Born March 26, 1928 and January 8, 1951
MERITORIOUS AWARD
Bill Clark started his business in 1960, as Clark Billiard Supply, out of the basement of his family home. After servicing pool tables in the area for several years and Tim’s graduation from high school in 1969, Bill and Tim formed the Clark & Son Billiard Supply partnership. Today, the company sports a 6,300 square foot facility and dominates customer satisfaction over a seven county area. From 1960 through 1980, the Clarks assisted the great Don Willis with his exhibitions and promotions. In 1975, they were original charter members in the OCMA which now sanctions the Ohio State VNEA tournament. In 1983, Bill and Tim opened the Varsity Tavern in Massillon. Over fifteen years later, the Varsity is renowned for the quality of players its tournaments and league teams have developed. Clark & Son has also sponsored several local pool teams and leagues over the years including the Canton Billiard League.
Tim Clark also served on the founding board for the GCABA and is currently on the Board of Trustees with the Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. Annually, Clark & Son manufactures and donates custom cherry pool tables for fund-raising efforts of the Aultman Hospital Women’s Foundation, Stark County Wilderness Center, the Akron Civic Theater of Cultural Arts, and WNIR Radio’s Helping Hand for the Hungry. Time and services are continually donated to Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and YWCA, Salvation Army Recreation Centers, Child and Adolescent Service Centers, Churches, Senior Centers, youth and adult correctional facilities, and many other places. Bill, a former Canton police officer of 28 years, is now retired along with his wife, Rose. Today, you will find Tim at the business assisted by his wife, Darlene, and son, Tim Jr. The Clark & Son name continues to be a standout with the billiard industry and community to which it has served.
The only thing more successful than their efforts in billiards is the unity, strength, and love of their family
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
Born September 10, 1946
MERITORIOUS & ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Dick Eubanks started playing pool at the Canton Boys Club at approximately 14 years old. However, his play was limited to bumper pool since only the older students were allowed on the regulation tables. His neighbor, Pat Barbato of Barbato Flowers, bought a pool table when Dick was 16 years old, and allowed him to practice in his basement. The first time they were to play, Dick was told that he would have to learn how to hold a cue stick before they would ever play. Dick claims to owe allot to Mr. Barbato. After graduation, Dick enlisted in the Air Force for a four year term, where his game improved. When he returned, his wife Di (who also plays very well), encouraged Dick to start a straight pool league. Thus, in 1978, he developed and promoted a 16 player straight pool league known as the Timken League which was played on the tables at the Hall of Fame Bowling Lanes. Later this league became known as the Canton Billiard League. This league was a front runner for league competition both in our area and throughout the industry. His pioneering helped establish the growth we now enjoy within the sport of billiards. Dick also instituted a Genesee Challenger Open Tournament in 1982 which was won by Jerry Wolf. Another tournament he promoted was won by Joe Kerr, of Akron. He beat out Don Steele who was on the pro circuit tour at that time. Dick was also a charter board member of the Greater Canton Amateur Billiard Association, on which he served, and helped originate the first three years of its existence. Dick won the Canton Billiard league and several various local bar tournaments.
His straight pool high run against Bob Allen, a former inductee, was 44 balls. Although straight pool is his favorite game, he played bank pool and one pocket with Marion Connors, and had a good knowledge of trick and fancy shots. Dick played in the "Milwaukee Team Pool Tournament" which was one of the very first organized league team competitions anywhere. His teams won the Varsity League three out of four years. He quit playing leagues in 1988 as a result of his work scheduling. At 51 years old, Dick still has a lot of good pool left in him and still has a goal to win a major tournament. Dick gives you the impression his most important contribution to the sport of pool was not his scores but his interest, love and devotion to the game. He and his wife both showed real leadership in their ability to promote the game in many ways. Dick has been an elite member of the Canton pool and billiards community for some time, and God willing for some time to come.
His contributions as well as his play in the sport make him both an achievement and meritorious elite group member in the Billiards Hall of Fame.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
Born June 28, 1947
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Barry Hixon, although acquiring a college education and dental practice, has been a real force to be reckoned with in the sport of pocket billiards in and around the Canton area. To say he was a natural talent would not be overstating his ability. He had the ability to succeed, if he had pursued the sport professionally. Doc started playing pool a the Majestic in Ashland, Kentucky in 1961. His first tournament win was in Grayson, Kentucky in 1965 with a high run of 75 consecutive balls and out. He finished first at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia collegiate competition. He finished in the top ten of the National Collegiate Competition. Locally, he topped Fred Martin 13-11 in the Challenger’s 9-Ball Tournament at the Hall of Fame a number of years ago. He was a member of the winning team at Milwaukee along with Tom, Troy and Brian Frank in 1985. He also played such notable players as Corn Bread Red, Steve Mizerak, Kenny McCoy, and exhibition matches with Jim Rempe and Jimmy Caras.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
October 23, 1937
Phil has been playing pool for nearly fifty years. He learned to play pool, at the age of ten, at his dad’s pool room on Lincolnway Lanes, in Massillon. Phil wasn’t allowed to play but he did learn, never-the-less, as his dad would let him rack balls and watch. It cost 5 cents per game at that time.
Phil started to play regularly in an attempt to supplement his income, when he started working at Superior Meats, because he made only $35 per week. He would play mostly at Cue & Cushion on Lincolnway. His favorite game was straight pool. Later, he played 9-Ball and then 8-Ball. Leagues and tournaments were not available when he was in his prime. Therefore, he played mostly in ring games with his buddies, Bill "Smittie" Smith and Bob Bowers.
What tournaments Phil did play in, he faired well. In 1961, Phil was in a 40-man straight pool tournament at Lincolnway Lanes. Despite a handsome purse, the real prize in this tournament was the winner would play an exhibition match against legendary Willie Masconi. He remembers coming from behind, approximately 80 to 20, to beat his friend Smittie. As a result of that championship, he was the house instructor at Lincolnway Lanes for the next two years. He also played in an in-house 8-Ball tournament at Superior Meats. He found himself in the unenviable position of having to beat Johnny Ray six straight times for the championship and he did.
In addition to Smittie and Bowers, he also played weekly against Don Bittner, Bud Reed and Ricky Daniels. One of Phil’s most satisfying wins was in 9-Ball against Hall of Famer, Meredith "Cope" Cobedash. In his last years of playing pool, he competed in the Canton Billiard League straight and 9-Ball Leagues. He finished 7th Place in 1987, with a high run of 39 balls, and in 3rd place in the Canton Billiard League 9-Ball tournament held at Starchers. Phil is not only a great pool player, but he has won numerous Archery Contests plus 75 trophies in dirt bikes. Also, he had a one-handicap in golf winning the Wayne County Open and Stark County Amateur in 1961.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
January 7, 1947
MERITORIOUS AWARD
Class and good sportsmanship are words synonymous with Hall of Famer, Sonny Russell. Sonny learned to play pool at the age of 15 while racking tables in a Warren, Ohio pool room. It was there where he learned not only how to play pool, but the importance of good pool etiquette and sportsmanship. Sonny has been an avid promoter of the game and team play. Often times, he will set aside personal achievements to let younger players get the necessary experience to be competitive pool players. He constantly stresses the mental aspect of the game and teaches others how to handle both victory and defeat with class. He has been an integral part of the Massillon Pool League nearly since its inception, in 1980, when the late Ruth Guiffre, decided to organize tavern 8-Ball for the benefit of area pool players. Sonny has been either President or Vice President of the league for the last 19 years. He spends much of his personal time organizing the league and their annual banquet, which is one of the more popular league banquets each year. Sonny is an accomplished pool player. He has been on six championship teams and his teams have finished first or second in division play in all of his nineteen years.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
January 30, 1942
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Bill began playing pool in 1952 at the age of 12. He had the privilege, at the age of 16, to play with and learn from the best in the area. Many of these players are now in the Hall of Fame. Straight pool is his favorite game, with a high run of 87 consecutive balls. He was a charter member of the Timken League, now known as the Canton Open League. He won the championship, three times in seven years. He has won a variety of local tournament over the years, and was second in the Old Timers Tournament, out of seventy players.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION