almost the same, other than you’ll need a Spotify account instead of an Apple ID. Before submitting, check the requirements outlined by these platforms.”

Klamm says most podcast hosting sites include posting your episodes to Apple Podcasts and other outlets as part of the services they offer.

“When you sign up, you’ll enter your show’s name, your name and other information and they will do a lot of the work for you each time you upload,” he says. “You pay these services a monthly or yearly fee so that they can store your audio files and push them out to the different podcast services, and often to social media to instantly promote your podcasts. There are free services but, as you can guess, those services will be limited

as to how long episodes can be, how often you can post episodes, etc. Do your research to find out what fits you best.”

PERFECTING YOUR PODCAST

One advantage to starting a podcast that focuses on billiards and your store, is that it targets a specific audience, which Azam says can be a big help.

“Many creators are copying each other, so targeting a specific industry can help a new podcaster stand out,” he says. “Also, newcomers shouldn’t wait for the audience to find them. Be active in trying to find the audience yourself.”

You might also want to consider recording a test episode, to get a feel for putting together an episode without worrying that what you’re recording is good enough to post for the world to hear.

“It allows you to get used to the recording and editing process,” Azam says. “Not to mention, experimenting with different formats and styles can help you develop your own style of content.”

Klamm offers a piece of advice that he wishes someone had given to him, and that is to think of your show in segments.

“Build in breaks and different discussion points to mix it up for your audience and for you,” he says. “This is especially helpful if you decide it’s just going to be you talking – segments keep you from rambling and keep everyone’s interest moving along at a healthy pace. My favorite podcast, for instance, is Stop Podcasting Yourself, which consists of two segments: ‘Get to Know Us,’ where they talk about their lives and those of their guests, and ‘Overheard,’ where they share something funny they’ve overheard. That little bit of segmentation is enough to keep the flow consistent, episode-to-episode.”

Klamm also suggests thinking about the content of your episodes, adding that

you may want to occasionally do episodes on topics that may not appeal to tons of people, just because you want to. He does this from time to time and posts those as mini-episodes.They may not get a lot of downloads, but he has fun with them, and they keep his podcast active.

“Try to make your show welcoming without losing your personality, but also listen to feedback,” Klamm says. “Not the unhelpful, ‘You suck’ kind of feedback – this is inevitable because the internet is the internet – but the kind that might surprise you. Maybe there was a word choice you didn’t know could be a problem for some people, maybe you have an uninformed opinion that struck someone as odd. While you can’t tailor every episode to everyone, genuine constructive criticism can make you a better podcaster and will make your show have wider appeal and make more people feel welcomed. After all, you want to expose more people to the thing you want to talk about so much –think about yourself as an ambassador for your passion.”

Lewis says that a typical podcast is easy to put together – once you start doing it and get the hang of it.

“It helps to have someone with experience guide you initially, but unless you have the money to spend, or need the time, there is no need to outsource production once the show is up and running,” she says.

She also warns not to fall for “podcast masterclass traps” in which so-called experts charge podcaster novices for information that’s available online for free.

“It’s different if someone is helping you with pre-production – setting up the intro/outro, finding music, making graphics, etc.,” she says. “Podcasting can easily fall into Nick Offerman’s ‘teach a man to fish’ analogy – ‘Give a man a fish and you feed them for a day. Don’t teach a man to fish and you feed yourself. He’s a grown man, fishing’s not that hard.’ Committing three hours a week to recording, editing, and content creation can give you a full week of content.”

SOME FINAL TIPS

You’re a realistic person, and you aren’t expecting to set the world afire with your podcast that promotes your store, but you do want to build an audience, and to do that, you have to promote your podcast.

“The best ways to promote are ‘borrowing’ audiences and social media,” Lewis says. “By borrowing audiences, this means you are a guest on other podcasts to promote your show or expertise. Ideally, you will have at least two episodes up and running for this. For social media, you can use blog posts, audiograms, and reels across the platforms that feature your target audiences.”

Allen says podcasting is all about trial and error.

“I think you need to start a podcast for the right reason,” he says. “Don’t get into podcasting for money or fame. Do podcasting because you genuinely love talking with people or sharing knowledge with people. When you start, you will suck. No one starts a podcast and becomes Joe Rogan overnight. As a podcaster, the biggest tip I can give you is, Don’t look at your number of downloads and obsess over them. Your numbers will be low when you start, and that can be frustrating, but do podcasting because you want to do podcasting. I didn’t look at my number of downloads until I had been podcasting for over four years and I still rarely look at my numbers.”

And one of best pieces of advice comes from Allen – don’t quit.

“There is a very high percentage of people who start and quit podcasting within the first seven episodes because they aren’t making money or they aren’t having millions of downloads, etc.,” he says. “Just don’t quit and you will be successful as a podcaster. The right people will hear your podcast.”

SOME BILLIARD PODCASTS TO FOLLOW

With countless podcasts out there, it’s only natural that there would be podcasts about billiards and pool to listen to. Here’s the lowdown on some popular billiard podcasts.

Doggin’ It

Molina Mike and Joey Ryan (who run the popular Window’s Open Facebook page) keep listeners up to date on pool tournaments, money matches, and news and events related to the sport we love. Episodes feature interviews with top players, promoters and industry leaders, all of whom share their insights on all things pool.

Cue It Up

This podcast was created by pool players Neight Mindham and Robert Hovick and keeps listeners informed of everything going on in the world of pool. Episodes feature interviews with professional players, sponsors, and people from throughout the world of pool. Recent topics have included coaching pool; Zheng Yubo winning the World Heyball Masters, and the recent successes of Billy Thorpe.

Inside New Zealand Pool

You can get a little worldly listening to this podcast, which covers New Zealand’s thriving cue ball scene. On each episode, Alex Stone and Simon Singleton interview players, tournament organizers, and others about the exciting world of pool in New Zealand. April’s episode featured Adam Lilley, who talked about his win on the Pocket Pro Series.

TOURNAMENT-TESTED COMMERCIAL QUALITY FOOSBALL TABLES

WORTHINGTON

Tornado commercial grade performance built in a beautiful, finished-wood table. The contrasting Black and Soft Maple stain brings a warm look to any game room, and matches the Worthington tables from Champion and Connelly.

CLASSIC

The Classic table combines a contemporary look with heavy duty construction and many of the features found on commercial tables.

ELITE

The Elite table is a commercial table available for the home. This beautiful table features dual ball returns, heavy gauge rods, and patented split bearings for easy cleaning and maintenance.

SPORT

The Sport table is the perfect table for young foosers and the more experienced player alike. The adjustable height and durable construction allow for generations of enjoyment.

All Tornado Foosball tables deliver commercial quality and features to home play. Patented bumpers, men, and balls are a result of Tornado’s decades of commitment to being the foosball industry leader.

ONE ON ONE WITH BILLIARDS DI GEST PUBLISHER MIKE PANOZZO

By Keith Loria

Billiards Digest is known throughout the billiard industry as the go-to full-color, glossy magazine covering every aspect of billiards worldwide.

The publication’s content includes some of the top instructional columns anywhere (with such high-caliber names as pool legends Mike Sigel and Nick Varner), professional and amateur coverage, industry news, personality profiles, billiards history, plus unique, innovative and highly informative billiard articles.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Billiards Digest first published in 1978 with Jim Rempe as the magazine’s first cover subject. A bi-monthly at the time, when the magazine hit its 20th anniversary in 1998, owners Luby Publishing transformed it to a monthly offering.

In 1980, Luby hired Mike Panozzo to be the magazine’s editor, and over the years, he would grow, improve and strengthen the magazine to its present high-class status and become an influential voice in the billiard world.

In 1994, Panozzo and business manager Keith Hamilton acquired the company, becoming the company’s publisher and president, respectively.

“I think it’s important to the industry to have an independent voice and something that goes deeper than 500 words on a website or social media,” Panozzo says. “I think it’s important for people outside the industry to see that there’s something like that that exists. There’s a place for real story telling, and whether that remains in print or more goes to a digital platform, we’ll have to see.”

THROUGH THE YEARS

Through Panozzo’s vision for the publication, it became well respected and told interesting stories and introduced players and those in the billiard industry to a broader audience.

“We held the industry’s feet to the fire when it needed to be and offered our opinions and opinions from others,” he says.

Although there is an online presence of Billiards Digest today, it’s not that impactful, as the publication hasn’t ever put issues online as a flipbook.

“I never thought that was the way people read, so I am not going to go digital until I can find a platform that is contemporary and functional, one that today’s

younger audience relates to. I know they convey things differently, and flipbooks just don’t do it, and looking at PDFs doesn’t do it.” Panozzo says.

He knows that the billiard demographic skews a bit older and a lot of the things that have kept the print magazine relevant is the old traditional values and ideas that have always been associated with the publication.

“We’ve proven over the years that we’re someone worth listening to and someone worth reading,” Panozzo says. “We’ve maintained our independence and are not afraid to take on hot topics and challenge people and even the BCA. And to be able to do that for 40plus years and still have respect around the industry, means we’ve been able to challenge people and not burn bridges. We could educate people without overly being too much of a cheerleader.”

Panozzo has found the fine line of doing that, and Billiards Digest has been able to straddle that line really well.

IMPACT ON HALL OF FAME

One of the most notable things Billiards Digest has done through the years relates to the BCA, as it’s helped with the development of the Hall of Fame.

“That’s always been a big part of the BCA, and it’s also very important,” Panozzo says. “There’s something in the BCA Hall of Fame that gives credibility to the whole industry. The sport has been around with these great players and people for over a hundred years.”

Billiards Digest started the Billiards Media Association and part of the reason for doing that was to bring billiard writers to the attention of the tournaments and promoters for the better of the industry. But that also helped create a traditional voting structure for the Hall of Fame.

How it started: How it’s going:

“In the early years, BCA would do it by board vote, but then they ended up switching it to everyone who was a voting member of the BCA had a vote, which got to be hundreds of people who were members but didn’t make anything that was a billiard product and didn’t know anything about the Hall of Fame,” Panozzo says. “We took over the voting and did it like the baseball Hall of Fame did, with our media members. I’ve been really proud of that.”

COLUMNS AND FEATURES

Each month in the magazine, international billiard icon Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee answers readers’ questions about life, love, and everything else that happens in the pool hall. For instance, in April, someone asked her how to improve their mental game and Lee offered her typical insightful answer.

“Like every part of your game, the mental game takes practice,” she wrote. “You just can’t will yourself to stay focused. Learn to stay in the moment, even when you’re practicing. Always be ready.You have to want to make the ball more than you are afraid of missing it.”

Consulting Editor George Fels, who has been writing for Billiards Digest since 1980, does a monthly “Tips & Shafts” column, providing great info and news.

Then there’s Billiards Digest House Pro, written by Tony Robles, a longtime teaching pro at Amsterdam Billiards Club in New York City, which provides great tips on instruction. Other notable names write instruction content every issue as well.

The magazine also offers an updated events calendar, a schedule of any TV events and plenty more.

LOOKING AHEAD

While he hopes to continue the monthly print format, Panozzo knows that digital has taken over a lot of publications over the years, and he’s going to fight to keep it in its original format as best he can.

“Hopefully it will stick around for a long time,” he says. “It has a lot of history and I think it’s just important for the entire industry.”

To learn more about Billiards Digest, visit www.billiardsdigest.com.

MEMORIES OF THE BCA

By Keith Loria

As the Billiard Congress of America celebrates its 75th anniversary, BCA Insider reached out to members to talk about what they love most about the BCA and share their fondest memories. Here are some of the responses.

SKIP NEMECEK

Tweeten Fibre Co, Chicago, Illinois

For Skip Nemecek, president of Tweeten Fibre Co., the BCA provided him the great opportunity to learn from many successful and dedicated leaders in the billiard industry.

“My years serving on the BCA board saw many changes, including the largest trade shows, moving the national offices, re-writing bylaws, etc., so from a personal standpoint, I grew from all my board colleagues and the BCA staff’s wisdom and experience,” he says. “My fondest memories are when the BCA held the Hall of Fame inductions at the trade show and 50th anniversary celebration.”

Additionally, he notes that the BCA’s involvement in governing the sport both nationally and at a global level is critical to maintaining the sport and elevating the game’s interest and popularity.

“In simple terms, the BCA is the tide that lifts all boats,” Nemecek says. “I also believe involvement with the BCA – the Board of Directors, instructors, junior competitors, etc., gives many people from many perspectives the opportunity to guide and direct the organization and the sport overall. All these positive aspects affect the industry, from increased sales to increased participation.”

He also believes the BCA is an important conduit between the sport, the industry, and the playing public.

“I enjoy seeing the growth of the junior program over the years and I appreciate the annual gathering at the trade show to see long-time friends, new friends, and get the pulse of the industry,” Nemecek says. “The BCA is the industry – it’s the players, the volunteers, the friendships, etc. The founders of the BCA understood what was needed to grow the sport and the industry, and we have the unique luxury of being a fairly small and intimate group that continues 75 years later…I hope there’s another 75 years in the future.”

KIM MORRISON-MURDOCK

International Billiards, Inc., Houston, Texas

While establishing relationships with vendors is the most important thing the BCA has done for International Billiards through the years, Kim Morrison-Murdock notes that being able to see vendors at the trade show and socialize with them helps her know who she can trust to buy from and who she can’t.

“The BCA to me is an organization that I trust to do what will benefit our industry,” she says. “Our industry is very small. Even our large manufacturers and importers are small compared to other industries. So, having everyone in one place at one time – large and small vendors – enables small dealers such as us to enjoy ‘one stop shopping.’”

To Murdock, the BCA has always been a vital part of her life and she has fond memories of the BCA through the years.

“Many of us are third- and fourth-generation billiard store owners and we were raised coming to the BCA when it was with the SGMA, and then when it branched off into its own show,” she says. “When I was very young, I thought Paul Huebler was Santa Claus and Philippe Janssens was my European uncle. We saw how the generations before us worked together, and we had the opportunity to continue those relationships. While there will always be new shiny penny vendors and dealers, I cherish knowing that I’m part of the BCA history.”

KURT SCHMIDT

A.E. Schmidt Billiards, St. Louis, Missouri

As a longtime member of the BCA, Kurt Schmidt feels that more than any other organization, the BCA attempts to pull the retailers, manufacturers, and players together.

“It has a long rich history of doing a lot with little resources and helping everyone in the industry in one way or another,” he says, citing the expo, rule book and instructors program as three of the important things it has done for the industry. “The lesser-known indirect benefits are an information resource both for those inside and outside the industry.”

One of his favorite memories of the BCA is the planning that went into the very first trade show.

“Everyone from manufacturers, coin operated, wholesalers, players, and retailers, came together to make this happen,” Schmidt says. “It helped set off an unprecedented era of success for the billiard industry. The lesson for me was, working together makes great things happen.”

The consistency, he notes, has always been there, and that’s what has kept the BCA so vital through the years.

“Though fragile at times, it celebrates a small group of people who have taken this wonderful, wacky game and made it their lives,” he says. “If you doubt that, just check out the BCA Billiard Player Hall of Fame. Without the BCA, none of this would have happened.”

LYNNE CORNWALL

Encore Billiards & Gameroom, Milford, Connecticut

When Lynne Cornwall of Encore Billiards & Gameroom looks back at her years involved with the BCA, many good times come to mind.

“ THE BCA IS THE TIDE THAT LIFTS ALL BOATS."

-SKIP NEMECEK

“The BCA was instrumental with giving our industry a community,” she says. “Since our store began in the early 1970s, my dad, Sid Abrams, used to attend the Sporting Goods trade show since we didn’t have a show back then specifically for our billiard industry. The booths he visited back then were just mixed in and very hard to navigate amongst Nike, Everlast, Spalding etc. It was like a little fish in a big ocean.”

So, when the very first BCA show opened, Abrams and his wife Muriel both felt it was sure to become a great source to find new items to fill the store with new merchandise, and they found success with that year after year, finding many new items that customers were interested in.

“I can remember the first time I went with my parents; I was surely one of the youngest to attend, and met the people my parents associated with and did business with on a daily basis,” Cornwall says. “It was great meeting them so I would be in ‘good hands’ in the future as my dad would say. I loved hearing stories and seeing the great camaraderie they all formed. They not only made business connections, but many friendships were formed that we still have today.”

She also used to enjoy watching the pros play and meeting them.

“It was always great to come back into the store and talk about the players with our customers, especially our ‘real’ pool player customers,” Cornwall says. “We have framed autographs we would get of the pro players during the past BCA shows that are still currently hanging on our wall behind our counter, which people still admire.”

Years later, Cornwall would attend the BCA trade show on her own as a buyer on behalf of the store and later with her husband, David, who also joined the family business, with the couple taking over in the early ’90s.

“My husband and I both feel every industry needs a governing body and the BCA is the glue to hold us together in what is such a small industry,” she says. “We’ve been small, big and now small again over the years, and the BCA needs everyone’s support. We need to not branch out but embrace the BCA and make it better and bigger.”

“WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, I THOUGHT PAUL HUEBLER WAS SANTA CLAUS.”

-KIM MORRISON-MURDOCK

“ I THINK THE INSTRUCTOR PROGRAM FOR ONE-ONONE IS SO SUPPORTIVE.” -BOB JEWETT

BOB JEWETT

Master Instructor, Berkeley, California

For Bob Jewett, the BCA Expo is one of the organization’s finest moments.

“When you can have Eddie Taylor show you how to shoot bank shots, that’s pretty neat,” he says. “One of my favorite parts early on was getting to see the Hall of Famers and the people you only got to see on TV’s Wide World of Sports, and have conversations with them, and even playing them.”

Jewett was able to play Allison Fisher and recorded a winning record against the English legend, though he admits he won on having fewer misses.

“The personal contacts have helped a lot of people,” he says.

Jewett is also a big fan of BCA Insider, the support for the juniors, and of course, the Instructor Training Program, which he has been very much involved in.

“I learned how to play pool when there was no such thing as an instructor, but there was a guy over in San Francisco who had a notebook who would show you a few things, but nothing like real pool instruction,” he says. “I think the instructor program for one-on-one is so supportive.”

“WE HAVE FRAMED AUTOGRAPHS OF THE PRO PLAYERS … THAT ARE STILL HANGING ON OUR WALL.”

-LYNNE CORNWALL

ONE

YOU GET IT ALL

Thousands of products are just one phone call away. Managing multiple vendor relationships can be costly, frustrating, inefficient, and time consuming. Our goal is to be the best one-stop shopping source in the billiards industry. When you buy from CueStix, you have access to an enormous selection of products.

MEET THE BOARD

By BCA Staff

The BCA is guided by a board whose goal is to help its members and ensure the industry thrives. Over the years, the BCA board has helped promote the game globally; supported juniors pool, player development and tournaments; and worked to make the BCA Expo the best event of its kind.

“With the team the BCA has in place, the future has never looked brighter for us,” says Trey Stites, one of the members of the board.

Below is a little background on each member of the BCA’s 2023-2024 Board of Directors.

BCA CHAIRMAN PHILIPPE

SINGER

Manufacturer Representative, The Predator Group

As vice-president at Predator Group, Singer is currently leading operations, designing key business processes, and

leveraging information technology to create efficiencies, as well as driving innovative communication plans.

With nearly 20 years of management, marketing and sales experience in the billiards industry at Predator Group and Kozoom.com, Singer has developed a strong understanding of the global billiard market and of what billiard fans love and are looking for.

BCA VICE-CHAIR

SHANE BOUCHARD

Retailer Representative, Maine Home Recreation

Shane Bouchard is the owner of Maine Home Recreation in Lewiston, Maine and has more than 23 years in the billiard industry.

Over his career, Bouchard has served as chairman of the BCA and as well as leading the membership and marketing committee.

BCA TREASURER NICK KROLL

Manufacturer Representative, Qco, home of Viking Cues

Nick Kroll acquired Middleton, Wisconsin-based Viking Cues Manufacturing in December 2020 and serves as the organization’s owner and CEO.

A results-orientated, value-based leader with more than 25 years of professional experience in varying industries, Kroll has spent the past two decades as president and CEO of a trio of different closely held manufacturing businesses. He has a substantial background in change management, family business matters, profitable revenue growth, manufacturing, distribution, organizational culture

development, strategic planning and development/commercialization.

Kroll leads organizations through change cycles in the interest of enabling them to further reach their true potential. Change is challenging for organizations and requires a determined, focused, and steady leader. Kroll provides this leadership by empowering people within the organization to make decisions and take action within the context of established organizational values, a known plan, and in the interest of serving the customer. He subscribes to the philosophy of “building customers for life,” knowing without the customer, there is no business. Providing solutions to customers both through product and service is paramount to success.

He holds a BA in economics from Saint Norbert College and an MBA from Marquette University. Kroll also serves on several for profit and nonprofit

Since Sandcastle’s inception, he’s further served the industry by organizing, promoting, officiating, announcing and commentating at professional events such as the U.S. Open, and International Open. Liddawi became affiliated with BCA Hall of Famer Pat Fleming in 2011 to house the Accu-Stats arena at Sandcastle Billiards to promote and host events together.

DEBBIE CORVEY

Deborah Corvey is the CEO and founder of Boynton Billiards. Her career in billiards began in 1991 when she purchased a small pool room, which she doubled in size in a few months. She opened a retail store in 1993 and expanded to two stores in 2001.

BCA SECRETARY ED LIDDAWI

Ed Liddawi is proprietor of Sandcastle Billiards in Edison, New Jersey. An enthusiast and purist of the game for more than 25 years, Liddawi has sponsored several world class players during their visits to the U.S. for professional competition.

Corvey brought the BCA Pool Leagues to Palm Beach County, operating a traveling league, including hosting a junior BCA qualifying event. She escorted the winner to Las Vegas, where he eventually placed second in the Junior National Championships.

Over the years, Corvey has served on many dealer advisory boards including Vitalie Manufacturing, Gandy, and Olhausen. She has worked with many manufacturers in their booths at various wholesale and design trade shows all over the country. Locally, she is an avid supporter and volunteer for first responders and needy groups in her city.

JACKLYN ADY

Jacklyn Ady is a design and business leader passionate about product development, business and marketing strategy, social innovation, and creative entrepreneurship.

Ady is the director of product development for the Brunswick Billiards Group, overseeing product design strategy for Brunswick Billiards, American Heritage Billiards, and Cue & Case. In her roles, she is responsible for leading design and engineering teams, guiding product vision, and identifying and applying market design trends to create future innovation across the billiards category.

Ady holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial design from the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning and a Master of Business Administration in the Global Leader Program from the Nagoya University of Commerce and Business.

Throughout her career, she has designed commercial and residential furniture, game room furniture, sporting goods, and children's toys, as well as conducted design research and managed product development cycles.

Pool Room Operator Representative, Sandcastle Billiards

Retailer Representative, Boynton Beach Billiards

Manufacturer Representative, The Brunswick Billiards Group

She also teaches as an adjunct at the University of Evansville in ChangeLab, Master of Science in Leadership, and Organizational Leadership programs. She instructs classes on innovation, strategic decision-making, and social entrepreneurship.

ROBBIE SELBY

Manufacturer Representative, R and R Outdoors

Robbie Selby is the founder and managing director of Naples, Florida-based R and R Outdoors. She has worn all hats since first acquiring All Weather Billiards in 2013—which was then a small manufacturing company with just one employee—from a gentleman that was a pool player and a craftsman. Her tenacity and business acumen grew the company to a level and product volume that after seven years, needed to scale beyond the Naples capability.

Now teamed up with the Olhausen facility and family, the company has reached even greater milestones in volume, quality and product design.

Her diverse background in finance, advertising, leadership, operations and entrepreneurship provides a fresh and high-level insight to the BCA. Now with her experience of learning manufacturing from such a large factory and team at Olhausen Billiards, she has even more to offer.

TREY STITES

Manufacturer Representative, Valley Dynamo / Champion Shuffleboard

During the fall of 2020, Trey Stites left his career at Raymond James Financial to join Valley-Dynamo as national sales manager, proudly following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather before him. Since high school, he has also worked in sanding and packaging at Valley-Dynamo. This experience has given him a special respect for the “art” of manufacturing in the United States, as well as the incredible amount of discipline one must have to achieve success in this competitive environment.

Following stops in Norman Oklahoma and Houston, Stites now lives with his wife in Fort Worth, Texas.

Today, Stites is excited to work with a very experienced group of members on the BCA board to take the billiards industry to the next level.

MARIA MARTINEZ-TRENT Beyer & Brown/Pool Tables Plus

Maria Martinez-Trent is the owner of Beyer & Brown/Pool Tables Plus, providing game room products that help people connect at home and in entertainment establishments. Martinez-Trent has been a member of the BCA since 2001 and is also an active and supportive member of the Amusement Music Operators of America.

Martinez-Trent has more than 20 years of serving on various marketing and outreach boards that have allowed her to expand her knowledge and ability of working with people of different backgrounds and personalities to create more meaningful and productive collaborations. She is passionate about building industry relationships and advocates for support of yearly education programs and membership drives.

She is excited for the opportunity to work with the BCA board and its members to promote the billiard industry as a whole.

With a drive to help others, MartinezTrent is eager to share her talents to better serve the needs of small business owners. She dedicates her free time to her husband, Greg Trent, and their blended family of six amazing children and five loving grandchildren.

JUNIOR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM

Creating Tomorrow’s Champions

THE BREAK AND RUN PREMIER JUNIOR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM OFFERS:

ā Free coaching/instruction to youth nationwide.

ā On-going, individualized instruction tailored to junior players at all ages and skill levels.

ā Structured instruction at no cost to junior players who wish to play competitively.

ā Support to local coaches and instructors of players who are playing, or wish to play, at a competitive level.

ā Training materials, regular feedback and assessments of participant progress.

ā Regular instruction in person or via video exchange, such as Facetime or Skype interaction.

PBIA instructors associated with this program do so as a service to the PBIA and in furtherment of the sport. They receive no compensation for their participation. Each instructor has gone through extensive training and has a verified background check to participate.

If you are a junior player interested in this program, please email questions to rob@pbia-instructor.com.

BCA THROUGH THE YEARS

By BCA Staff with thanks

BCA 3C Camps 1952

THROUGH YEARS

to Michael I. Shamos

When the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) was established in 1948, its original objective was to organize pool players and promote the sport through qualifying tournaments at the local, regional and national levels for both straight pool and 3-cushion billiards.

At the start, famous players like Willie Mosconi and Willie Hoppe were involved and helped to bring prestige to the association.

Other important efforts at the beginning included creating an official rulebook to standardize billiards and help fund the effort, involving billiard rooms, retailers and manufacturers in meeting these promotional goals.

Here is a look at some of the Billiard Congress of America’s biggest accomplishments over the last 75 years, broken up into 25-year periods.

THE FIRST 25 YEARS 1948-1973

Michael I. Shamos, noted billiard historian who wrote The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards, was asked to pen a history of the Billiard Congress of America at its 50th anniversary, and remembers fondly putting that together and reliving the exceptional work that the association had done up until that time – and continues to do today.

“It was called, ‘Setting the Stage for 50 Years’ and was 119 pages long and covered all the reigns of the BCA presidents and what happened during their tenures,” Shamos says. “But it ends in 1998 because that’s when it was published.”

Shamos was first exposed to the Billiard Congress of America when he used to see the rule book for sale at his college bookstore and he would buy a copy every year. He’s been

BCA US Open 1970s

TOP: BCA Membership Meeting 1980s | BOTTOM: BCA Board of Directors Early 1980s OPPOSITE: BCA Expo 1984

on the BCA Hall of Fame committee since 1990, was on the rules committee for a brief time, and knows the association is very important for the survival of the sport.

He noted every sport needs a governing body to set rules and establish records and the BCA has done some wonderful things over its entire 75 years.

During WWII, only one world pool tournament was held, a 1942 championship won by Willie Mosconi. So, one of the first orders of business for the newly formed BCA in 1948 was to reestablish the world event, which it supported for another 20 years.

“It’s very important in every sport to have a world champion, as that’s what makes newspapers and reminds the world the sport exists,” Shamos says. “You need that signature tournament. Where would golf be without the Masters or football without the Super Bowl? Nowhere.”

Thanks to BCA’s sponsorship, legions of fans got to know the great players through their highly-publicized tournament performances and quest for high-run records. Without this exposure, sponsored by the BCA, the game wouldn’t have its legends.

Another early endeavor by the BCA was supporting the ACUI and the Boys’ Clubs, promoting intercollegiate competition. This kept the game of pool alive for those who went to college, when historically, many people quit the game during this time in their lives.

One of the BCA’s first directors was Walter Hall, who headed national programs for the Boys’ Clubs. He saw the opportunity to introduce pool to young people in a clean environment that would not frighten their parents. The follow-up was that when the kids got to college, they could continue competing in intercollegiate tournaments.

“At times, there wasn’t enough money to pay travel costs for the players, so they couldn’t actually face one another on the same table and the runs had to be transmitted between the schools by telephone,” Shamos says. “It seems like such a silly way to hold a competition, but it kept people playing, and it was especially good at getting them at an age when they could start a long-term love affair with the game.”

The BCA Official Records and Rule Book was first published in 1948 and remains the billiard bible for players, historians and anyone involved in the game. The Rule Book gives players something to strive for as they read the achievements of past champions and marvel at the BCA Hall of Famers.

The Rule Book’s biggest accomplishment, however, has been systematizing the rules. Unless a game has stable rules and equipment specifications, there’s no way to compare players or have a fair contest. The BCA rules are the basis for the World-Standardized Rules, establishing a framework for pocket games all over the globe.

In 1966, the BCA started the U.S. Open for men, with a women’s division set up the following year. This quickly became the premier tournament in the United States. Why was Steve Mizerak famous before the Miller Lite commercial? He kept winning U.S. Opens.

Before the BCA U.S. Open, there had never been an open national or world title pool tournament in U.S. history. Every title event prior to that had been exclusively invitational, as far back as 1863. Some, particularly during the 1930s, invited so-called “sectional” champions from different regions of the country to play in the world championship, but entries in the sectionals were carefully controlled to keep out “undesirables.” This made the top echelon of pool an exclusive male club. Between 1916 and 1956 only eight different people held the title even though it was contested on 73 occasions during those 40 years.

“You might think it strange that with so many good players –especially in New York and Philadelphia alone – no one else

ever made it to the top,” Shamos says. “The BCA thought so too and realized that more public participation was needed. I’m confident that women’s pool would not be what it is now without the U.S. Open and the role models it produced.

To commemorate the great players and industry professionals who have enriched the sport and industry, in 1966, the Billiard Congress of America created the BCA Hall of Fame.

The Greatest Player category is reserved for outstanding players who have been active in national or international competition for at least 20 years and have won at least one national or international championship, while the Meritorious Service category is reserved for those who have made lasting, memorable and important contributions to billiards.

“Once you have a Hall of Fame, you have heroes who are role models and people aspire to be like them,” Shamos says. “The ones who break the records, who dominate, who crush, who inspire awe. Its occupants dwell in the platonic heights of billiard heaven: Hoppe, Mosconi, de Oro, Schaefer and Greenleaf, to say nothing of the living members. It sets up a standard of excellence to which mere mortal players aspire, and providing that goal, that path, is what keeps many good players striving for greatness and many great players pushing the envelope.”

BCA Expo Late 1980s

THE SECOND 25 YEARS (1974-1998)

In 1977, the BCA launched the North American 8-Ball Championships, filling a hole that was much needed in the billiard world.

“For 100 years, 8-ball had been the most popular pool game but there was never competition in it; it was the forgotten game in tournament play,” Shamos says. “People like to see a game they’re familiar with. The BCA realized this when it set up the North American Championships, and dangling a title out there is a good way to keep a game flourishing.”

In 1982, the BCA’s Board of Directors created an industry trade show, at which all segments of the sport could meet. Today the BCA Expo is the industry’s largest annual billiard and home leisure show. In addition to exhibits, the event features business seminars for all sections of the billiard industry and social events designed to promote peer to peer relationships.

“When the BCA held its first trade Expo, it gave those in the industry the information they needed in terms of products and services and it kept its members prominently in world view,” Shamos says. “As time for the Expo approaches, the excitement level in billiards rises. Everyone counts on seeing each other at the show to do business or just renew acquaintances.”

Another important step in the ’80s was joining the World Pool-Billiard Association and realizing that pool couldn’t truly have a world champion if only American players were involved. After all, the World Pocket Billiard Championship (1901-1990) and the World Three-Cushion Championship (1914-1953) took place in the U.S., every year with the exception of a 1908 carom event in Havana, Cuba.

During the 1980s, when interest in the game ebbed here, more European and Asian players came into prominence. The U.S. no longer dominated, and the BCA made the savvy decision to acknowledge that pool was international and accept the fact that the BCA is only one of many similar national organizations.

“For most of the 20th century, the U.S. believed it owned pool, so I thought it was magnanimous when the BCA became one of the organization’s members,” Shamos says. “It caused a tremendous increase in pool playing around the world.”

As the North American representative to the World-Pool Billiard Association, the BCA is responsible for selecting players for world championships, rules and specifications input and other timely topics paramount to the sport and industry. This position permits the Billiard Congress of America to publish Billiards:The Official Rules and Records Book, withWorld-Standardized Rules.

TOP TWO PHOTOS: BCA Expo early 1990s; BCA Expo 1996 BOTTOM TWO PHOTOS: BCA Expo 1997

THE LAST 25 YEARS (1999-2023)

In 2000, the BCA moved its headquarters from Iowa to Colorado Springs, Colorado where it established its mission to enhance the success of members and promote the game of billiards. Further, the BCA agreed that its vision is to “achieve a united, growing, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through Billiard Congress of America leadership.”

One of the most notable things of the last 25 years was starting and operating the Professional Billiard Instructors Association (PBIA), formally the BCA Certified Instructor Program. With more than 250 members internationally, the PBIA provides on-going certification and training for its instructors and is now the largest international organization of professional billiard instructors.

Every sporting organization knows that its future lies in a regular intake of new players so creating the BCA Certified Instructor Program with BCA Hall of Famer Jerry Briesath at the helm, was the ideal way to ensure players continued to discover the enjoyment of the game and grow in the sport.

“Without uniform standards, people seeking teachers would have no way of locating or comparing individuals,” Shamos says. “The BCA’s Certified Instructor program provides an entry point and a growth plan that serves as a foundation to bring many new players into the game.”

In 2012, the BCA launched the PlayBetterBilliards website, aimed at promoting the benefits of seeking out quality, PBIA-credentialed instructors. The association also promotes the website via a Google Adword campaign that has seen more than 55,000 searches for PBIA instructors.

In the early 2000s, the BCA elected to sell its league operations to CueSports International, which at the time, lost a connection to the amateur play side of the industry and to pool room operators, and it really started to define the BCA in the perception of other people as a trade organization for the manufacturers and retailers, because those were the members supporting the association.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

2013 BCA Expo in Las Vegas – Mike Panozzo, Kim Morrison-Murdock, Mike DiMotta, and Skip Nemecek

2013 BCA Expo in LasVegas – Wes Bond, Morris Benatar, and David Piha

2014 BCA Expo in Louisville – Laura and Michael J. Repici from the Michael J. Repici Girls and Billiards Scholarship Fund

2014 BCA Expo in Louisville – John Petti, Elaine Gerber, and ShaneTyree

2015 BCA Expo Social – Carla Bonner, Mike Panozzo, Renee Lyle, Skip Nemecek, Mike Serra, and FredCohen

BCA hired Rob Johnson in 2006 as CEO and when he met with the other leaders of the organization, they decided that since the association had sold the leagues, there was little point in continuing its energy and resources to lobby for recognition by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee in Colorado Springs.

In 2015, the BCA partnered with The European Pocket Billiard Federation on the formation of the Atlantic Cup Challenge, a Mosconi Cup-style event to showcase top junior players between Europe and America.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

2016 BCA Expo – Joe Pechauer from J. Pechauer Custom Cues and Karim Belhaj from The Predator Group

2018 BCA Expo – Joel from Cue Stix International

2017 BCA Expo – BCA Hall of Famer Jerry Briesath sharing some knowledge with junior players

Accept Payments

From credit, debit, and checks to contactless cards and mobile wallets, we help you accept payments seamlessly, however and wherever your customers want to pay.

Acquiring

Electronic Check Acceptance

Drive More Sales

Encourage interested shoppers to become purchasers by breaking down their barriers to buying, whether it’s in-store or online.

Split Payments | Gift Cards | Insights & Analytics

Reduce Cost

Increase your transaction approval rates and offset credit processing fees to help lower your payment costs.

Surcharging | Interchange Optimization

Authorization Optimization

Secure Commerce

Help protect customer information and reduce fraud losses without compromising your customer experience. Remove sensitive data from your environment to help reduce PCI compliance scope.

Chargeback Management Security & Fraud Tools

Digitize Operations

Streamline B2B payment processes and business management tasks with digital tools to improve overall efficiency and back -office operations.

B2B Payments

Since the development of the Atlantic Challenge Cup, the BCA has reignited junior play across the country and now manages the largest junior National Pool Championships outside of China.

In 2018, BCA reassumed oversight and day-to-day operations of the Billiard Education Foundation, a non-profit charity that is committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships.

Key programs of the BEF include the annual BEF Junior National Pool Championships, annual Junior State Championships, annual selection and support of juniors competing in the WPA World Junior 10-Ball Championships, academic scholarships and awards, and Pool in School programming and curriculum development, as well as providing free instruction to any junior player through the Break and Run Premier Junior Instruction Program.

“We always understood that the great champions learned pool very young, so it was very important to get them in early and give them decent instruction and competition,” Shamos says. “There’s no better route to self-preservation than to get ’em while they’re young and turn them into shooters for life.”

And there’s so much more ahead.

“I think we’re at a turning point where the association and Board of Directors see that the trade side vs. play side or the sport vs. the game, are not mutually exclusive,” says Shane Tyree, the newly-appointed CEO of the BCA. “If we can elevate the status of the sport in America, we will elevate the status of both the game and the trade. The current board members are progressive in that they are looking forward to set up and position the industry and association for success for not just the next 5, 10, or 25 years, but for the next 75 years.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

2018 BCA Expo – PBIA Instructors gathering around continuing their education

2019 BCA Expo – BCA Hall of Famer Nick Varner having a chat with BEF Referee Ricky Bryant

2019 BCA Expo – BEF Junior Nationals alongside BCA Expo

FOLLOWING PAGE:

2023 BCA Expo Ribbon Cutting – Rob Johnson, Robbie Selby, Trey Stites, Debbie Covey, Stephanie Schmidt, Shane Bouchard, Ivan Lee, Shane Tyree, Philippe Singer, and Ed Liddawi

2023 BCA Expo – J. Pechauer Custom Cues booth

IT’S ALL ABOUT FAMILY

By Anthony Stoeckert

All it takes is one conversation with Gary Lucchesi to get an idea of how important family is to him. As he shares the remarkable story of the Lucchesi family and its immeasurable impact on the billiard industry, he mentions all sorts of relatives – siblings, aunts, cousins – and remembers the contributions each and every one of them made.

Lucchesi also mentions relatives of other people in the billiard world he has met throughout the years. And he recalls countless names of individuals he and his relatives have done business with over the years. It’s safe to say that small show of respect – taking the time to get know the people he has worked with – has helped Eastern Billiards, the store Lucchesi’s family has owned for generations, succeed throughout good times and bad.

But the story of Eastern Billiards is about a lot more than a store. It is a story of the Lucchesis, and the incredible impact they have made on the billiard business for some 75 years.

A (PARTIAL) HISTORY OF THE LUCCHESIS

Gary’s father, Paul, came to the United States from Italy as a kid, and Paul’s family (which included his parents and his sister, who is still alive at 101 and living in Houston) made their home in Pennsylvania. In the post-war years, Paul and a friend moved to Massachusetts, because they had heard jobs were available there. They ended up in Holyoke, and enjoyed the entertainment the area had – movies, boxing matches, bowling, etc.

They also roller skated.

“He saw this good-looking girl, and he knocked her down on her ass, on purpose, so he could help her get up and say he was sorry and introduce himself,” Gary says. “That turned out to be my mother. It was a good move, he was a slick guy.”

Paul had been married previously, in Pennsylvania, and his first wife died in a car accident. Paul’s in-laws didn’t approve of him being an immigrant, and they raised Gary’s half-brother, Raymond. Meanwhile, Gary’s parents raised their family in Massachusetts, and Paul who had played pool in the service, got a job in a small pool room, working as a house manager and card dealer for a judge.

“In the ’50s, it wasn’t appropriate for a judge to own a local pool hall/card room, so my dad’s name got put on the license to cover for the judge,” Gary says. “That area was later taken over for a municipal parking lot – all the buildings were basically torn down, so my dad was basically out of a job.”

Paul went to the local candlepin bowling alley that had 10 Brunswick Centennial pool tables on the second floor.

“The noise was so much, the pool players didn’t like it,” Gary says. “It was not a successful venture. My dad made a deal to buy the tables – this was probably in the mid-1950s – for $1,000 each.” That was a pretty steep price, but the guy selling the tables accepted payment over time, so Paul took the deal.

That allowed Paul to open his first pool room – in the basement of the Holyoke Knights of Columbus building. As Paul decided what to name his pool hall, he thought of a room a friend of his owned in Northampton, Mass. – the Ivory Billiard Room. Paul asked his friend if he could borrow the name for his pool room in Holyoke, and the friend agreed.

LEARNING THE ROPES

Paul couldn’t afford to pay for someone to service his tables, so he took on that work himself and learned how to cover tables. He bought his cloth in Connecticut, and his wife, Yvette, would dye the stripes of the old cloth to cover the cushions. Paul got to know the family at the Ellis-Mills billiard cloth company in Connecticut, and became an expert in their cloths and products. That led to him taking a job selling cloth for the company. When the company was sold, Paul was working as the New England sales representative, but the new owners, J.P. Stevens, didn’t know anything about the business, and that led to Paul selling billiard cloth around the country.

“He got to know everybody in the industry – manufacturers, retailers, store fronts, table coverers, pool halls – from Maine

to Florida, from Florida to Portland, Oregon, from Portland to L.A., from L.A. to Houston and from Houston up to Detroit, he knew everybody,” Gary says.

All of these people also knew that Paul was born in Italy. In the 1960s, after the movie The Hustler was released, a new market for pool was created. Paul’s friends in the business needed slate, which was made in Italy. That led to Paul making trips to Italy and establishing the Eastern Slate company.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

Paul applied all the knowledge and expertise he gained by starting Paul’s Billiards Supply and Repair, a true family business that his sons worked for. Gary’s brother, Raymond, was still living in Pennsylvania. Paul went there to see his son from his first marriage, who was working in a Caterpillar factory.

“My dad goes down one day with some tools in the trunk of his car to meet his son and says, ‘What are you doing at Caterpillar? Let’s go make some real money,’” Gary says. “He takes Ray out to a tavern, covers the pool table and gets paid $230 or whatever, and turns around and hands Ray 50 bucks. Ray says, ‘It takes me three days to make $50 working in the factory, I just made it in an hour and a half.’ And Ray is convinced to get out of the Caterpillar factory and start Ray Lucchesi Billiard Supply and Services in York, Pennsylvania.”

This is in the late 1960s. Ray had two daughters and a son, Steve, who sadly passed away a few years ago. Steve grew up in the business, and loved his grandfather, eventually took over Ray’s business. In tribute to his grandfather, Paul, Steve named his business The Ivory Billiards.

Gary is the youngest of his siblings, and his brothers have passed away. He and his wife, Ruth, have been married for 50 years, and have two daughters and granddaughters. But there’s more.

Paul bought an old Studebaker garage and that became the new Ivory Billiard Lounge, which is still open today and is operated by Gary’s nephews, Thomas and Paul III.

MAKING HISTORY

In addition to owning his businesses, Paul made an indelible impact on the industry in many ways, including his service as president of the Billiard Congress of America, and he was part of the BCA trade shows (now the BCA Expo) from the beginning.

“We had all been competing against each other for so many years that the idea of a trade show took time to really gel and come together,” Gary says. “And after my dad was president in 1977, 1978, the Expo happened. It was a great time going to the BCA shows, and after the Expo actually happened, it was the beginning of a whole new era for billiards. Things were going well in the industry, we all enjoyed going to the BCA Show, they were smaller venues, and we enjoyed the camaraderie of brothers in arms. We talked billiards all day long and then we’d go to dinner together and we’d be in the bar, all night, talking –eight or ten businesses would be sitting at one table.”

The Lucchesi family’s efforts in the retail world began when Paul Sr. opened Eastern Billiards in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1960. After Gary’s brothers got older and started families of their own, they opened their own business, as subtractors to Paul, and opened Western Billiards.

“It was all very basic billiard mechanic stuff,” Gary says. “The main item there was the J.P. Stevens cloth he represented.”

In the late 1980s, Gary got what he calls “the pool hall bug” –his father owned a pool hall, his nephew owned a pool hall,

and he felt it was time to open his own pool hall. He was an Olhausen dealer at the time, and they made him 26 tables that he set up in a 13,000-square foot building in Wilmington, Mass. He named it Boomers Billiards and Games, after reading about how the Baby Boomer generation was poised to make a big impact on the nation.

“I consulted with a few of the top pro players and ran several major tournaments to put the pool room on the map and get people to come in and know it,” Gary says. “We bought bleachers and we had $10,000 prize funds, and we kept it going for about five years.”

Wilmington was a dry town, and by the mid-90s, pool rooms started opening in surrounding towns. Gary saw the writing on the wall and decided to close up the shop. As he says, they were working for the landlord and adults were going to pool rooms that sold liquor.

“We closed the pool room in June of 1994,” he says. “Ruth’s family was down here in Kissimmee, Florida and we took some trips and looked around Florida and decided, ‘Let’s retire and move to Florida.’ And we did and we successfully went out of business, very successfully.”

They looked at other towns, but decided Kissimmee was the place for them. It was south of Orlando, and was close to Disney World, and Universal Studios was being built. The area was so perfect that instead of retiring, Gary and Ruth decided to open a store in Kissimmee with their nephew, Al.

“

…WE’RE STILL GROWING –ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME."

“We rented a storefront and put in about 15 or 18 tables,” Gary says. “We set up a nice little pool shop and showroom. Once we got our attitude adjusted from the Northeast to the Southeast, things started going well and we started making sales.”

EASTERN BILLIARDS TODAY

Gary continues to write the Lucchesi family’s story as the owner of Eastern Billiards in Kissimmee, which has been serving the central Florida area for nearly 30 years. He takes pride in continuing the legacy his father started by selling quality pool products to homeowners; people who own properties that are rented to vacationers; and community recreation centers. He and Ruth sell indoor and outdoor tables, standard and custom cues, pool balls, cloth, and accessories, lighting, and wall art.

The store is also renowned for its service, as Gary and his team install, move, repair, recover and restore tables. He also offers an array of cue services. He also offers an array of cue services and has established excellent relationships with his customers by sharing his expertise to help people design the pool and game room of their dreams.

“We started in October 1995 and 10 years later, by 2005, we were selling over 500 tables a year,” Gary says. “The garage game room took off down here in Florida. They didn’t have room for a pool table inside the house, but because of the weather, you can convert your garage and have a game room.”

Of course, they have dealt with plenty of challenges, especially during the recession in 2008. He and Ruth ended up leaving their first Florida space and dealt with some tough times, and came back with their current location, where they sell tables and do a good amount of service work and accessories sales.

Gary also demonstrated his expertise in cloth during a cloth shortage by contacting people at Andy, a billiard cloth manufacturing in China, to ask if he could become a dealer for them.

“They make incredible cloth used in all the Pacific Rim countries,” he says. “We have established ourselves to be the largest importer and seller of Andy cloth in the USA. And we’re still growing – one customer at a time.”

He expects the cloth end of the business to grow, and working in cloth brings him full circle with what his dad did all those years ago, albeit in a different state and in a different time.

“And all in all, it’s well-rounded, it’s smaller,” Gary says. “And we’re still here.”

SHANE TYREE, BCA’S NEW CEO, TALKS THE FUTURE OF THE BCA

By Keith Loria

At the end of March, longtime BCA CEO Rob Johnson stepped down from his position, and the Board of Directors named Shane Tyree, who was serving as vice president of operations, as his successor.

Tyree was hired as the membership and communications manager of the BCA in 2009 and was promoted to his vice president position, where he has been responsible for overseeing the organization’s membership and communications activities. He also serves as executive director for the Billiard Education Foundation and is also vice president and sports director for the World Pool-Billiard Association.

“I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead the association and welcome the challenge that comes with being

named the BCA’s CEO,” Tyree said. “I love working for the association, serving the industry, and promoting this sport we all love. I look forward to continuing to build upon the momentum Rob Johnson, the BCA Board of Directors and I have established over the past decade of working together.”

Tyree spoke about his plans as CEO and what to expect in the years ahead.

Where do you see the future of the BCA going?

I don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future – that would make my job a lot easier. We’re going to invest into the sport and try to promote and highlight the accomplishments and achievements you can receive from playing this sport at the highest level.

What are some of your initial ideas?

We’re going to try some new things, but that doesn’t mean all the initiatives and programs that we put on paper are going to be successful. As an association, we need to learn how to use our resources and work smarter not harder. The Board is currently discussing looking to create a North American Championship again. We’ll look to form partnerships and alliances with promotors and leagues to see what we can do for the benefit of promoting, developing, and showcasing American pool players. The Billiard Congress of America must diversify its product line. We started as a player’s association and then we grew to a trade association. Now, we’re continuing to see the trade side of the industry consolidate so now is the time for the association to diversify and pivot back into the play and sport side of the game.

How do you do that?

It all starts with the junior pool players. These are not just tomorrow’s customers but also tomorrow’s ambassadors for the sport. The Billiard Congress of America must develop a proper infrastructure for junior competitors that provides a path to continue their development and showcase their talent. Ideally, this infrastructure will also lead the association back to creating a North American Championship. As the North American governing body for pool and billiards, it only makes sense for us to work with and form strategic alliances with as many leagues, pool promotors, and billiard associations as possible. We won’t be able to create such an ambitious event in a vacuum. The more people, promoters and organizations that are working together in the same direction will only benefit the growth of our entire industry.

What questions do you ponder as you think about new ideas?

Honestly, the options are limitless, I just wish the budgets were too!

What are your plans for the Juniors?

The juniors and the Billiard Education Foundation is and has always been a passion project for me. Any time I’m feeling burned out and exhausted, I can always shift gears and focus on the juniors to inspire and motivate me. As I’ve said, we can’t lose focus on the junior competitors or their development. Right now, there is no structure

…NOW IS THE TIME WE CAN REALLY SHAPE AND MOLD OUR NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS."

for the juniors after the BEF Junior National Championships. As soon as they age out, they’re thrown to the sharks. From the BEF’s perspective, we’ve created a 22&U category at the Junior National Pool Championships to attract college-age kids as well as provide another national stage for our young competitors to compete. Additionally, to help with their growth and development, we have structured the payouts of those events to be paid entry fees for professional events. While these juniors may not be ready and able to snap off a US Open or World Championship, we want to encourage their participation in this caliber of events so they can continue to track their progress of becoming competitive at the highest level of the sport. Now is the time we can really shape and mold our next generation of players to what it means to be an American cue sport athlete and represent the U.S. in the sport.

Why should retailers be optimistic about the future? How will the BCA continue to help them?

As a member organization, our largest segment are retailers and that’s no secret. They are the backbone to this association and we have tried many programs and services in the past so they can continue their success. One of our prides and joys is creating BCA Insider. I think it’s a very good product and gives our retailers specific information that they wouldn’t get anywhere else. It caters to them so they can continue to be

successful. As an association, we need to continue to look at and evaluate other services and programs that will be beneficial to our retail members and help them sell more pool tables. We may look at a national advertising campaign, like “Got Milk?” or an unplug and play campaign to where we can add templates and ads that we just feed to our members and let them brand with their own stuff and they can use it on their social media or local radio broadcasts. My thought to help retailers is to find out what else they want from us. As a membership manager for 14 years, I feel like we’ve tried everything under the sun. From the Expo to web services, graphic design services, giving them a magazine, and direct coupons so they can deal with suppliers they already deal with. We want to serve retailers the best we can, so if there is something they want, we want to hear from them.

Are there any changes to the board that we can expect?

The bylaws recently got changed to change the dynamics. We recently lost a manufacturer seat and added a retailer seat. Now it’s five manufacturers, three retailers and a room operator. There’s going to be more input at the board level from retailers. Our board is very progressive. None of them were on the board when I started 14 years ago. They do want to get involved in play and create new programs.

“

Why?

For starters, the simple-yetunique design allows you to determine the shape of your tip, lifting the leather fibers without removing the surface of your tip.

And the lifetime guaranteed grit means you’ll never have to buy a new one.

The Brad Scuffer. Often imitated. Never duplicated.

CARBON FIBER BREAK CUE

Introducing the Vanquish Mach 1 – our most technologically-advanced break cue. This state-of-the-art carbon fiber butt features our patented Variable Balance Point technology, which allows you to adjust the weight and balance of your cue. The Mach 1 comes equipped with our newly-engineered Defy break shaft with a Navigator Break Impact tip and phenolic ferrule for maximum power and control.

Availableinlinen,leather&no-wrapoptions!

FEATURING OUR

PHENOLIC FERRULE

Learn more at mcdermottcue.com/mach1

Navigator Break Impact is a hybrid phenolic break tip. Most phenolic tips are designed to generate power, but at the cost of cue ball control. The Break Impact tip’s hybrid construction provides tremendous cue ball control without sacrificing power.