JASON G. SMITH

BORN OCTOBER 11, 1945
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Jason was born in Garland , N. Carolina and moved to Massillon shortly after his high school graduation. He started playing pool as a teenager. During these years, he played in various poolrooms against players such as Johnny Ray, Wally Anderson, Matt Pledgure, (original board members Steve Szuter and Dick Eubanks) plus his friend the late James “BoBo” Elder who is being inducted posthumously.

There was a period of time that Jason didn’t play pool. However, when he started playing again, he became not only a player but also a student of the game. Jason tries to play all games to the best of his ability, whether it’s 8-Ball, 9-Ball, straight pool or one pocket. He studies everything about the game including the rules, the positioning of the balls, the best way to make a shot and even the players themselves. He will sit for hours and watch older; more experienced players so that he can pick up pointers on how to improve his game. His knowledge of the game has proven to be helpful to other players at Fiddlestix, Studio Billiards and Action Billiards. Players will ask him about a foul, how a shot should be made or even how a game should be played. Jason is very humble about his playing ability, but it is a well-known fact, that he is one of the better players in this area.

Some of Jason’s highlights include the following accomplishments:

Jason has been employed for over twenty years by Norfolk Southern Railroad. He has two children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Jason is a good sport on and off the pool table. His love for the game has kept him playing until the present and will likely keep him playing with his buddies at Fiddlestix well into the future.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

DON "HUD" HUDSON

BORN OCTOBER 4, 1947
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 

Don learned to play pool in 1973 at the old Lincoln Way Lanes with his good friend, Gary Knight. It didn’t take him long to earn a reputation as a winner on the green felt. In 1977, he won 2nd place in a local qualifier tournament for the Ohio State 8-Ball Tournament. Don was unable to play in the  state event because of the birth of his child.

In 1980, Don and Gary won the first 8-Ball Doubles event sponsored by the Massillon Moose. Since then, Don has continued his winning ways with individual and team championships. Playing for Rick’s Place, they won 1st place in the National Division in the Massillon Tavern 8-Ball League in 1995. He capped that off with a championship in 1999 in the VNEA Top-32 Tournament for the Gold Division and most recently, a 3rd Place finish in the VNEA State Masters Team Event.

Don sells pool tables and billiard equipment in his spare time. He has four children and 4 grandchildren. When not with them or camping, he can be seen riding his Corvette or Harley to Florida bike rallies. He has also been a member of the local Moose for 30 years.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

JAMES "BOBO" ELDER

1943 - 2006
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD  

James Elder “BoBo” was born in Athens , Georgia and raised in Massillon , Ohio . After returning from the service, he began working for Republic Steel where he retired after over thirty years.

He was one of the better local players from the 60’s and 70’s. During that time, he could be found beating the average player at Roy ’s Pool Room. BoBo competed in the team league system for ten years along with Hall of Famer’s Sonny Russell, Johnnie Ray, Jim Krenzer and Steve Szuter. His teams won the league championship in 1983. They finished runner-up in 1982, 1986 and 1988, playing in many memorable matches and being a dominant force in the league. BoBo was also a regular on the local tournament scene, winning weekly tournaments throughout Massillon .  

BoBo enjoyed fishing, listening to baseball and playing bingo. He was also a huge fan of the Cleveland Browns and Indians plus, of course, the Massillon Tigers. He shall be missed dearly by his friends and family.

 THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

ROXANN "ROXY MUSIC" MIZNER

INDUCTED 2006
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Roxann first acquired an interest in pool when she was a young girl, listening to her father tell stories with great passion of the green felt. Sadly, her father passed away before she learned to play and her interest faded. However, that interest was rekindled years later when she started to frequent Whitey’s Tavern. It was here where she met what would later prove to be life-long friends in Denzil Collins, Larry Slone, Don Fahrni, and her husband, Jimbo Mizner. It was playing at Whitey’s where she learned how to play. In fact, she was there so often, the owners Bob and Penny Phillips hired her to work there.

Roxann is the longest running captain on the same team (23 years) in the Massillon Tavern Pool League.  Further, she was the first female player in what is now a mixed league.  She has competed in team tournaments sponsored by Whitey's for over the past twenty two years and has to her credit, two 1st place finishes, one 2nd place finish and two 3rd place finishes. She has been in various other leagues winning on teams coming in 1st place as well as awards on her own, running tournaments for 22 years at several places including the old Tiger Bowl, Smitty's, Bullwinkles and the Satellite. Also, she has helped organize other teams plus she has been on the Massillon Tavern Pool League board for twelve years. The following details her individual and team accomplishments.

Roxann enjoyed throwing darts on a well known team (Hairballs) in the Akron-Canton Dart Club until an injury forced her to discontinue. She enjoys gardening and practices relaxation through TaiChi and Kung Fu. She also enjoys riding motorcycle with Jimbo, especially to Amish Country.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

SHERWOOD "WOODY" SHAW

BORN SEPTEMBER 2, 1944
INDUCTED 2006 (ACHIEVEMENT & MERITORIOUS AWARD

Sherwood “Woody” Shaw was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. He retired from the railroad where he worked for 30 years. Woody was introduced to pool through his Uncle Joe Batista upon his purchase of a small pool table around 1965. He learned to play pool through his uncle. However, Joe was friends with the legendary Don Willis and this exposed Woody to the art of gambling. Although Woody doesn’t gamble on pool nor promote it in anyway, he found it useful later in his career.

While working on the railroad in Bellefontaine , Ohio back in the 70’s Woody played in his first tournament where he was able to claim a victory and won his first personal cue stick. Another work related story has some of his friends playing a stranger late at night and losing some hard-earned cash. One of them awoke Woody requesting him to try his luck at recouping their losses. Somewhat reluctantly Woody agreed and played a match. The match came down to a crucial game in which Woody had the 8-Ball hanging near the corner pocket and his opponent leaving him hooked with no apparent lane for a kick attempt. Woody being his innovative self played the 8-Ball by banking the cue ball off the side pocket rail point and the rest as they say is history. These are a couple examples of his competitive spirit.

While working on the railroad in Bellefontaine , Ohio back in the 70’s, Woody played in his first tournament where he was able to claim a victory and win his first personal cue stick. Woody began his pool league experience in the early 90’s where he demonstrated his talent and sense of fierce competition. His accomplishments include:

• 1^st place, Canton Billiard league

• 1^st place Team, Massillon Tavern 8-Ball League - American West Division (1999, 2000 and 2002) with MVP honors in 2002

• 1^st place Canton Billiard League 8-Ball

•  1st place VNEA - Gold Division team (2002-2003)

• 1^st place BCA League Team (2003-2004

•  BCA League “Sportsman of the Year” Award (2004-2005)

Woody has been a Greater Canton Amateur Billiards Association board member for the past several years and instrumental in its operations and success. He currently holds the office of Treasurer and is the GCABA alternate to the Amateur Sports Hall of Fame board representative. He continues being a major contribution to the enrichment of pocket billiards in Canton and Stark County .

 THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

BILL WITMER

BORN JUNE 22, 1937
INDUCTED 2006 (MERITORIOUS AWARD

Bill and his wife Mary operated Mary & Bill’s Bar for 28 years from 1977 thru 2005.  They began pool team sponsorship in1984 with the Monday night Clark & Son League and also the Tuesday Canton – Louisville League. Their Mary & Bill’s team won the Canton – Louisville league championship in 1999. They have sponsored men’s teams for approximately 21 years from 1984 thru 2005 and women’s teams for 18 years from 1986 thru 2004. Bill, himself, has been a player in the Canton – Louisville League for 22 years and he plans on continuing as an active player for years to come.

He is now retired but works part-time as a means to stay active within the community. Some of his personal favorite team members were Jerry Smith and John Davis (both strong players), as well as Terry Pavelzik, Rick Hill, and Bill Dorland. Bill’s teammates and visiting teams all agree that Bill was a great sponsor and league host, often providing pizza during competition. Bill is well known for his competitive nature but all the while his good attitude, fairness, and congratulatory handshake win or lose.

One of the special memories about Mary & Bill’s playing experience was a certain refrigerator. It seems some shots from the lower left hand rail required that the refrigerator door be opened to employ a full stroke.  Thus “The Refrigerator” was the topic of many jovial discussions over the years. That notorious refrigerator and the ketchup bottle within shall always be recalled with a smile.

Bill asks that we thank Cheryl Stoiber and Ray Dover for their hard work in running the leagues these many years. He said, “They are the best!” Additionally he wants to convey his appreciation to all the fine individuals who were Mary & Bills players over the years.

 GCABA says congratulations and recognizes a job well done Bill.

 THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION