Don Willis was arguably the greatest money player to ever play the game of pool. The former World Champion Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter is quoted as saying, "If I ever had to have someone else shoot pool for my life, win or lose, live or die, the man that I'd have shooting for me is Don Willis." He learned to play pool at the YMCA in Canton at the age of 13. With Willis pool was a necessity not a game. It provided him, his spouse and six children with a fairly good living for many years without ever having to get a conventional job. It was his life style. He once said that he would rather play anyone for few bucks than a world champion for fun.
Even today, those who are old enough talk of the greatest players of all time and Don Willis in one breath. His high run of 216 balls at Imperial Lanes in the mid-1960s continues to be a city record to date. He performed many exhibitions to benefit various organizations and causes, including a benefit in West Virginia for the widows of a mining disaster plus several exhibitions for underprivileged children. His trick shots were entertaining and he could captivate a crowd with stories of his hustling days on the road. One of his favorite trick shots, which made him famous, involved making a carom off an object ball, jumping the cue ball off the pool table, and hitting another object ball on the floor - 70 feet away! He also holds a record of consecutive wing shots pocketing 42 in a row on two separate occasions. In his later years, he represented the United States in billiards in Saudi Arabia. He shunned publicity and was once quoted in a 1977 Repository feature as saying, "If somebody sees my picture and knows who I am and tells someone, then I don't make any money. I never made any money having my picture taken."
And pool isn't his only claim to fame. He was a world class table tennis player - the best in Stark County for 14 years during which time he beat Jimmie McClure and Sol Schiff, who were reigning world table tennis champions, when he beat them. He also beat a reigning champion - using a pencil for a paddle. In addition, Willis was very good in horseshoes, ringing about 70-percent of his throws. He defeated George May, the world horseshoe champion. He was a member of the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, Old Timers Softball Association, American Legion Post 44, Elks Lodge 68, Ex-Newsboys Association and the National Professional Billiards Association.
"He beat them all."
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARD ASSOCIATION
1923 - 1996
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
As many of the older players will attest, Rock was respected not only for his superior game but also for his fierce, competitive drive to win. In his prime, his skill in straight pool was equal to that of any amateur for miles around including Akron, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. He was known to have beaten the great Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter in an exhibition match in Canton many years ago. He was also legendary among the great nine ball players. Next to Don Willis, some regarded him as the best in the Canton area. However, you would have never heard Rock make this claim. He was a quiet and unpretentious man; not one to boast of his many accomplishments.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARD ASSOCIATION
1922 - 1997
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Fred had been one of the best pool players in Canton since he was a teenager. He played all of the top players in the area including; Don Willis, Nick Varner and Lou Butera. Fred won the only straight pool league he competed in at Starcher's in Akron, Ohio. Although he didn't participate in many tournaments, he did finish second in Canton, Akron and Cleveland to some of the best players in Northern Ohio. Fred was known as a "player's player"; he would play against anyone.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARD ASSOCIATION
1917 - 1985
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Cope had a long distinguished career in pocket billiards. He consistently won or played high in all local events he entered. He won the first league that he entered; the 980 Canton Billiard Straight Pool League, achieving a high run of 56 balls. He placed second in 1981, first in both straight pool and nine ball in 1982 and first in nine ball in 1983. He also won a Canton Billiard League tournament and finished second to Joe Kerr at the Hall of Fame Challenger's tournament. Cope once ran 93 balls to beat the great Willie Masconi in an exhibition match.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARD ASSOCIATION
Born 1913
MERITORIOUS AWARD
Although Babe has not played pool competitively, he has promoted and organized numerous tournaments plus supervised hundreds of hours of open play. This was done on a true amateur level since his participants were youngsters playing on mostly donated equipment at the original Police Boys Club on Navarre Road in Canton. Babe, a Canton police lieutenant, was the appointed Club director from 1954 through 1982. He made sure the pool tables were always available to the city youth as they matured and developed skills along the way. Babe was given the ultimate compliment in 1981, when the Community Center on 13th Street was rededicated and renamed the "J. Babe Stearn Community Center". That facility is now in the mainstream of guiding today's athletes.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARD ASSOCIATION