Nov

Harriman Bags $20k Hard Cash in Comeback Win Over Schmidt

Posted by admin as Billiard Tour News - Pool Tour News

Harriman Bags $20k Hard Cash in Comeback Win Over Schmidt
by Paul Berg, InsidePOOL Magazine Staff
While the U.S. Open professional events at the Qlympics are on a weekend hiatus and BCAPL Team 8-ball has progressed to the latter stages, last night belonged to gamblers. Not the type of scores Tony “Cha-Ching” Chohan racked up early in the week taking down local bank pool maestros, or that Shannon Murphy piled up showing John Teddar and Jason Klatt a thing or two … the way the guys at TheActionReport do it is a little different. Twenty thousand on the light in front of cameras for pay-per-view internet viewing is one slightly different twist.
Justin Collett and Chad “Big Nasty” Pollman have a long list of prospective match-ups and poolrooms that may be next, but for this week, the two main men behind the website and broadcast have added to the proceedings at the Clarion in Louisville, KY, at each turn. During the U.S. Open One-Pocket and Full-Rack Banks events, marquee matches were filmed with their equipment, including both sets of the one-pocket final. Later this week they’ll hold the sequel to their initial offering, The First Action Challenge, where Shane Van Boening defeated Corey Deuel 100-70 in a two-day, $10,000 entry 10-ball race. The Action Challenge II will bring Big Nasty’s favorite horse Van Boening back out of the stable to try Earl “The Pearl” Strickland in the same format and fees for backers. Today Chris Bartram will play Gabe Owen a ten-ahead set in 10-ball with the last two for $5,000.
The last three days featured The First All-Around Action Challenge between John Schmidt and Danny Harriman with the same impressive $10,000 entry fee. Schmidt, put in by Bayou Billiards of Baton Rouge, LA, was victorious in Thursday night’s 14.1 straight pool session by a margin of 400-323. Harriman forced last night’s winner-take-all scenario to the delight of his sponsor, Side Pockets Billiards in Lee’s Summit, MO, with a Friday night 10-9 win in one pocket.
Fittingly, Harriman and Schmidt stayed neck and neck in the deciding race to 30 in 10-ball. Neither could break successfully with consistency to pull away, Harriman opening up a 24-22 lead from a tie at 20 games as each made mistakes late in racks. Schmidt caught a stroke for a bit, taking leads of 26-24 and 27-25, but they would be his last. He broke to a 1-10 carom for Harriman, and “The Springfield Flash” showed rare emotion after kicking in a 7 ball off the 10 ball in the side, the pair of shots crucial in propelling him to the hill with Schmidt still stuck three games away.
Schmidt ran out well to take one more, but down 29-28, Schmidt fouled kicking two rails valiantly at an excellent Harriman 1 ball safety. After playing the 1-3 combination with ball in hand, Harriman opted for one more defensive maneuver, and while Schmidt made a successful hit, the table lay open for measured run-out. Harriman handled the clearance with superb calm, taking the 30-28 victory and an all-around 2-1 decision.
Stay tuned to InsidePOOLmag.com for further news from the Qlympics, where the BCAPL Team 8-ball event will conclude today, and Bartram and Owen will have all the details wrangled out by the heat of action. Tomorrow the U.S. Open series of events from the BCA resumes, as 10-ball and straight pool kick off.

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Nov

Peach Victorious at 2007 World Pool Championship

Posted by admin as Independent Tournaments - World Pool Championship

Peach Victorious at 2007 World Pool Championship
English pocket billiards Daryl Peach has become the 2007 World Pool Champion.
Played out in front of a 1,000 plus crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Manila, the 35 year-old Peach battled hard throughout as both players struggled to contain their nerves.
It was one of the most thrilling World Pool finals in recent years as Peach wins $100,000 as he joins list of greats who have won this coveted trophy
Peach said: “It was just the amazing match I’ve ever been involved in. In the end all I could think about was keeping my head still and making one shot at a time.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. I probably won’t sleep on the plane. This is unbelievable,” he added.
Neither player managed to play the type of free flowing pool that had seen them carve their way through the field at the event but the drama more than made up for it.
After blowing an early 8-3 lead, Peach stayed close to Gomez, with neither ever being more than two racks ahead.
Gomez, 29, opened up a three rack lead though when he ran out the 27th rack to give himself every chance of victory at 15-13.
But Peach was made of strong stuff and his temperament and nerve under what were at times hostile conditions, carried him on.
He won the next after some razor sharp safety and then ran out from the break in the next to level the scores.
There was tension in the air in the most dramatic rack of the game. Both players miss before Peach had his chance to close out the rack. He was always out of position but left himself a horrible shot on the 9 ball which failed to drop after a table length bank.
It wasn’t the hardest 9 for Gomez but he choked badly, feeling all the pressure, to leave it on for Peach who deposited to reach the hill.
The Yorkshire-born Peach closed out the match with a banked 1 ball into the centre pocket to set up his match-winning run-out.
“Gomez put in a good performance under immense pressure of the home crowd and home fans. I had a lot to prove and I think I did.
“I haven’t got the most ability and there are lots of players with more talent than me but I just used my head and tried to focus on what I’ve got.
“It was probably the worst match I’ve played since the start of the tournament and the pressure for both of us was immense.
“The atmosphere did affect me, if I said it didn’t then I would be lying. The Filipino fans were cheering for their man and that was to be expected.
“I always knew I had a strong mind and the will to win.
“You never really think you are going to win the World Championship. I dreamt it but when it comes around you have to grab it with both hands and luckily I did exactly that.