Corr Wins Nationals
Karen Corr won the Women’s Professional Billiards Association’s National 9-Ball Championship, held at the Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, Ore, Nov. 9-14.
Her triumph over Gerda Hofstatter in the final match solidified her lead over formerly dominant Allison Fisher, who took third in Oregon. Recent snooker import Kelly Fisher came in fourth place.
Corr won $12,500, while Hofstatter settled for $9,000. Allison Fisher and Kelly Fisher took home $7,000 and $5,500 respectively.
For brackets from the event and updated rankings, visit www.wpba.com.
Kim wins WPBA US Open
Korean Sensation Ga-Young Kim capped off an uncharacteristic final day of play with a 7-6 win over Karen Corr to win the 2004 WPBA US Open.
The TV rounds, usually only the domain of a few certain players, were invaded by not only Kim but also Melissa Herndon from California and Kelly Fisher who defeated Allison Fisher on Saturday night to earn her spot.
Corr won her first two matches on Sunday to earn her place in the finals against Kim. Corr and Kim had faced off in the finals of the same event last year with Kim missing a key 9-ball at hill-hill to lose this match. The score might have been the same this time, but it was a different winner as Kim hoisted the trophy high for her first WPBA tour win.
Julie Kelly Triumphs in Windsor
Julie Kelly finally broke through for a WPBA title win.
The ebullient Irishwoman took a 7-5 victory over perennial top-ranker Fisher at the Cuetec Cues Canadian Classic in Windsor, Ontario, Oct. 6-10. Kelly lost to friend and road partner Corr in round four and went to the losers’ side, defeating Gerda Hofstatter, 9-8, Romana Dokovic, 9-3, Vivian Villareal, 9-7, and Hsin Huan, 7-2, to earn a semifinal rematch with Corr, who she dismissed handily, 7-4, to move forward into the final and trump Fisher.
Kelly was ecstatic after her long-awaited win, and took the opportunity to thank members of her family back in Ireland, as well as Corr, for their help and support in reaching her goal.
Fisher Three-peats In Peoria
Fisher took a crushing victory.
Fisher took home $9,000 for the top prize, and Corr settled for $6,500 for second. Monica Webb and Kim Shaw took home $5,000 and $4,000 for third and fourth places, respectively.
For brackets, visit www.wpba.com
Fisher Breaks Corr’s Winning Streak, and Her Own Losing Streak
Allison Fisher defeated first-seed Karen Corr, 7-1, to win the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Cuetec Cues Players Championship. This is Fisher’s first classic tour win since the WPBA Nationals in December 2000; her victory snapped Corr’s winning streak of six consecutive WPBA Classic Tour titles.
The Cuetec Cues Players Championship was held March 15-17, at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa. It was the first stop on the WPBA 2002 Classic Tour. Upcoming events on the tour include the Spring Classic on April 17-21 in Alpine, Calif. and the Midwest Classic on August 21-25 in East Peoria, Ill.
Fisher’s winning check was $10,000, while Corr settled for $7,000 and second place, followed by Helena Thornfeldt with $5,000 for third.
WPBA Explains Dismissal
In a follow-up to a Feb. 8 press release from Trifecta Management, Women’s Professional Billiard Association President Jan McWorter released an additional unsigned statement commenting on the dismissal of Board Member Dr. Diana Sorrentino. The statement cited “numerous major findings by the Board of impropriety in communications with WPBA sponsors and business partners, the pool industry, the billiards press, and numerous others with whom the WPBA interacts,” and “Dr. Sorrentino’s frequent violation of WPBA protocols for communication, and unwillingness to reform even after reprimand by the President of the organization,” as the substantial reasons for Dr. Sorrentino’s dismissal. The statement further stated, “the evidence of Dr. Sorrentino’s impropriety is, almost entirely, hard documentary evidence.”
Sorrentino had no comment on the dismissal, nor the controversy surrounding it.
In response to speculation within the billiards community that Sorrentino’s dismissal was a result of statements made on the Billiards Digest Cue Chalk Board discussion forum, the statement distributed by McWorter emphasized that “the WPBA does not object, in principle, to Dr. Sorrentino’s use of the Billiards Digest online forum,” and “the WPBA recognizes that the online forum participants are among the most enthusiastic and most knowledgeable members of the pool community, and we understand and appreciate that they tend to give pool a good name.”
The WPBA will not release any of the documentary evidence, according to the statement, out of respect for Sorrentino.
Sorrentino Voted Out
Feb. 8 press release from Trifecta Entertainment, the Women’s Professional Billiard Association announced that the Board of Directors had unanimously voted to dismiss newly elected board member Dr. Diana Sorrentino. Sorrentino, a New York business consultant, was dismissed with cause, according to the release. WPBA officials declined further comment on the dismissal, pending formal correspondence with Dr. Sorrentino. In the weeks leading up to the ouster, WPBA board members scrutinized Internet discussion forums where Sorrentino was an active participant.
WPBA bylaws provide for removal of members “with or without cause at any time, by the vote of two-thirds of the members of the board of directors present and voting at that meeting called for that purpose.” At press time it was not known how many board members voted on the issue.
“This has been an unpleasant process for the entire board but we are committed to furthering the goals and objectives of the WPBA,” said Jan McWorter, WPBA president, in the press release. “We would like to thank Dr. Sorrentino for her service and wish her well in her future endeavors.” McWorter added that the Board is in discussion about how to fill the open position, which they hope to do immediately. “In the past we’ve gone to the next-highest vote getter [in the most recent election],” said WPBA vice-president Kelly Oyama.
Fisher crowned “Champion of Champions”
Allison Fisher captured her biggest victory of the year by beating Karen Corr in sudden death to claim the winner-takes-all International Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., on Nov. 8. The victory netted Fisher, the No. 2-ranked player on the Women’s Professional Billiard Association’s Classic Tour, $25,000 for first place in the four-play star-studded event to be televised on ESPN.
Fisher, who handed over the WPBA’s top ranking to a red-hot Corr in June, has lost to Corr in the last three Classic Tour stops. At the Tournament of Champions, though, Fisher controlled the deciding sudden-death tiebreaker game to secure the win. “I feel like I just won an Olympic Gold Medal,” said Fisher, who topped Helena Thornfeldt in the semifinals. “One shot missed and you can lose $25,000! Your emotions are off the chart during the entire tournament.”
Comeback Queen
For the third consecutive Classic Tour event, Karen Corr rebounded from an earlier loss to win a tournament championship. This time Corr did it at the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Midwest Classic at Palace Billiards in Villa Park, Ill., Oct. 11-14, recovering from a loss to Fisher in the winner’s-bracket finale to oust Fisher in the final, 7-4.
Corr, who has swept all five 2001 Classic Tour events this season excluding the Billiard Congress of America 9-Ball Championships, extended her points lead in the WPBA rankings over Fisher with the victory. The $7,500 payday also pushed Corr’s 2001 WPBA Classic Tour earnings to $45,000, surpassing last year’s total of $40,500, with the 2001 WPBA National Championships still left to play this season. Fisher collected $5,500 for second, while Gerda Hofstatter earned $4,500 for third — her best finish since winning the BCA 9-Ball Championship in May 2000.
BCA Organizes Billiards For America Day
The Billiard Congress of America has designated Nov. 10 as Billiards for America Day, and is coordinating an industry-wide effort to raise money for relief funds established to benefit victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
The BCA, working with the American Poolplayers Association and the Women’s Professional Billiard Association, will provide pool rooms and league operators with promotional posters and tournament packages. Billiard retailers and manufacturers are encouraged to donate money or products to support the effort.