5O TEAMS FROM 9 LEAGUE AREAS, IN 5 STATES PLAYED IN THE TWO DAY EVENT. 11 TEAMS FROM BUDDYS BILLIARD LEAGUES PLAYED IN THE EVENT. 5 TEAMS PLAYED IN THE 1st PLACE BRACKET. 5 TEAMS PLAYED IN THE 2nd PLACE BRACKET. 1 TEAM PLAYED IN THE 3rd PLACE BRACKET.
TOTAL PRIZE AMOUNT WAS $10,500 IN THE 3 MAIN BRACKETS AND $1,650 IN THE BEST OF THE REST TOURNAMENT.
5 TEAMS FROM BUDDYS LEAGUES FINISHED IN THE MONEY. RUFFINI'S WON THE BIG ONE 1st IN THE 1st PLACE BRACKET $4000 AND 4 FOOT TROPHY PLUS A TROPHY FOR EACH PLAYER. THE CHRISTIANA LEGION, THE ONLY ENTRY IN THE 3rd BRACKET CAME IN 2nd WINNING $500. THE KUTZTOWN SOCIAL CLUB CAME IN 2nd IN THE BEST OF THE REST WINNING $300. POTTSTOWN'S BRIAN'S CAFE LOST IN THE SEMI-FINALS GETTING 3rd PLACE IN THE BEST OF THE REST CLAMING $175. THORNDALE FIRE CO. CAME IN 5th CLAMING $75. BENJI'S TEAM FROM PHOENIXVILLE RECIEVIED BYES ALL THE WAY INTO THE MONEY BUT FORFEITED BY NOT SHOWING UP AND BUDDY WON $200 PLAYING KENO.
THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TOURNAMENT.
JOE FERRIS, 6 HANDICAP, FROM CHESTER COUNTY, PLAYED A MATCH IN THE SEMI'S AGAINST A 5 HANDICAP PLAYER, THAT WAS PERFECT!!! JOE HAD COMPLETE CONTROL OF EVERY SHOT. JOE WON 5-0 AND HAD THE CROWD TALKING FOR HOURS. THE MOST COMMON STATEMENT WAS "THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON TELEVISION" THE DOWN SIDE WAS JOE'S MATCH IN THE FINALS AGAINST A 7 HANDICAP, WITH EVERYBODYS EXPECTATION OF WATCHING A REPEAT OF HIS FIRST MATCH, IT WAS NOT TO BE, JOE STRUGGLED WITH ROUGH TABLES, BAD ROLLS, AND A VERY TOUGH OPPONENT. THANKS JOE IT WAS A PLEASURE WATCHING YOU PLAY AND IM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT SAYS THAT.
PAUL ZELESNICK FROM CHESTER COUNTY TOOK THE SHINE OFF A 5 BALL IN THE FINALS. PAUL NOT ONLY CUT THE BALL 89 DEGREES INTO THE CORNER POCKET, THE BALL SEEMED TO BE COMPLETELY HIDDEN BEHIND HIS OPPONENT'S BALL. AND AS THEY SAY "THE FANS WENT WILD!".
MELINDA MILLER, 3 HANDICAP, FROM KUTZTOWN, STARTED HER TEAM OFF SATURDAY WITH A GREAT MATCH AND CONTINUED TO WIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND BUT LEFT A HEARTBREAKER GET AWAY IN THE FINALS OF THE BEST OF THE REST. GREAT JOB MIN!!
MARK SWAVELY, 7 HANDICAP, FROM KUTZTOWN, PROVED A 7 IS NOT A HANDICAP BY WINNING AGAINST ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO PLAY HIM!
BUT MY PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND GOES TO-------------------------------------------------------- JEFF CALL 4 HANDICAP, FROM CHESTER COUNTY, JEFF PLAYED A MATCH AGAINST CHAD CLIFTON A 4 HANDICAP FROM ALLENTOWN, THIS MATCH SEEMED TO GO ON FOREVER. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT EACH PLAYER WAS A SOLID 4 HANDICAP AND AS EQUAL AS POSSIBLE. THE PLAYERS BATTLED BACK AND FORTH, CAPITALIZING ON MISTAKES ONLY TO FIND ANOTHER ROADBLOCK. THE MATCH WENT ON LIKE A CHESS MATCH PLAYED BY RUSSIAN MASTERS. JEFF CONTINUED TO FIND SHOTS OR SAFES THAT HAD EVERYBODY BAFFLED. THE CROWD ALWAYS STATED "THATS NOT WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE BUT WOW THAT WAS A GREAT SHOT" THE MATCH WAS PLAYED AT THE 1ST TABLE COMING IN THE DOOR, AND THE CROWD CONTINUED TO GROW AS PEOPLE COULD NO LONGER GET IN OR OUT. THERE HAD TO BE 40-50 PEOPLE CROWED AROUND THE TABLE BUT IT NEVER SEEMED TO SHAKE UP THE JEFF. IT WAS A SHAME THAT ONE OF THESE PLAYERS HAD TO LOSE AND IM SORRY TO SAY IT WAS JEFF BUT I SAW JEFF DIG DOWN SO DEEP FOR EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING HE COULD, THAT I AM MAKING HIM MY PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT!!!!
MY, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT AWARD, GOES TO MY FATHER, WALT WINWARD, 4 HANDICAP, FROM CHESTER COUNTY. WALT LOST THE LAG, HE RACKED, 8 ON THE BREAK. HE RACKED, BREAK AND RUN. HE RACKED, 8 ON THE BREAK. HE RACKED, YOU GET THE IDEA! I FEEL FOR YOU DAD BUT YOU STILL GOT THE MEMORY OF WINNING YOUR MATCH A YEAR AGO GETTING YOUR TEAM TO THE FINALS AND $1000.
TO SUM UP THE TOURNAMENT I FELT THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN THE HANDICAP DEPARTMENT. LAST TITLEHOLDERS WAS OVER RUN WITH 4 HANDICAP PLAYERS BREAK AND RUNNING AT WILL, THIS TITLEHOLDERS WAS QUITE THE OPPOSITE I SAW A 3 GET A BREAK AND RUN BUT FELL COMPLETELY APART AFTERWARDS PROVING THAT IT WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME RUN FOR THAT PLAYER. I ONLY SAW OR HEARD ABOUT A HANDFULL OF 4'S GET A BREAK AND RUN, ONE BEING A PLAYER FROM MY DIVISION. I NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE GETTING BACK TO BACK RUNS. EVEN BREAK AND RUNS FROM THE 5-6-7 PLAYERS WERE SCARCE. I HEARD THAT YEARS AGO LOYD WALKED AROUND WITH A $50 BILL IN HIS POCKET FOR THE FIRST PERSON TO GET A 8 ON THE BREAK, HE WOULD NOT HAVE KEPT IT LONG THIS TOURNAMENT AS THE 8 ON THE BREAKS WERE HAPPENING CONSTANTLY. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY GOT ONE. I EVEN GOT A 9 BALL ON THE BREAK PLAYING BENJI DOWNSTAIRS, SHAME WE WERE ONLY PLAYING FOR FUN.
AFTER TALKING TO ALMOST ALL MY PLAYERS IT SEEMS 100% STATED THAT THEY HAD A GREAT TIME AND A LOT OF FUN!
ON BEHALF OF MY TEAMS I WISH TO THANK CHARLIE AND PAM FOR SETTING UP AND RUNNING A GREAT TOURNAMENT, AND CHAMPION BILLIARDS FOR LETTING US PLAY THERE AND FOR THE SPECIALS, THE FOOD WAS EXCELLENT AS ALWAYS.
