GARY KNIGHT
BORN FEBRUARY 6, 1955
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Gary started playing pool in 1973 with his good friend and Hall of Famer Don Hudson. Their practice paid dividends in 1980 when they won their first doubles event ever sponsored by Massillon Moose. He capped that with numerous weekly tournament wins at the Satellite Gill & Tiger Bowl in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Gary played on Satellite Grill teams in the 1980’s with Ross Guiffre, Vern Rohr and Ron Shafer. For the next twelve years, Gary maintained an average of 70% or higher. Gary won MVP of the Massillon Tavern Pool League in 1989 with an 83% average. He went to Milwaukee with Mike Amigo, Kevin Lehnis, Steve Szuter, Pat Forkin and Larry Storey. Gary played on Hideaway Teams in 1995 to 2000 with Paul Roberson, Jim Krenzer and Sonny Russel. They were league champions 4 out of 6 years. Gary missed MVP honors by 2 games and 1 game in 1998 and 1999 respectively.
Ask Gary about his game and instead this humble and unpretentious man will tell you all about his family. He says that he has been married to the most wonderful woman on earth, Brenda, for 34 years and he has without a doubt the two best sons (Gary Jr. and Ryan) a father could ever hope for,. He also has two beautiful grandchildren Haylee and Christopher.
Gary is dedicating this award in loving memory to Theresa
Jasinski, his niece who passed away on January 15, 1997 at the age of 27 years
old and Daniel “Isaac” Cronin, Brenda’s 5 year old great nephew, who passed
away on November 30, 2005 from a childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Gary
has been employed by Crown-Cork & Seal for 34 years. He loves to play golf
and have family get-togethers when he’s not playing pool.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
FRANK L. BEANE
BORN FEBRUARY 2, 1943
MERITORIOUS AWARD
Frank Beane was born in Canton, Ohio where he attended Hartford Elementary and McKinley High School. During his years at McKinley, he was a starter on the football team, playing both offense and defense. He also played center field on the baseball team. After graduating from high school, he attended Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history and political science. He then enrolled in law school at the University of Toledo. After graduating and being admitted into practice of law, Frank went into practice with his father for one year. He was appointed to the Federal Public Defenders Office of the United States Supreme Court where he served for eight years. Frank then entered and is still in private practice in Canton, Ohio. He also has been selected for membership in Who’s Who in American Law.
Frank started playing pool at the age of 16. He began playing at a pool room called Youngblood’s on 6th Street and Cherry SE in Canton. He also played at a place called Electra Pool Room while attending law school in Toledo, Ohio. Along with all of his professional honors, Frank was instrumental in organizing the Walnut Road Pool Team. He served as captain for ten years of the leagues existence. During that time, they finished as runner-up in 1982, 1986 and 1988. In 1983, the team won the league championship. After the demise of the Walnut Road Pool Team, Frank continued to compete on a regular basis, playing on different 8-ball teams from 1998 through 2002 including the Stadium, Scorchers and Third Base
One of Frank’s highest individual honors was winning the VNEA Silver Division Championship. He now likes to watch his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. His favorite recreation, though, is playing 8-ball and socializing with friends. Frank is married to Patricia J. Beane. They have two sons, Frank C. Beane and Adam T. Beane, both living in Atlanta, Georgia.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
DAVE “SKINNY” NORRIS
BORN AUGUST 27, 1951
ACHIEVEMENT/MERITORIOUS AWARD
Dave Norris was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. He has three children David, Stacie and Mandy plus five grandchildren, all currently residing in the Canton area. Dave has been playing pool since he was 14 years old. Some of his favorite rooms in the early days included L&M Billiards, Classic Bowl, Varsity and College Bowl.
Over the past 25 years he has played in the Canton Billiard League, VNEA, Canton-Louisville Pool League, Massillon Pool League and the Monday Night Pool League. His teams have won nine league championships and several division championships in the Massillon League. He has won many local tournaments during this span and has always enjoyed playing at Sandusky, Youngstown and the VNEA State Tournaments.
He has volunteered much of his time to help promote the game by forming in-house bar leagues and working many local tournaments. He is currently a board member for the Greater Canton Amateur Billiard Association.
He has said, “The best thing about playing pool is the many friends I have made over the years. We have great players in the area and we can thank all the people who run the leagues for that. Their hard work and dedication provides us with the venue to participate in the sport we enjoy”. Friends call him “Skinny”, a nickname given him by teammates many years ago.
THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION
JOE DONOFRIO
BORN DECEMBER 21, 1932
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Joe Donofrio was born in Akron where he and his wife Connie raised a family of five children while working for Bell Amusements. He was employed at Bell for approximately 50 years. Joe has a few claims to fame starting with his wife Connie delivering their daughter Denise, the first ever baby delivered on an airplane, over Alaska where he was stationed with the Army. Dancing was another hobby of his and Joe is given credit for having taught Debbie Reynolds how to jitterbug. He also met and spoke with Dino Marchetti better known as Dean Martin while in a club one night. This was very early in a star-studded career and Dino was playing piano and singing to the crowd impromptu. Upon finishing Joe complimented him and then had a conversation with him. Joe also liked baseball and golf.
Joe began playing pool at the young age of 13 years old. After playing basketball with Larry Csonka’s uncles Andy and Jimmy Csonka, they would wander into a social club and began playing pool. By the old age of 15 he was beating everyone he played. He wasn’t able to legally enter billiard rooms so he obtained a draft card and traveled to Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York and West Virginia. In Wheeling he played and beat Rudolph Wanderone, better known as Minnesota Fats. At 17 he played and beat Harry “The Head” Argea and also Don Willis. Don beat him a week later at Mercury Billiards in Akron.
After
high school he went to the service and while stationed in Alaska, witnessed a
Master Sergeant beating all the young men out of their paychecks. Joe promptly
challenged and beat him out of a lot of money just to show him up for what he
was. Another time he lost $150.00 playing golf on a snooker table and returned
the following evening and won it all back plus some playing 9-ball on a Brunswick
gold crown. After his discharge he learned three-cushion billiards playing with
Mick Anthe, Harold Horn, Roger Adams and Mr. Riley. After only a few weeks he
was playing and winning against these notable three cushion players. At age 59
he came out of retirement to play bar box tournaments and to date has won in
Akron, Canton, Mansfield, Wooster, and Canal Fulton.
Joe is a very proficient player even now. He plays all the various pool and billiard games very well. Joe is a very courteous and soft-spoken gentleman of the game and definitely not the hustler type. He comes from an era when few records were kept none the less his reputation precedes him and we are proud to include him in this year’s induction class.