Jean Balukas

Jean Balukas
Jean Balukas performing in an exhibition in Grand Central Terminal in 1966
Born (1959-06-28) 28 June 1959 (age 65)
Brooklyn New York U.S.
Sport country United States
Professional1969
Tournament wins
Other titles100
World ChampionStraight Pool (1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983),
Nine-Ball (1988)

Jean Balukas (born June 28, 1959) is an American pool player from Brooklyn, New York, and considered one of the greatest players of all time. At least through the 1990s, when Allison Fisher began her ascendancy, Balukas was widely acknowledged as the sole candidate for greatest female player ever.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Described as a "trailblazer, a child prodigy, a loner who rebelled against dress codes for women—the pool equivalent of Billie Jean King",[3] she is a five-time Billiards Digest Player of the Year, was the youngest inductee into the BCA Hall of Fame and the second woman given the honor, and was ranked fifteenth on Billiard Digest Greatest Players of the [20th] Century.[3][7][8][9]

Balukas was considered a prodigy, coming to the public's attention first at 6 years of age at a pool exhibition held at New York City's Grand Central Terminal and thereafter appearing on television, including on CBS's primetime television show, I've Got a Secret. At just 9 years old she placed 5th in the 1969 U.S. Open straight pool championship, and placed 4th and 3rd respectively in the following two U.S. Opens. From that early start, Balukas completely dominated women's professional pool during the 1970s and 1980s.[7][10][11][12]

Balukas won five WPBA World Straight Pool Championship titles, the WPBA World 9-Ball Championship, eight BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship titles and four WPBA U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship titles. Balukas has won over 100 professional tournaments, as well as a record streak of 16 first-place tournament finishes in a row, and was the only woman at the time to compete with men in professional play.[7][10][11][12] She quit the sport amidst controversy in 1988 while at the height of her ability, due to a dispute over her conduct in a match at the Brunswick WPBA World 9-Ball Championship of that year.[5][10]

  1. ^ Steve Mizerak and Michael E. Panozzo (1990). Steve Mizerak's Complete Book of Pool. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books. p. 10. ISBN 0-8092-4255-9.
  2. ^ Jordan Sprechman and Bill Shannon (1998). This Day in New York Sports. Champaign, Ill.: Sports Pub. Inc. p. 180. ISBN 0-585-04704-9.
  3. ^ a b c The New York Times Company (February 3, 1992). Clean Pool by Allessandra Stanley. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  4. ^ Mariah Burton Nelson (1991). Are We Winning Yet?: How Women Are Changing Sports and Sports Are Changing Women. New York, NY: Random House. p. 18. ISBN 0-394-57576-8.
  5. ^ a b New York Woman Magazine (1991). Too Good for Her Own Good Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine by Mary Bruno. September 1991 issue. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
  6. ^ Seyberts.com (date of copyright not provided). Interview with top male players on inclusion of women in the World 14.1 Championship. Retrieved May 8, 2007. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b c Billiard Congress of America (1995-2005). BCA Hall of Fame Inductees: 1985 - 1991 Archived 2007-11-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 24, 2007.
  8. ^ Sun-Times News Group (2006). NOTEWORTHY, Chicago Sun-Times, December 15, 1999, by Elliott Harris.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference BD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c The New York Times Company (August 22, 1992). Billiard Master Reposes in Self-Exile by Douglas Martin. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  11. ^ a b Sun-Times News Group (February 15, 1988). Balukas Jumps Into the Shark Pool by Dave Manthey. Retrieved May 3, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Mike Shamos (1994). Pool: History, Strategies, and Legends. New York: Friedman/Fairfax. p. 33. ISBN 1-56799-061-4.