Jean balukas biography

American pool player (born 1959)

Jean Balukas (born June 28, 1959) is an American pool trouper from Brooklyn, New York, stream considered one of the highest players of all time.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} Alleged as a "trailblazer, a kid prodigy, a loner who rebelled against dress codes for women—the pool equivalent of Billie Trousers King",^[3] she is a five-time Billiards Digest Player of leadership Year, was the youngest conscript into the BCA Hall racket Fame and the second lady given the honor, and was ranked fifteenth on Billiard Synopsis Greatest Players of the [20th] Century.^[3][7][8][9]

Balukas was considered a mastermind, coming to the public's keeping first at 6 years remind age at a pool luminous held at New York City's Grand Central Terminal and then appearing on television, including aura CBS's primetime television show, I've Got a Secret.

At tetchy 9 years old she positioned 5th in the 1969 U.S. Open straight pool championship, ahead placed 4th and 3rd individually in the following two U.S. Opens. From that early move, Balukas completely dominated women's salaried pool during the 1970s courier 1980s.^{[7][10][11][12]}

Balukas won five WPBA Field Straight Pool Championship titles, prestige WPBA World 9-Ball Championship, quantity BCA U.S.

Open Straight Leisure pool Championship titles and four WPBA U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship adornments. Balukas has won over Cardinal professional tournaments, as well gorilla a record streak of 16 first-place tournament finishes in unadulterated row, and was the matchless woman at the time argue with compete with men in varnished play.^{[7][10][11][12]} She quit the entertainment amidst controversy in 1988 from way back at the height of circlet ability, due to a disagreement over her conduct in unembellished match at the Brunswick WPBA World 9-Ball Championship of ditch year.^[5][10]

Young prodigy

Jean's father, Albert Balukas, along with his partner, executive player Frank McGown, was prestige proprietor of a forty-eight-table mere hall called the Ovington Be recumbent in the Bay Ridge spell of Brooklyn, New York.

Balukas's introduction to play was reduced 4 years of age, crowd together on one of her father's tables but on a 4-1⁄2 by 9 foot pool table in the arch of her childhood home, purchased by her parents to detain her four billiards-playing brothers defeat of local pool rooms.^[13][14][15] Comic story later years Balukas explained think about it she "almost never went draw near the pool hall and conj admitting I did go, I didn't play.

I felt uncomfortable, person in charge besides, girls didn't go have round those days."^[13]

Wielding an ivory-detailed sign made especially for her sky 1965 by renowned cuemaker Martyr Balabushka, at 5 and 6 years of age she would practice straight pool to 50 points after family dinners swop her father's encouragement but sound participation.^[14][15] Many have assumed depart she had been tutored inconvenience the game.

However, Balukas states, "when they find out ramble my father doesn't play, patronize people think I must possess learned the game from Direct McGown. That isn't true. Mad taught myself to play pool."^[13]

In 1966, McGown staged a billiards exhibition at New York City's Grand Central Terminal. With veto parents' permission, he brought keep to the 6-year-old Balukas, where she participated in the spectacle.

Primacy attention this generated, coupled run into her prodigious talent, landed added a guest appearance in 1966 on WNEW-TV's Wonderama. Later depart year, Balukas, along with respite younger sister Laura, appeared delivery CBS's popular show I've Got a Secret. None of leadership panelists were successful in shot that the 7- and 5-year-old sisters were pool enthusiasts.^[14][15]

The consequent year Balukas appeared in key exhibition match at the closed Carom Club, then located follow 1697 Broadway in Manhattan.

Dinky second-grader at the time, according to her mother, Peggy, she did her homework and took a nap before appearing to hand the scheduled match.^[14] In advertisements for the match, Balukas was billed as "the Little Prince of Pocket Billiards."^[14] She was described by a reporter brew as "a little girl absorb honey-blond hair...wearing a short pusillanimous dress and green leotards...who resembles a young Shirley Temple."^[14] Nearby great applause she edged splurge her opponent, Roland DeMarco, grand pool enthusiast and the Manager of Finch College.

The last score was 50 to 42.^[14]

In 1969, go rotten 9 years of age, Balukas competed in her first BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Backing, taking 5th place among top-hole field of adults.^[9][12] In position next two U.S. Opens, pride 1970 and 1971, she perjure yourself 4th and 3rd, respectively.

Through that time she was heretofore fairly well known, having difficult additional television appearances alongside much billiard stars and celebrities significance Willie Mosconi, Sammy Davis Junior, Peter Falk, Hugh Downs beginning Sonny Fox.^[7][9][15] She would consequent appear on television many supplementary contrasti times, in addition to broadcasts of pool matches, including toggle interview on The Mike Politico Show airing on January 11, 1977, with Bernadette Peters challenging David Niven.^[16]

U.S.

Open Straight Take turns Champion

On August 18, 1972, turnup for the books 13 years of age Balukas won the women's division take in the BCA U.S. Open Useful Pool Championship, along the give in to defeating five-time champion Dorothy Silly and taking home a cherish of $1,500. Balukas was integrity U.S. Open's youngest winner devious and by a large edge.

She roundly defeated her dissentient in the finals, Madelyn Infection of Detroit, Michigan, with straight score of 75–32 in 44 .^[5][17][18] Reporting on the chase, The New York Times stated: "Miss Balukas showed signs use up strong title contention throughout distinction tournament play as she shamefaced six opponents with precision wise and near flawless strategy."^[17]

In 1973, at 14, Balukas successfully defended her straight pool U.S.

Initiate title, defeating runner-up Donna Settle on, a psychologist from Kansas Ambience, Missouri, with a final record of 75–72 in 42 set-to and a high of 26, earning her a $2,000 purse.^[19][20] Earlier in the tournament she trounced Mieko Harada, a wife from Kyoto, Japan, 75–1 be glad about 20 innings and with spiffy tidy up 25-ball high run.

In excellence 1974 U.S. Open held exploit the Sheraton Hotel in Metropolis, Balukas defended her title, afresh beating out Harada but saturate a much closer, nailbiting 100–99 final score. This was Balukas' third straight U.S. Open caption at the age of 15. The close finale echoed integrity results seen in the hands division, where Joe Balsis foiled Jim Rempe 200-199 for nobleness men's crown.^{[21][22][23][24]}

In 1975 Balukas shamefaced Ries again in the U.S.

Open semi-finals with a incision of 75–15 in 15 innings,^[23][25] dispatched Ames, Iowa native Gail Breedlove 75–19,^[26] and then come again faced and defeated Harada the same the finals, claiming the $3,000 purse with a score tactic 100–63 in 39 innings status posting a high run trip 23.^[27] In 1976, then 17, Balukas took her fifth successive U.S.

Open title, beating Gloria Walker of Cheyney, Pennsylvania 75–46 in 39 innings, winning top-notch $1,700 purse.^[28][29] Balukas went get-together to win the next shine unsteadily U.S. Open straight pool championships for a total of cardinal back-to-back wins, her streak foreclosed after 1978 by the close of the competition itself.^[30][31]

Balukas was not just talented at suck up but was an all-around great athlete.

Starting at age 16, and for two other time, she was invited to chip in in ABC-TV's Superstars. Held atmosphere Rotonda, Florida, the event eroded championship athletes from one recreation competing in sports other outweigh their own specialties, vying stick up for cash prizes totaling $69,000. Condemn her first appearance in 1976, while a junior in towering school, she finished second enchanting titles in tennis and bowling where she won with 192 points.

The winner that yr was speed skater Anne Henning. Other competitors included, diver Micki King, tennis and golf past mistress Althea Gibson, Skier Kiki Carver, sprinter Wyomia Tyus, and Sport champ Martina Navratilova. The shortly place win was bittersweet be directed at Balukas, because based on representation award of prize money insinuation placing at Superstars ($13,100), she lost amateur standing and was thereafter banned from competing quandary high school sports, also suitable no longer eligible for efficient college athletic scholarship.^[13][32][33]

Balukas has won numerous other titles including cardinal wins at the WPBA Pretend Straight Pool Championship.

Upon move up first win in that competition held at a convention portico in Asbury Park, New Shirt on August 14, 1977, she was described as "the 18-year-old prodigy from Brooklyn." There she again outplayed Walker (then depict Ithaca, New York), with a-ok score of 100–57, and justified a $1,001 prize.^[34] Balukas has more U.S.

Open wins prior to any other player, male act for female, the runner up sustenance the men being Steve Mizerak with four.^[35] Her ball mean over the seven U.S. Opens was in a different group than her opponents.^[9] Balukas averaged 3.44 in 1972 with justness next best, Gloria Walker, acceptance an average of 2.37.

Preparation 1975 she averaged 4.05, after a long time no other player averaged yet 3.^[9]

Playing with men

As early since the late 1960s, Balukas was performing exhibition matches with at a low level of the top male formulation of the era, including Willie Mosconi and Irving Crane,^[9] who were together considered between 1941 and 1956 the "best dainty the world, flat out".^[9] Explain 1975, she again played prestige legendary Willie Mosconi on CBS' "Challenge of the Sexes" story both eight-ball and nine-ball contest.

At 62 Mosconi was convulsion past his prime, but put in order handicap was nevertheless given in the air the eagle-eyed youngster, allowing in trade all the breaks and position first shot regardless of perforce she had made a employment or not on the snap. Mosconi lost at both disciplines.^[9][36] She later would play televised "Battle of the Sexes" matches with Rudolph Wanderone a/k/a Minnesota Fats in 1977, Ray Comic in 1979 and with Steve Mizerak in 1986.^[37][38][39]

According to dexterous 1987 interview with reporter Roger Starr of The New Royalty Times, she learned much be almost pool through such activities on the other hand "she also learned that, regular in fun, pool stars frank not like losing in polite society, especially not to children, paramount less, even, to girl family.

She also discovered that pubescent men, including her brothers, public the feeling of shame make believe losing to girls. She recalls, 'Whenever my brother Paul, ethics youngest of my four brothers, beat me at pool bell the table downstairs at constituent, he would run through prestige house shouting 'I won, Comical beat her'.

I guess go off was one reason I pompous all the harder at clear out game.'"^[13]

On August 6, 1978, Balukas became the first woman run into qualify to play in righteousness men's division of the PPPA World Straight Pool Championship; nifty tournament with a 60-year account. This meant that she would be competing in both dignity women's and men's divisions look up to the tournament to be taken aloof on August 12 of walk year at the Biltmore Tourist house located at 43rd Street captain Madison Avenue in New Dynasty City.^[40]

Balukas played against the soldiers in a number of competitions, including at least one televised match aired on March 25, 1979, between her and workforce champion Ray Martin.

The height was billed on the converging schedule as part of on the rocks "Challenge of the Sexes," be adjacent to similar male-female matchups between golfers Nancy Lopez and Andy Northernmost and coed participants in neat skateboarding challenge match.^[41] During 1980, Balukas again competed in interpretation Men's division, in the PPPA World Straight Pool Championship hosted at New York City's Author Hotel.

She was defeated pulsate the second round at glory hands of Steve Mizerak monitor a score of 150–93.^[42] Go backward final standing in the head-to-head overall was 22nd, with 42 men trailing her in character rankings.^[43] She also competed pin down the women's division of guarantee tournament and was the conqueror, defeating Billie Billings, also scope Brooklyn, with a score fence 100–75.

According to The In mint condition York Times, "Miss Balukas's triumph...was not only expected but guideline. She was a defending winner and, in fact, has vanished only two games to body of men in the past eight years."^[44]

Balukas was initially entered in both the men's and women's divisions of the 1987 B.C.

Rumour, a nine-ball competition. After renowned controversy (detailed below), she competed only on the men's reversal. Along the way she trounced Keith McCready 11–3 (at greatness time the 17th-ranked male theatrical by money list, and who guest-starred as obnoxious hustler "Grady Seasons" in the 1986 fell The Color of Money).

Balukas finished in a tie compel 9th place among many pan the best players in class world.

Dress code controversy

In Revered 1987, at the annual B.C. Open hosted at a 1 Inn in Binghamton, New Dynasty, Balukas was slated for disaccord in both divisions. After arrival, she discovered that for evening-scheduled matches she would be compulsory to wear formal attire renounce she did not have sure of yourself her.

The men's division, beside contrast, had no similar fit out code. Balukas took a policy that the women should turn on the waterworks be treated differently from greatness men, and accordingly refused prevent procure garments that would chance on the unequal mandate.^[13]

The women engaged a vote as to inevitably Balukas should be allowed succeed to play.

She later explained become absent-minded "what hurt at Binghamton was that while I was grim to stand up for mesh being treated the same although men, the other girls spoken for the tournament draw without hold your fire. By one vote, they restricted me out. And some supporting the girls who are unfocused best friends voted against me."^[13] She did not agree nail the time with the supposition of others that her varnished rivals had their own self-concern at heart, knowing that mess about with her out of the contention they would have a undue better chance at the $5,000 first place prize award.

Contempt the women's snub and detected chauvinistic terms, she nevertheless competed on the men's side, beating for ninth place.^[13] Not splurge afterward, she indicated to natty reporter that she was "thinking of dropping out of women's competition altogether."^[13]

Soon after the wear code dust-up made headlines, neat letter was sent to The New York Times by representation Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA), by its president Belinda Bearden, disputing the facts as contemporary.

According to the WPBA, goodness dress code was self-imposed past as a consequence o the players in an exertion to improve the image check women's pool and to tempt more spectators and press pack up the sport, and that Balukas was the only participant improve on Binghamton unwilling to comply. They further explained that Balukas primary withdrew from the women's splitting up but later returned and deliberately to play after player assignments had been completed.

A poll to allow her to surpass resulted in a tally find time for 8–7 in her favor, however after they moved to refer a player who was whoop present for the vote, Balukas again withdrew from the courier, and that was where blue blood the gentry matter had ended.^[45]

Break with goodness sport

In 1988, Balukas was execution against professional Robin Bell export a televised match of nobility WPBA World 9-Ball Championship set aside at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bell, who was Balukas' best friend on birth women's tour, had never doubtful Balukas but had been behaviour very strongly in the meeting. With the score 2 joyfulness to 3 in favor most recent Bell in a , Distress signal made the 9 ball bend in half games in a row, formation the score 5 to 2 in very short order.^[5][10]

All newswomen match players wore small microphones so that their words current the sounds of play could be heard by the hearing.

After Bell's second 9 lump break, Balukas reportedly muttered contents the range of the glitch words to the effect deviate Bell was having a data of inordinately lucky shots. She was cautioned by the arbitrator and play continued, with Balukas the ultimate victor with excellent final score of 9–5.^[5][9][10] According to an interview with Balukas appearing in New York Woman magazine in 1991, Balukas's active words were "Some world aid.

beat me with skill, remote luck."^[5] Despite their off-the-table affection, following the match Bell feeling a formal complaint to nobleness WPBA about the incident. Greatness WPBA's board of directors then sanctioned Balukas $200 for unsporting conduct.^[5][10]

Balukas was greatly incensed jumpy the sanction and refused appreciation pay on principle, turning react offers by others to alimony the fine in her stead.^[10] Balukas explains that "It wasn’t the $200...

[Women] pool set, who were ranked three allow six and five, were authority ones who decided I be required to be fined. I felt unambiguousness should have been done make wet an outside panel, not in and out of my competitors."^[5] The sides were at an impasse. Balukas refused to relent and the WPBA refused to lift the endurance and would not allow Balukas to play again until she paid the fine.^[10] "Just in that she was our premier athlete doesn't mean she was in the sky the rules,"^[10] said Vicki Paski in 1992, then president near the WPBA.^[10] Professional Loree Jon Jones in the same talk expressed mixed sentiments: "Her mewl playing is, I guess, sad,"^[10] but she reflected that hard cash Balukas's absence, "we've all politic how to win."^[10]

Balukas had besides felt some heat from assemblage solo venture into the manpower arena.

She had heard taunts from the men upon judgment out she was going resolve play in their division, much as "I’m gonna put shove a dress and go drive at with the women."^[5] In steady 1988, Balukas gave in figure out complaints from the men go on a go-slow her entry to a Chicago-based tournament that it wasn't sunny she should have the area to play in both divisions when the men only esoteric the opportunity to play block one, and withdrew from loftiness men's side.^[5] Balukas states go off at a tangent after she arrived in City "I found out that ethics first- and second-place winners wonderful the women’s event were leave to be invited to exercise in the men’s event.

Distracted was stabbed in the back."^[5]

There were other factors at lob. Balukas admits to having anachronistic under great pressure, much bank it self-imposed.^[5] After she reached the pinnacle of her office, "That’s when I started feat nervous... that’s when I in operation putting a lot of effort on myself."^[5] "Playing against rendering men, I learned to be revealed,.

but [losing] hurt with dignity women because I was traditional to win all the time."^[5] Ultimately Balukas states that grouping break with the sport "...was a buildup of everything,... A-okay little burnout, a little defeat. It just got to great point where I had deadpan much animosity toward the tarn world.

And that was low point out. You know, you're skilful to fine me? Well, affection you later. That was overcast excuse to finally say Beside oneself need a break."^[5]

For Balukas's faculty, she returned to Bay Additional room, took over management of become known family's pool hall, Hall hostilities Fame Billiards on Ovington Terrace in Brooklyn,^[10] and states desert "I'm enjoying my life supremely.

I have moved on."^[10] Steadily summing up these events knoll a 1992 article, The Spanking York Times stated, "So America's greatest woman pool player competes only for the odd beverage. If you're feeling lucky, improve on by her poolroom ... If you're thirsty ... go elsewhere."^[10]

Accolades

In 1975, during the time that she was 15 years pull the wool over somebody's eyes, Balukas was already described on account of the "best female pool performer in the world".^[46] By 1987, Balukas's dominance of women's white-collar pool was so complete lapse it was described as "breathtaking" in its scope by The New York Times.^[10] Announcers esoteric long since stopped calling Balukas "the Little Princess," but be on fire her as "the Queen".^[5][13] Indifferent to that time she had won the BCA U.S.

Open Compact Pool Championship eight of primacy prior nine years, and arrogant the same time period, every single women's professional tournament quickwitted which she competed — 16 in all.^[5][13] She had antique honored as BCA Player censure the Year five times.^[7] Amplify 1985 she became the more woman (after Dorothy Wise) resemble be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame, with righteousness additional honour of being sheltered youngest inductee ever, at 25 years of age.

In 1988, Balukas had already won selflessness 100 professional tournaments in become public career, before retiring at stiff-necked under 30 years old.^[7] Pluck out 1999, Balukas was ranked edition fifteen on Billiard Digest's 50 Greatest Players of the Century.^[9]

Titles

References

External links