" />
Francisco Bustamante, one of the most accomplished players to come out
of the Philippines, has been elected for induction into the Billiard Congress
of America Hall of Fame in voting conducted by the United States Billiard Media
Association.
Also, in the Meritorious Service, Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart,
founders of the American Poolplayers Association league system in 1979, were
elected for induction. Bustamante, 46; Bell, 66; and Hubbart, 69, will be
formally inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame on Oct. 21 during ceremonies in conjunction with the U.S. Open
9-Ball Championship in Chesapeake, VA.
Natalie Migliore, of Levittown, PA has been named the winner of the
Brunswick Billiards Triple Jackpot sweepstakes, earning a four-day,
three-night trip to Las Vegas July 15 to 18, and a personal lesson with
Ewa Mataya Laurance, aka the "Striking Viking."
After receiving a request for aid from troops stationed at Camp
Blackhorse in Afghanistan for billiard supplies, the American
Poolplayers Association (APA) decided to act. The troops were playing
with warped and damaged cues, and shooting on worn out cloth...
Lots of great news
coming in from the Billiard Education Foundation these days...
Leonard Bludworth will be inducted into the International Cuemakers Hall of Fame on July 10th, 2010 during the Southern Cue and Case Show in the luxurious Scorpion Room of the Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, Georgia.
Leonard, commonly referred to as "Blud," started doing cue repair in 1976. He was a master pool table mechanic and served as the equipment coordinator for both the men's pro tour and the senior tour for about 15 years. Around the same time he developed the popular Bludworth Billiard Ball Cleaner. It was also Bludworth's idea to take pool tables and travel the country setting them up for pool events...
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) will host the annual Challenge the Stars benefit in conjunction with the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships and the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May
18th.
Diamond Billiard Products will provide the tables for the festivities which will take place in the Grande Ballroom of the Riviera Hotel & Casino at 8:00 pm. This benefit gives all players and spectators an opportunity to support youth billiard programs while mingling with and competing with top pros from all over the world.
Over 100 pros are invited to participate, including, Shane Van Boening (USA), Efren Reyes (PHI), Jasmin Ouschan (AUS), Ga Young (Korea), Kelly Fisher (ENG), John Schmidt (USA), Dennis Orcullo (PHI), Ralf Souquet (GER), Johnny Archer (USA), Charlie Williams (USA), Tony Robles (USA), Francisco Bustamante (PHI), Mika Immonen (FIN), Melissa Little (USA), Sarah Rousey (USA), Thorsten Hohmann (GER), Tom Rossman (USA) and many more.
Challengers can select three options of play: the BEF Challenge, $20 donation, challenger plays one game of 9-ball with designated pro, the Pro Challenge, $40 donation, shoot one game of 9-ball with one of your three top choices, based on availability, or the Ultimate Challenge, 100 donation, play three games of 9-ball with one of your three top choices, based on availability.
All challengers will receive an autographed certificate and a souvenir photo taken with their pro.
Spectators and amateur players can also share in the fun by bidding on an array of prizes and participating in the raffles. Whether you challenge a pro, participate in the auction or make a donation, you can make a difference in youth billiard programs. Admission is FREE. Step up to the challenge.
About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3 non-profit organization which is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds
academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships,
sponsors billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball
Championships and promotes, Pool In School programs. For more information,
please visit 
On Thursday, March 25 at 10:15pm the billiard world lost Mrs. Willie Mosconi. She was 87 years old and had been married to 16 times world champion Willie Mosconi since 1954.
Born Gloria Florence Marchini on February 14, 1923, she was the daughter of Italian immigrants Saulle and Nuntia Marchini and was the youngest of six children. To most of us she was Mrs. Mosconi, but to those of us who knew her she was Flora or Flo; to me she was Auntie Flo.
I first met Auntie Flo back in 1977 while preparing for the ABC's Wide World of Sports telecast of the "Great Pool Shootout" between Willie and Minnesota Fats. I was going back and forth between New York City and Haddon Heights, New Jersey where the Mosconis lived, bringing contracts and formats for Willie to approve.
We had talked on the phone many times, but this would be the first time I would meet her in person. She prepared a big meal, for myself, my girlfriend, Willie, her daughter Gloria, her two her nieces, Nancy and Loretta, and herself. Auntie Flo had asked me what I wanted for dinner, and we settled on roast beef, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and New Jersey beefsteak tomatoes that were in season. She reminded me of my own mother the way she had prepared the meal and the warm greeting she gave me.
She told me the story of how she first met Willie. In 1953, she was working at the phone company in Philadelphia and was setup on a blind date with Willie by his cousin Madeline Mosconi who worked with her. Willie was about 10 years her senior, divorced and the father of two children; Willie Jr. 12 and Candice 10.
When she came home from the date her brother asked her how it went and who she went out with. She said, "Did you ever hear of Willie Mosconi?" Her brother said "Of course I did." She said, "This is the man I am going to marry"!
Willie was always traveling so the courtship was a tough one according to Auntie Flo. Willie had asked her several times to go to a tournament out of town with him, but she always refused. She told him that she was not that kind of girl and she wouldn't travel anywhere with him unless they were married.
They were married on February 14, 1954, her birthday and Valentine's Day. Auntie Flo told me that they actually got married three times! First by a Justice of the Peace in Florida, then by another Justice of the Peace in New Mexico, and finally ten years later in a Catholic Church in Haddon Heights, NJ with Billy, Candice and Gloria present.
She was 29 years old and became an instant mother of two and the wife of the World Champion.
Billy Mosconi tells me that she is the only mother he ever knew. Willie's first wife, Ann Harrison, left Willie right after Candice was born and Billy was only two at the time.
Flora adapted to tournament life quickly by becoming friendly with the other players' wives, like Marge Caras and Althea Crane. The wives would hang out together during the tournaments, watch the matches, go to the movies and shop together.
Willie and Auntie Flo had one child together in 1955, a girl named Gloria. Gloria passed away in 1998 from breast cancer and this really crushed Flora. She never recovered from her loss.
For Charlie's full story on Flora and anecdotes about her time with Willie, watch for the story in the May issue of Pool & Billiard Magazine. Flora is survived by her two stepchildren, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
