|
3.23.2002...From March
14-17, pool fans and players alike descended on Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania for Allen Hopkins Super
Billiards Expo 2002,
for billiards what most would say is the greatest show on earth. Among over 8,000 pool fans that came were over 2,000
player participants in the shows events, and over 6,000
spectators. As well
as players and spectators, there were over 100 vendors occupying
126 booths. For
pool fans, it was a virtual pool school for the buyer, the
player, and the spectator. If it could be had, it was there. For those that were looking to gain knowledge, Valley
Forge was the place to be. Having been present at the last 6 shows, I have never
seen it so busy.
The
show occupies over 100,000 square feet, and at times there was
standing room only. The
few times I got away from my booth, I had to almost push my way
through the crowd. For
me, the show began on Wednesday morning, as I was trying to
complete the cues for the show. I got only three hours of sleep from Wednesday until Friday
morning, as I stopped and slept for an hour on the side of the
road on my way to the show. When I got to the show at 3 pm on Friday, my wife Kathy,
Drew Mutschler, and Matt Davidaux were busy running the booth
and doing repairs like there was no tomorrow. Within 10 minutes of my arrival, all 14 cues were sold
out, and I was doing repairs. I then worked round the clock until Sunday morning at 5AM
on 4 hours of sleep since Wednesday. One thing is for sure, people come to this show to get
their cues repaired.
This
year the expo had more players and tournaments than ever before. There were a record 11 tournaments to be played in this
year. Among them
were the;
Men’s
Professional 8-ball Players Championships-50 players
WPBA
Cuetec Cues Players Championships-64 players
Mens’
9-ball Open Amateur Players Championships-880 players
Women’s
9-ball Open Amateur Players Championships-128 players
Amateur
Junior Players Championships 18 & under-
Amateur
Junio Players Championships 14 & under-
Senior’s
9-ball Players Championships-160 players
Association
for P.O.O.L. leagues “Rally in the Valley”-over 700 player
Dream
Team event-75 teams
Singles
5-6-7 handicap
Singles
2-3-4 handicap
Ladie’s
singles
There
was the Men’s 8-ball Professional Players Championship that
had 50 players with Troy Frank in a thrilling win over the
current World 9-ball Champion Mika Immonen. The event was supposed to have 64 players with a total
prize fund of $19,200, including $5,800 added by Allen Hopkins. Since only 50 players showed up for the event, Allen
Hopkins added the difference of $3,600 more to bring the event
back to it’s original payout, for a total of over $10,000
added to the event. Talk
about dedication to the sport!
The
WPBA Cuetec Cues Professional Players Championship had Allison
Fisher defeating current women’s sensation Karen Corr in the
Finals. In the
Men’s Open Amateur Players Championships it was Norman Wines
defeating John Brumback against a field of 880 players! WOW! In the
Womens’ Open Amateur Players Championships it was Rachel
Abbink in a triumph over Irene Moser in the finals, and against
a field of 128 women! The
18 & under division of the Junior Players Championships was
historical as Josh Brothers defeated Nathan Kerr for the fourth
time in as many years. We
will be seeing a lot of young Josh Brothers from Newark,
Delaware in the future. He
is a great player and I wish him the best. The 14 & under division of the Junior Players
Championships saw Mike Dechane defeat Telly Kikrils in the
finals. And this year the new Senior Players Championships witnessed
Rich Sluzalis defeating Ed Kleiss against a field of 160 Senior
players for the Championship trophy. In its first year!!! WOW!
Next come the events from The Association for P.O.O.L. The Dream Team event saw The Perfect Storm from N.C.
defeat Bust Out Three from Ohio from a field of 75 teams. The singles 5-6-7 handicap was won by Dan Hagens of PA
defeating runner up Rick Barrett of Massachusetts. The 2-3-4
handicap was won by Bill Bienecki of PA defeating Ken Morano of
Washington State, and finally the Ladie’s singles was won
byAndrea Hess of Ohio over Sandra Nez of Oregon.
After
the show was over, there was a huge party for the staff and
anyone else that managed to slip in (me included) upstairs next
to the bar, where there was a band, pool tables and drinks. The band was awesome. It featured people that participated in some form or
another in the event;
Dawn
Hopkins of Allen Hopkins Productions -guitar and lead singer
Jerry
McWorter of McWorter Cues -drums and lead singer
Hideo
O’hara of UK Corporation (dealer of fine custom cues)-bass
guitar
Carmine
Sardo of Sardo tight rack-lead guitar
Mike
Massey-guitar and lead singer
Line
Kjoersvik-guitar and lead singer
Bob
Meucci of Meucci Cues-lead singer(Elvis Presley)
The
band was truly incredible, and the evening was a blast!!! They brought out the love and friendship that is the
essence of our great industry. I hope to see them again next year!
In
an interview with Allen Hopkins, he stated that next year the
Men’s Pro Players Championships at the Super Billiards Expo
event will be 9-ball, 64 players, $400- entry, with a $40,000
prize fund, including $14,000 added by Allen Hopkins
Productions. Allen
& Dawn would also like everyone out there to know that the
next Allen Hopkins Productions event is slated for August 16-24
in conjunction with the APA league championships, at the Riveria
Hotel nad Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The tournament, the Las Vegas
Invitational, with a number of the players invited, will also be
open for the remainder of participants. The format will be the best three out of five sets, race to
five, alternate break 9-ball. If you win your first match you will get $700- back. WOW! The
entry fee will be $500-, totals prize fund $50,000, including
18,000 added. Stay tuned, as I am sure that we will be seeing more from
Allen Hopkins Productions in the future. Keep up the excellent work Allen & Dawn! Lastly, here is what Allen has to say about the show,
“I would like to thank all the players, spectators, and
vendors for making the expo the greatest show on earth!” Join Allen Hopkins Productions and all of us at the Super
Billiards Expo 2003 from March 21-23 at the same great place.
Below
are the results of the tournaments that took place at the Super
Billiards Expo, the Greatest Show on Earth!
Men’s Professional
8-ball Professional Players Championships-50 players
1st=$6,000=Troy
Frank
2nd=$4,000=Mika Immonen
3rd & 4th=$2,000=Earl Strickland, Max
Eberle
WPBA Cuetec Cues
Professional Players Championships-64 players
1st
Allison Fisher=$
2nd Karen Corr=$
3rd Helena Thornfeldt=$
4th Gerda Hofstatter=$
Men’s Open Amateur
Players Championships-880 players
1st=$5,000=Norman Wines
2nd=$2,000=John Brumback
3rd & 4th=$1,500=Scott Freeman, Brian
Lee
5th-8th=$1,000=Juan Garcia, Jason
Kirkwood, Scott Richardson, George Kieselat
9th-16th=$800=Brandon Sluzalis, Bruce
Pfender, Jeff Bartdo, Reggie Cutler, David Grau, Steve
Dennis, Joe Antler, Tony Rubert Jr.
17th-32nd=$600
33rd-64th=$450
Women’s
Open Amatuer Players Championships-128 players
1st=$1,000=Rachel
Abbink
2nd=$600=Irene Moser
3rd & 4th=$400=Jamie Sanders, Juliet
Houtz
5th-8th=$200=Charlotte Reeder, MaryAnne
Cowach, Mary Collins, Gina Kim-Lipsky
Junior Players
Championships 18 & under
1st=Josh
Brothers
2nd=Nathan Kerr
3rd & 4th= Chuck Fought II , Billy
Fusco
Junior Players
Championships 14 & under
1st=Mike Dechane
2nd= Telly Kikrils
3rd & 4th=Xavier Willis, Josh Marlowe
Senior Players
Championships-160 players
1st=Rich Sluzalis
2nd=Ed Kleiss
3rd & 4th=Larry Szwaczkowski, Don
Gibson
Association for
P.O.O.L. league tournaments
Dream
Team Event-75 teams-$21,400 purse
1st=$8,000=Perfect Storm, North Carolina
2nd=$3,000=Bust Out Three, Ohio
3rd=$1,200=All or Nothing, Virginia
4th=$1,200=Rockers, Virginia
singles 5-6-7
handicap-116 players-$8,050 purse
1st=$2,600=Dan Hagens, Pennsylvania
2nd=$1,290=Rick Barrett, Massachusetts
3rd=$500=Joe Ivock, Pennsylvania
4th=$500=Ken Ludy, Massachusetts
singles 2-3-4
handicap-$4,500 purse
1st=$2,070=Bill Bienecki, Pennsylvania
2nd=$1,100=Ken Morano, Washington State
3rd=$350=Tony Wilson, North Carolina
4th=$350=Joe Guimento, Pennsyalvania
Ladies
singles-$1,680 purse
1st=$320=Andrea Hess, Ohio
2nd=$150=Sandra Nez, Oregon
3rd=$125=Michelle Jefferson, North Carolina
4th=$125=Stacy Macguire, Virginia
| 
