Pool players take cue from national league
To some, pool playing is merely a hobby or a recreational sport. But to some, it's much more.
It is a way to compete against others on an equal playing level.
The American Poolplayers Association was founded in 1979 by professional pool players Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart as the National Pool League. That became the American Poolplayers Association in 1981.
The two realized the popularity of the sport, but knew that, different from other sports, there was no existing recreational league system.
Today, the APA has more than 250,000 members nationwide and boasts more members than all other national leagues combined.
The league is administered in communities by a network of franchise operators. League play is done weekly with both 8-Ball and 9-Ball team formats offered. Butler's league representative is George Natili.
"I've been Butler's representative for about a year now," Natili said. "It's my job to handle any complaints or controversy and notify players of rule changes. And I collect dues and promote the league. It seems like a lot of responsibility, but it's a labor of love."
The team-based APA is divided into different areas based on location. For instance, the Butler division is part of a larger region that includes Mercer, Zelienople, Evans City and others.
The league year is divided into three sessions: spring, summer, and fall. Each session typically runs about 14 weeks, depending on the number of teams.
The teams, which have eight players, vary in number because it depends on the number of players in the session. There are currently eight 8-Ball teams, and four 9-Ball teams in Butler's division.Butler's division plays 8-Ball on Monday nights and 9-Ball on Thursday nights. They play at the Rockhouse, the Checkered Flag, the EauClaire Street Cafe Bar, and the Island Bar. The Rockhouse is the only site for 9-Ball."Any location can be a spot to play as long as they have a table,"Natili said. "The reason we play at these locations is that it's close for the people that play there. People don't have to drive far to play at any of these places."It costs an APAplayer $20 per year. That includes a membership, a chance to play in all three sessions, and it also pays for awards and trophies. Butler players also pay $6 per night to play.Awards that can be won include patches such as "8 on the Break,""Break and Run," and "Rackless Night," which refers to a player who did not once have to rack balls during his matchup.That $20 will let a player play in any division as well. For instance, a player in Butler could also play in Zelienople for that same $20.The motto of the league is "Everyone can play... anyone can win." Because the APAuses The Equalizer handicapping system, even a lower-ranked player can beat a higher-ranked player."The great thing about the league is that it's very competitive and equal," Tom Smith said. "Because of the handicap, anybody can win."He was the fall 2006 session's "top gun" winner, having earned the most points in the division's 8-Ball league.The Equalizer system is based on a player's ranking. Male players start with a ranking of "4," while women start with a ranking of "3." Males rank from a low of "3" to a high of "7," while women rank from a low of "2" and also peak at "7."Teams can have as many as eight players, but only five can shoot per night.The rankings of those five shooters cannot exceed a total of 23. This helps in giving everyone a chance to play. Those five shooters are then paired in head-to-head matchups.Players in an 8-Ball league can win their matchup by winning a determined number of games. The number of games depends on both players' rankings.For example, a player with a "6" ranking versus a player with a "2" ranking must win six games, while the player with the "2" ranking only needs to win twice to win the match. There are 36 ways a match can be won based on the multiple combinations of player rankings.A 9-Ball league is scored differently. Each ball sunk earns a player points, and the points are equal to the number printed on the ball. A player's skill level will determine how many points they must accumulate in a matchup.For instance, a player with a ranking of "5" must earn 38 points to win, while a player with a ranking of "4" needs to earn 31 to win. The first player to accumulate the necessary points will win the matchup for their team. Rankings in 9-Ball range from "1" to "9."
This gives players of lower ranking as much chance to win a match as players with higher rankings. A player's ranking will go up or down depending on the ranking of the opposing player, and the number of innings it takes to complete a match. Innings are similar to those in baseball in that an inning is complete after both players have each shot and walked away from the table.Natili turns in the results of each night to the national database, and new rankings are determined for the next week.At the end of each session, there is a round of local playoffs. From there, players have the chance to advance to a regional and then national tournament.At the national level, the APA guarantees more than $1 million in national tournament prize money. This consists of the $500,000 APA 8-Ball National Team Championships, the $200,000 APA 8-Ball Classic, the $100,000 APA 9-Ball National Team Championship, the $100,000 APA 9-Ball Shootout, and the MiniMania tournaments.The APA also conducts the U.S. Amateur Championship. It is the only competition open to APA members and non-members alike. Players across North America battle for one of the 128 spots in the tournament.Last year Dennis Martin of Butler placed 13th in the event in Atlanta."The nice thing about the APA is the balance of the league," he said. "It gives everyone a fair shot to win and compete. It's a lot of fun, and you meet a lot of good people."It's not expensive to play. And even your league fees and dues will pay for your trips to bigger tournaments if you qualify."He added, "I think for a player to be good, it takes a lot of different factors. A lot of it is God-given talent, but a lot comes from a love of the game."Smith said, "It's important to learn something from everyone you play."Martin agreed: "And you can learn a lot by just watching. You can see how other players play and what they do in situations, and adapt that to your game. Beginners may start out with just wanting to make a shot, but you'll see advanced players run a table because they are always thinking three or four shots ahead."It's true what the league says: 'Everyone can play ... anyone can win,'" he said.
