DR. CUE CLASSIC “ARTISTIC” CUPS RUNNETH OVER!!!

     One of the most unique and highly spirited sporting events in the history of the billiard industry took place on January 5, 6, and 7, 2008 at the Derby City Classic in Louisville, KY.  A determined group of 36 Artistic Pool Playing Artists came from every corner of the US to participate in the “sport and show” arena of the Dr. Cue Classic “Artistic” Cup.  This signature event of the Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Pool Tour showcased some of the greatest players from the professional side of “trick shots and so much more” under the APTSA (Artistic Pool and Trick Shot Association) umbrella, as well as the top players from 4 foundational league “artistic pool” tour stops held in 2007 at respective National and International events of the BCAPL, VNEA, ACS, and APA.  
     Pros and amateurs, playing together in fairly drawn player groupings might give the appearance of an unfair competitive environment to some; however the end results / stats proved otherwise.  A host of special amenities were introduced to entice anyone that had always wanted to play in an “artistic pool” event to do so.  Over $20,000 in guaranteed payouts with each place receiving a monetary payback, no charge raffle ticket drawings for sponsored cues by McDermott, a special Dr. Cue “Goodie” Bag, attractive Cup trophy awards, and beautiful certificates of participation all produced player friendly opportunities in a reunion style billiard atmosphere.
     A final tally of 18 amateurs and 18 pros played side by side for 3 days on 7 foot Diamond tables, using 40 high percentage make rate “classic” shots selected by “Dr. Cue”.  A determined and “classy” APPA (Artistic Pool Playing Artists) crusader force showcased a “class” act of billiard skills from each of the 8 magnetic disciplines of “artistic pool” – 1) Trick / Fancy Shots, 2) Prop,  Novelty, and Special Arts, 3) Draw Shots, 4) Follow Shots, 5) Bank / Kick Shots, 6) Stroke Shots, 7) Jump Shots, and 8) Masse Shots.  When all was over, there would be an Overall event champion, 8 Discipline champions, 2 Sportsmanship recipients, and a myriad of special moments in billiard history to last a lifetime.
     On January 4th a full day of practice took place with an enlightening “open” forum training session in the evening for anyone needing some “last minute” tuning to their “artistic pool” skills.  The opening ceremonies on January 5th included the players’ meeting, a draw to determine each 3 player grouping, and the unique chance for each player in attendance to win select sponsor prizes at no charge.  Round 1 began on schedule with the 1st envoy of 18 players entering the arena to perform the 1st 2 disciplines of challenge.   Immediately following the remaining 18 players did the same shots with the final results being posted shortly thereafter in the RACK Room.   
     2007 WPA World “Artistic Pool” Champion Andy “Magic Man” Segal posted 58 points out of 60 possible to find himself at the top of the leader board after Day 1.  WPA World Masse Champion Eric “Preacher” Yow was a slim 1 point behind tied with WPA World Jump Champion Mark “Dr. Popper” Dimick.  4th place was held by VNEA International “Artistic Pool” Champion, Jamie “Bayou Bullet” Moody, sponsored by Sharky’s Machine of Houston, TX. 
     Dennis “Doub” Douberteen, who entered this event because he thought it would be interesting and different discovered just that as he became the Trick and Fancy Shots Discipline champion.  3 other players besides Douberteen (Andy Segal, Bill Meima, and Donald “Douge” Helbig) ended this discipline with perfect scores of 30 points each; however, in an exciting “tiebreaker shot” playoff, “Doub” bested his fellow competitors to take home the gold.  “Dr. Popper” won the Prop / Novely / Special Arts Discipline in “tiebreaker shot” fashion, as he and 3 other players (Andy Segal, Eric Yow, and Jamie Moody) posted scores of 28 points each.  Special note should be made here that Tom “Too Kool” Kinzel, creator of the famous ESPN “Buzzer Beater” Shot, was the only player to make all 4 Wing Shots, which was the 5th challenge in the Prop / Novelty / Special Arts Discipline.
     Day 1 ended with a special Entertainment, Autograph, and Media night extravaganza of several “artistic pool” performers contributing their best shots for 3 hours of fun and flair to a standing room only crowd.  Rick “The Barber” Hawkinson, Master of Ceremonies and producer of this “never to be forgotten” entertainment experience performed 3 acts himself to music with novel creations such as shooting pool with a bowling ball balanced on top of his head, unique “burning candle” and exploding balloon shots, shooting to “Rubber Band Man” while on roller skates and riding a unicycle, and highlighting the evening with his famous Rat Trap Shot.   The demonstrations of this consummate pool shooting entertainer are something you must see to believe. 
     Other performers contributing to this special evening of festivities were Charles “Spitball Charlie” Darling, Jamey “Sharpshooter” Gray, Eric “Preacher” Yow, Tom “Too Kool” Kinzel, Matt “No Fail” MacPhail, Mark “Dr. Popper” Dimick, Stacy “First Lady of Trick Shots” Mendrick, Stefan “The Govenor” Mendrick, Rob “The Hurricane” Peacock, Mike “Tenneesee Tarzan” Massey, Jamie “Bayou Bullet” Moody, and Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman.  In addition, audience members were given the opportunity to share a shot of their choice for free sponsored prizes.   
     Saturday, January 6th Round 2 and Round 3 with 2 disciplines each produced little change to the top positions on the leader board.   After 4 disciplines Segal remained secure in 1st place with 114 points out of 120 possible, Dimick remained tied with Yow with 110 points each, and Moody stayed within striking distance of the lead at 105 points in 4th place.  Steve “Stellar” Geller moved from 8th position after the 1st 2 disciplines into 5th place after winning the popular Follow Shots Discipline title with 29 points out of 30 possible and 5 – 1st attempt makes versus 4 – 1st attempt makes for both Darling and Moody, who were tied with him.  Mark “Special K” Kulungian took a giant leap from 12th place after the 1st Round to 6th place after Round 2.   With a “perfect” score of 30 points Kulungian garnered the coveted Draw Shots Discipline title.   Craig “The Chilly Kid” Harmel, Bill “Mynah Bird” Meima, and Jamey “Sharpshooter” Gray hovered close to the leaders.  
     After 6 disciplines Moody and Segal posted 154 points each out of 180 possible in a battle for 1st, demonstrating the strength of our sport foundation via the various league system “artistic pool” events started in 1993 and continuing to date.  Having competed in both the BCA / BCAPL and VNEA amateur “artistic pool” events in Vegas over the years, Jamie was very familiar with the banking / kicking shot requirements in those competitions and obviously practiced his skills for the Cup bank / kick shots that would have to be taken. 
     Scoring 27 points out of 30 possible, the “Bayou Bullet” won the Bank / Kick Discipline title outright.   3 players (Joe “Sloppy Joe” Meuse, Bob “Badhair” Stangby, and Al “The Coca-Cola Kid” Relf) gave their all in this discipline challenge, as they made all 4 banks in the 5th challenge, but fell short on total points to overtake Moody.  Yow took a solo hold of 3rd place with 150 points.  Masters Follow Champion Meima made a move from 8th place after Round 2 to 4th place after Round 3 and WPA World and ESPN multi-champion Mike “Tennessee Tarzan” Massey made a huge Round 2 to Round 3 position change from 11th to 5th by shooting the 6th and final “perfect” score of 30 points in the event to earn the challenging Stroke Discipline title.   Dimick fell to 6th place after Round 3, but remained poised for a final “race to the winner’s circle” with 141 points.
     January 7, 2008 made “artistic pool” history as the largest field ever to play a final Round 4 using the “original format” of our sport was about to unfold.  Once all 40 shots / challenges are shot by everyone, an overall champion would be determined based on the most points scored.  There would be no head to head playoff, but rather 16 new 3 player groups based on scores from the 1st 6 discplines and the corresponding positions of finish by all players.  Each group would shoot the final 2 disciplines of Jump Shots and Masse Shots.  There was an excitement to it all with  players registering scores for “in the RACK Room” posting and “waiting to see” if the “hot seat” of a good position would be beaten by those left on the course, so to speak.
     The 1st contingent of 12 players using 4 tables would be those registering the lowest total scores after the 1st 2 days of competition.  Each player finishing in positions 25 thru 36 would receive $100, so a move up the “artistic” ladder to the next payout level (positions 13 thru 24) would mean an additional $150.  Competitive spirits remained high among these cueing artists as each shot make brought a round of applause from spectators and a “high 5” among those competing. Special note should be made here that Paul “Charlie” Blanchard made 7 out of the last 10 shots to move from 27th place after Round 3 to 24th after Round 4 and earned the aforementioned $150 payout benefit.  
     Just like clockwork a 2nd wave of 18 players entered the arena to shoot the jump and masse challenges on 6 tables.  Several of these players could establish a high score that would set the competitive stage for the final 6 players that follow.  Charles Darling finished the program with 175 points and was leading “in the RACK Room”.  Others in close pursuit included Dave “TBD” Nangle (174), Jamey “Sharpshooter” Gray (172), Mark “Special K” Kulungian (168), Steve “Stellar” Geller (167), and Donald “Douge” Helbig (166). 
     Bob “Badhair” Stangby of Odessa, TX, who runs local “artistic pool” events at Woody’s Lounge admitted being very nervous during the 1st 2 days of competition, but on Day 3 he was able to calm his nerves and do something very special in our sport’s history.  He won both the Jump Discipline title and the Masse Discipline title outright, scoring 28 points and 26 points respectively and moved all the way from 22nd place after Round 3 to 14th place upon completion of the program.  What a sterling performance on the final day and great recovery!!
     It was now time for the final 6 players that had posted the highest scores after 3 rounds of competition to enter the “artistic” arena.  Segal, Yow, and Meima were on table 1 and Moody, Massey, and Dimick were on table 2.  Segal maintained a steady pace making all 5 jump shots and the 1st 3 masse shots, posting a total after 8 shots of 193 points.  Other scores after 8 of the 10 challenges were complete stood at Moody (183), Yow (182), Dimick (178), Meima (170), and Massey (168). 
     The NASCAR style action of 6 players side by side going down the home stretch to victory brought a special excitement to the audience and players alike with “play by play” analysis by “Dr. Cue” on the shots and scoring possibilities.   The pressure of each shot grew as the players battled for over $15,000 in total prize money to be paid out to the top 6 positions of finish, the beautiful “Artistic” Cup trophies for those positions, and the prestige of winning the 1st ever Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Cup event and recognized title. 
     The compression characteristic of Masse Shot 9 proved to be rather difficult for 4 of the 6 players as only Yow and Massey were able to make it.  The scores were now Segal (193), Yow (189), Moody (183), Dimick (178), Massey (174), and Meima (170).  Darling had a RACK Room hold of 5th place and the “hot seat”, as he waited for Massey and Meima to take their respective turns.   If both of these players made the final shot, “Spitball Charlie” would lose a trophy spot. 
     The final masse shot in the program is the “passing lane” challenge.   Used in the pro program on a 9 foot table this shot has more room for the cue ball to pass the object ball on the way to the corner pocket than on the 7 foot table as both balls must be made.  Dimick missed but had assured himself a trophy and a good payday.  Segal went 1st on table 1 and secured an event victory by making the shot on the 1st attempt with resolve and great composure, after coming off a remarkable victory finish at the 2007 WPA World “Artistic Pool” Championship in Russia approximately 1 month earlier.   Breaking the 200 point barrier by 1 point “The Magic Man” received a standing ovation for winning.   Congratulations, Andy!!!!
     Meanwhile the race for 2nd was heating up as well for the positional outcome of Darling, Massey, and Meima.  Moody took his turn now with success on his 3rd attempt, placing him at 189 and tied with Yow; however, if Yow missed in his 3 attempts, Moody would take second place by virtue of making more 1st attempts than Yow in the overall program.  The positional difference in payout between 2nd and 3rd place was $1250.00.   Meima now was up on table 1 needing to make the passing lane shot in 3 tries or settle for a non trophy position of finish and a considerable payout reduction.  You could hear a ball drop as the “Mynah Bird” prepared for his third attempt at this demanding shot.   Perfect – cue ball around object ball and both balls in!!   Meima hit the floor in excitement and the crowd went wild.   His score now stood at 176 points moving Darling even closer to trophy elimination. 
     Back to table 2 with Massey needing a make in 3 attempts to take home a trophy as well.   This “champion of champions” remained humble in his quest for victory as he missed the shot and congratulated his fellow competitors for the victories they earned.   Darling was assured a 6th place trophy spot now with his 175 points.   Focus shifted once again to Yow as he had to make the last shot to assure a 2nd place finish.   3 attempts to glory for Yow – he approached the table, joked with the audience to help calm himself, took a deep breath, and “Pow” – Yow made it on his 1st try!     
     Players and fans went wild once again with the “Bayou Bullet” sharing in the joy of the “Preacher’s” accomplishment.  This competitive and heartfelt expression was the true nature of “artistic pool” – beauty of the shots and the players…the promise of a bright future…and the vision of a sport with long term growth – reaching out to many people around the world with the valued amenities it has to offer.  
     During the entire event a special room of rest, relaxation, and refreshment was setup called the RACK Room.   Players and fans were welcome throughout the event to this room for various functions, including a Sunday morning fellowship service for anyone desiring to attend.   Score and player updates, plus special “artistic pool” challenges run by “Dr. Popper” were common reasons for visiting this unique setting as well.  
     A wonderful awards ceremony honoring all players took place after the final scores were verified and the arena was prepared for the special presentations.   The 6 “Cup” trophies were presented to Andy Segal (201 points), Eric Yow (197 points), Jamie Moody (189 points), Mark Dimick (178 points), Bill Meima (176 points), and Charles Darling (175 points). Mike Massey finished in 7th place, posting
a final score of 174 points with 23 – 1st attempt makes and 8 – 2nd attempt makes vs. Dave Nangle in 8th place with the same point total but with 23 – 1st attempt makes and 4 – 2nd attempt makes.
     A Sportsmanship Recipient Award medal with ribbon was presented to Jim “Coach” Barnard by player vote.  In addition, a Sportsmanship Recipient Award medal with ribbon was presented to Rick “Praying Mantis” McAvay per a selection process of directors and staff.  A Dennis Dieckmann custom masse cue was also awarded to each of the Sportsmanship recipients.  Each player in positions 7 thru 36 received a candy filled “Artistic” Cup with respective position prize money inside, so everyone participating in the competition got a “taste” of this great event in more ways than one.   Congratulations to all the players!!!!
      I want to thank my wife, Marty (“Ms. Cue”) for everything she did to make this event happen, including but not limited to her assuring everything was in order during the actual “Cup” event and her patience with me to see a dream come true from the beginning of the overall tour project to my visionary concepts for the future of “artistic pool”.  Marty and I want to express our sincere thanks to the sponsors, players, fans, and volunteers that made the Dr. Cue Classic “Artistic” Cup a huge success and a resounding victory for our sport and those that experienced this special moment in our history.  
       Overall positions of finish and discipline champions as follows or per separate document.   For complete event details and stats, please request a long version by email – drcue@artisticpool.org 
  
                                                          
        Article written by…            Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman               January 18, 2008

DR. CUE CLASSIC ARTISTIC CUP OVERALL POSITIONS OF FINISH

DR. CUE CLASSIC “ARTISTIC” CUP DISCIPLINE CHAMPIONS

Trick and/or Fancy Shots               Dennis Douberteen              30 out of 30 points
Prop/Novelty/Special Arts              Mark Dimick                  28 out of 30 points
Draw Shots                                      Mark Kulungian            30 out of 30 points
Follow Shots                                   Steve Geller                 29 out of 30 points
Bank/Kick Shots                              Jamie Moody               27 out of 30 points
Stroke Shots                                    Mike Massey                30 out of 30 points
Jump Shots                                     Bob Stangby                28 out of 30 points
Masse Shots                                   Bob Stangby                26 out of 30 points

SPORTSMANSHIP RECIPIENT AWARDS

By player vote:  Jim “Coach” Barnard

By directors / staff selection process:  Richard “Praying Mantis” McAvay

Results compiled / verified by…     Tom “Dr. Cue” and Marty “Ms. Cue” Rossman                                                                
                                                          Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Pool Tour / Event Directors

6 individuals standing left to right: Mark Kulungian – Draw Shots Discipline Champion Mark Dimick – Prop / Novelty / Special Arts Discipline Champion Dennis Douberteen – Trick and Fancy Shots Discipline Champion Steve Geller – Follow Shots Discipline Champion Mike Massey – Stroke Shots Discipline Champion Jim Barnard – Sportsmanship Recipient (By player vote) 3 individuals kneeling left to right: Jamie Moody – Bank / Kick Shots Discipline Champion Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman – Event Director Richard McAvay – Sportsmanship Recipient (By director / staff selection) Photo Courtesy Bill Meima

Bob Stangby – Multiple Discipline Champion – Jump Shots and Masse Shots Photo Courtesy of Eric Eller