Born
August 1, 1950
MERITORIOUS AWARD
Ray was born and
raised in Canton. While attending Timken High School, he worked at the Loop Café
cleaning for a little pocket change. At the age of 17, he joined the Marine
Corps where he spent the next twenty years and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant in
1988. Ray returned to work at the Loop Café as a part time bartender in 1991and
then purchased the business in 1995. Ray has a wife, Kathy, and six children
plus one stepchild and two grandchildren. The building where the Loop now
operates was a poolroom back in the 20s and early 30s. Ray has been promoting
billiards through his sponsorship of teams and leagues for the past eleven years
with over 125 teams in five different leagues including the VNEA,
Louisville/Canton, Clark & Son Monday, APA and BCA. Beginning with the
1992-1993 season with one team in the VNEA and reaching a high of seventeen
teams during the 2000-2001 season. There are thirteen teams sponsored for the
2003-2004 season. It was during the 2000-2001 season that one of his women’s
teams won the State Championship for the VNEA and finished 7th place
in Las Vegas, at the International Tournament. Ray holds an appreciation party at seasons end, which
includes a tournament for all pool players, spouses and guests from his teams.
He also organized and holds a Toys-for-Tots tournament, using billiards as a
means of support for the community. He raises thousands of dollars in toys and
cash donations each year to benefit the Toys-for-Tots Foundation. In addition,
he matches all cash donations. The tournament for Toys-for-Tots and use of the logo is
done so with the approval of the local detachment of the Marine Corps League and
the Marine Corps Reserves. Ray also sponsors a bowling team at Colonial Lanes in
the Walkers and Rollers League. In 2002, Ray was gracious enough to open his
doors early every Saturday morning to provide a place for the VNEA Junior League
to play. This will be continued in 2003 with a safe, non-smoking, non-drinking
environment for the junior players. Being the Meritorious Award winner for this
year is a very well deserved honor for a wonderful sponsor and person.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
Born
April 28, 1931
ACHIEVEMENT
John Manos’ pool
playing ability although largely undocumented, was right up there with the likes
of Fred ‘Luch’ Martin, Meredith ‘Cope’ Cobedash and Rocco “Rock”
Moecia. He has been a life-long Canton resident. John did not play in our local
league system. Rather, he routinely showcased his prowess at the weekly College
Bowl 9-Ball ring games. He was very competitive and usually a winner. Had John
competed in our local league system or tournaments, he surely would have been a
player to be reckoned with. John, while in his seventies, recently won two
weekly 9-Ball events at Doc’s Action Billiards South and also one at
Northfield Billiards. While traveling to Georgia, John also took fourth place at
Mr. Cues in a one-pocket event. John remains active in billiards and continues
to compete on a regular basis.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
1925
- 2001
MERITORIOUS
Louis or “Lou”
as he was known by most, had been involved in the billiard room business for
many years and around the game most of his life. He, along with Louie Lehman,
were owners of L&M Billiards in downtown Canton where the Academy Billiards
was located. Lehman, later passed away and Lou took over the reigns of the
poolroom. Despite the troubling time our country faced, Lou had opened his doors
for all to play, regardless of race and maintained a classy traditional poolroom
without having gambling, drugs or alcohol like most of its era. Lou was
approximately 5’7” and weighed about 140 pounds yet he commanded the respect
of all of his customers. Being located in the city called for the poolroom (by
city ordinance) to open no earlier than noon and to close by no later than
midnight, yet Lou had a faithful following of regular players. Most of these
twelve-hour days saw Lou opening and closing the room. After years of service to
his patrons, Lou had sold the poolroom and retired, bringing a close to the last
of the classic style poolrooms in the Canton area.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
1920
- 1993
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
George Milnes
attended Old Central High School and graduated from McKinley High School. He was
a Canton city resident where he worked for Republic Steel. An Army Veteran of
World War II, he received three Purple Hearts plus the Bronze Star. George
enjoyed politics plus he had a passion for prize fighting and billiards. He
served Canton as councilman for the 10th Ward from 1963 thru 1969. He
also sought election as County Commissioner in 1960. He was an active
prizefighter and promoter having fought 275 times both as an amateur and as a
professional boxer. During this time he was a trainer at the Canton Police Boys
Club and started a fighting program at Indian River School. He held the office
of President of the Amateur Boxing and Training Association. George was
associated with the likes of Ronnie Harris, Sam Agnott and Marion Conner.
George played pool
and billiards around the Canton/Massillon area. He was an avid player who
competed against Don Willis and did very well against other Hall of Famers
including Harry “The Head” Argea, Jack Snell, Bill Smith and Phil Matie just
to name a few. Although there is
not much written documentation, it is well known and attested by his fellow
competitors of George’s billiards skill. He was in fact one of the talented
early era pool players and certainly deserving of this award.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
Born
December 23, 1946
ACHIEVEMENT & MERITORIOUS
Jim is a lifelong
resident, player, friend, and member of the pool and billiard community of the
Greater Canton area. He has competed against the best the area has to offer
always placing at or near the top. His first exposure to competitive pool was in
1967, when he was the collegiate runner-up in 1967 in a Straight Pool
tournament. He had a high run of 65 balls. In the 70s, he played ring games at
the old College Bowl with top players in Stark County and beyond. Jim won the
Northeast Ohio Qualifier in 1981 for entry into the first Professional
tournament in Akron. He finished 4th in the Genesee Challenger 9-Ball Tournament
in 1982. Additionally he captured 1st place in Diamonds 1st Sunday of the Month
9-Ball Tournament and finished no lower than 6th place in seven consecutive
Starcher’s Monthly 9-Ball events. Later, he played in the Canton Billiard
League for a number of years. Jim consistently finished in the top four with one
of the highest average and run out totals. Here are some of his finishes:
Jim has never been a
regular on an 8-Ball team. However, he often subs for some of the better teams
and players. For example, the year when Tim Clark, Doug Nauer, etal. fielded a
top VNEA team to win the championship, the final night was against Troy
Frank’s team in a nail biter with Dave Brown and Randy Stewart. It was Jim,
subbing for Troy, who was the only player to go 5-0.
Jim’s ability is
beyond reproach, well known, and documented. Jim’s real talent however may be
his skill in organization and persuasion. He was instrumental in forming the
GCABA and served as vice-president for the first three years of its existence.
Jim is also an avid golfer and has organized a golf outing for his fellow pool
players and friends every Father’s Day. Jim is definitely one of our areas top
competitors and pool and billiards promoters. He continues to provide advice and
expertise to the board and is qualified for induction at this time.
For the above
reasons we are proud and honored to include Jim in the Hall of Fame class of
2003.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
Born
October 3, 1945
ACHIEVEMENT & MERITORIOUS
Dave grew up and spent his entire life in Canton, Ohio. He recently
retired from Dominion East Ohio Gas Company after some 34 years of dedicated
service. He was kept busy in those years working, helping with a small family
business and looking after his family investment properties. He and his lovely
wife Jayne did all of this while raising a large family, consisting of six
beautiful girls. Those girls have provided him with nine grandchildren with
another due this December. In spite of all that Dave still found time to
actively and competitively establish him self in local and national billiards
arenas.
Dave began his pool and billiards career at the North Canton Recreation
bowling alley where at the age of fifteen, Dave played a variety of games with
anyone available. After a few years of playing the retired lunch crowd in Odd
Ball and or an occasional 9-Ball ring game, Dave began going to local billiard
rooms such as College Bowl, Colonial Lanes, The Varsity, The old Castamal and
Louies pool room downtown where he honed his playing ability with most all the
past and present names in pool, many who are currently Hall of Famers. Dave met
and became friends with Dick Eubanks. Dick started one of the first true pool
leagues in the country called the Canton Timken league where Dave began
competing. He won or placed mostly in the top three in both 9-Ball and Straight
Pool. Dave and Dick Moecia then took over the reigns of the Timken League, as it
became The Canton Billiard league open to all competitors. Dave continued his
winning ways capturing several titles and setting high run marks in straight
pool. Dave’s high run was established in practice but a very respectable 73
balls. The league continues to this present day and is still very well respected
by the players.
Dave enjoyed success in those years winning both the 8-ball and 9-Ball 1987-88 early Miller Lite regional tournaments and advancing to Las Vegas where he would finish in the money. In 1994 Dave teamed with Troy Frank, Brian Frank, Brian Halter, & Tom Frank to capture the prestigious Sandusky National Team Open Championship. Shortly after that Jim Wayne, Dick Moecia and Dave established The Greater Canton Amateur Billiards Association, and newest Member of The Greater Canton Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. Dave was selected to direct this association and currently holds the office of President. Dave continued winning as a team member of the winning 1997 VNEA State Masters Championship at the Canton Civic Center and garnered another 2002 State Open Team Championship as well. During the 1997 season Dave competed with a team in the Vegas VNEA international team and individual championships where the team took a very respectable 4th place and Dave was selected a VNEA All Star for his overall individual performance finishing 4th in the Senior Division and 16th place tie in the Masters 9-Ball division. He has since won VNEA Gold and Masters MVP awards and was selected last years Greater Canton Amateur Billiards Associations Player of the Year. Dave continues to be an asset of this billiard community and has demonstrated his worthy-ness to receive this recognition with our sincere appreciation.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION