KATHY BECHER

BORN MAY 10, 1947
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Kathy Becher was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. She started playing pool on her own table with her three sons when they were little. Her boys Bill, Jon Paul and Chris, ages 37, 36 and 29 years old respectively also play pool today. She has played for about 21 years. She didn’t start playing in leagues until approximately 1991. Her first league was the APA 8-Ball Girls League and they took 1^st place. Team and individual accomplishments are detailed as follows:

Team Events

• 1997 – 1^st Place, APA League, Reedurban Tavern
• 1999 – 3^rd Place, VNEA, Bronze Division, Bennetts Pub
• 2000 – 3^rd Place, VNEA, Bronze Division, Bennetts Pub
• 2001 – 2^nd Place, VNEA, Bronze Division, Bennetts Pub
• 2002 – 2^nd Place, VNEA, Silver Division, Bennetts Pub
• 2002 – 2^nd Place, Canton-Louisville Mixed League, Bennetts Pub
• 2003 – 1^st Place, Canton-Louisville Mixed League, Oasis
• 2003 – 2^nd Place, VNEA State Tournament, Masters Division
• 2005 – 1^st Place, Canton-Louisville Mixed League, Oasis
• 2006 – 3^rd Place, VNEA State Tournament, Open Tournament, BJ’s Pub

Single Events

• 2000 – 3^rd Place, VNEA Singles State Tournament
• 2003 – MVP, Canton-Louisville Mixed League, Ladies
• 2004 3^rd Place, Canton-Louisville Mixed League, Ladies

Kathy also played and placed in several tournaments. Kathy’s mentor whom inspired her by his creditability of playing is her long time partner, Don Mayle. Kathy still plays the game and loves the challenge. Kathy enjoys her grandchildren, Emma (6), Cyndi (4) and Kyla (1).

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

GARY SIGMAN

BORN JULY 25, 1939
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Gary was born in West Virginia and developed an interest in the game while playing at the Widen Grill, in Widen, West Virginia. He moved to Mansfield, Ohio at the age of 14 and befriended a player at Past Time Billiards by the name of Bill Stiggel. Later on, after Gary matured and his game improved, he traveled from town to town with Stiggel. They made a good partnership as Stiggel did most of the shooting while Gary was his road manager. Gary played for the well known Kosta’s teams. He always finished in the top 15 in league standings. His team played at the State VNEA and always finished in money. Years later he moved to Barberton and would travel to Canton with his friends Curly Moon, Dave Sipe and Joe Donofrio where they would play in various tournaments including the Sunday Varsity tournament. He befriended Curly Moon ironically when Curly beat a player Gary was traveling with. That was in the 60’s and they became best friends until Curly’s passing. Gary played for the Massillon Tavern 8-Ball League in the mid-80’s where his team took a division title. Gary was a loyal team member as he traveled to Mansfield and Canton weekly from his Barberton home to play with his teams.

But his real passion was road action while his talent was the management end. He hooked up with several road players mentoring them along the way. Players he traveled to Las Vegas with included Joe Kerr, Chris Szuter, John Maki and Mario Ciletti to Las Vegas, Mario “The Mexican” from California, Weldon Rogers from Arizona, Chuck Morgan in the late 70’s, Wade “Boom Boom” Crane and Billie Johnson from Tennessee. When Niels Feijen was just starting out as a pro and moved here from Holland, he traveled with Gary per a recommendation from Joe Kerr. Gary became so proficient at the “management” end that he carried a little black book which he used to record names of players, town and pool rooms where they played, what time they played, the games and stakes they played and their ability. When he traveled with Feijen to Florida, he referred to that book often, traveling from town to town where he knew he could get action and win.

He indicates he never liked a bully. I felt sorry for the guy who couldn’t fight. Curly was the same way and why we got along so good. Curly would give money back to a family man. That’s the way they approached pool games Gary would never look for the family man to beat. He liked to find the local hustlers; the players because he knew he wasn’t hustling anyone or taking food off a child’s table.

Gary is retired from Westinghouse. He celebrated his 50^th wedding anniversary in November, 2007. He has four sons and 14 grand children and one great grand son. He indicated he is very close to his family. While he has spent numerous weekends on the road playing pool and mentoring other road players, he never let that interfere with family time and most of his road experiences took place well after retirement. However, he did speak fondly of family vacations mostly down south and sneaking out when the kids went to sleep so that he could spend nights at the pool rooms. Gary had a heart attack in 1989, open heart surgery in 1990 and a light stroke in 1991.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

JOHN O. BLUNT

BORN FEBRUARY 9, 1950
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

John was born in Massillon Ohio and began playing pool at an early age competing at Roy’s Pool Room and at the Boys Club in Massillon. Roy’s Pool Room was a gathering place for many of the local Massillon players.

John played for many teams including Third Base, The Stadium, Elks Lodge # 632, Oasis, The Loop, Red Dog Saloon, Scorchers and Whitey’s. He was named Most Valuable Player three times in the Massillon Saturday League as well as one MVP in the VNEA league system. Some of his more notable personal accomplishments include 1^st place at Reedurban Tavern, 2^nd place at the Stadium, 3^rd place at On the Snap and 2^nd Place at the Elks Club and Wally Anderson Memorial tournaments.

John’s wife’s name is Mary and they have a son named Demetrius, and a daughter named Cutia. John is a proud grandparent of Christian and Georgia Rose. John is now pursuing his other hobbies of fishing, technology, landscaping, and working with his hands. John enjoys pool for the skills involved, relaxation and enjoying the company of the other great players he meets. The game of pool will miss John, his competitive spirit and his knowledge of the game. John worked for Builders Wholesale Supply before its closing and he was also a softball enthusiast playing for the Elks lodge 632 and various other teams.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

JEFF “COSMO” MILLER

BORN JANUARY 8, 1956
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Jeff Miller, affectionately known as “Cosmo”, started playing pool at the age of 16 years old at Cue & Cushion. He recalls fondly losing his lunch and bus money that his parents provided on a daily basis. Cosmo joined the Marines in 1974 and actually set a record at the time for most consecutive days at sea. When at base he travelled to Sammies in Jacksonville, NC and perfected his game. He learned from the locals and would take that knowledge and experience back to the fort where he would beat the marines at the base. He returned home in September, 1976 and he immediately called the individual who took his allowance and avenged his losses as a kid learning the game. He grew up playing on 9-foot tables but eventually moved to small tables because for the action.

Cosmo played pool for a living for 2 to 3 years. He didn’t play in any national tournaments but he did play for money and local tournaments in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. He also played large sets and gambled beating some very well known players. He once matched up with a road player from Florida. Cosmos pokes fun at his own game. He recalls playing Mike “Baby Face” Gulyassy in 1990, a professional player from Warren. He exclaims he kept up with him until he found out who he was. Jeff eventually lost “bad” and that put him in a slump for six months.

He played in his first league for Dressler’s with Charlie Benefin, Tom Schmidt, Jack Maynard and Tim Price. He also played with Steve Sutherland and Mike Matie. The first year he played with Dressler’s they won the league. Later he proceeded to win or take second 7 or 8 more times playing for Dressler’s, Union Station, Tracks, Obies and Hide-A-Way. He also won most consecutive runs, running about six or seven racks of eight ball. He considers himself a good pressure player. He recalls banking an 8-ball for Dressler’s once to win a finals playoff with each team tied, hill-hill.

He was also a mentor having taught Tim Price, Shelley Hudson and Tom Schmidt and other avid players. He played Price for 25 cents per game and won $28.00 in one session. For money, he played several races to three for $300 per set. He beat Doug Nauer in races to five for $100.00. He beat Tom Schmidt out of his shirt, sweater and his car. He also beat Mario Celleti, Harry the Head and Curly Moon plus went back and forth with Don Amadii. He beat several players from Last Resort gambling including Dick Amos, Mike Walker and Jay Belknap and Hall of Famer Steve Szuter.

Cosmo has one son, age 31 who works with him at his title company. He likes to golf and play poker plus fish at his home in Meyers Lake.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION

DAVE SIPE

BORN DECEMBER 25, 1932
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dave Sipe began playing pool just before his 18^th birthday learning by watching at the Akron YMCA. He worked there part-time after school facilitating time to practice and hone his skills. Dave won a tournament at the YMCA and received a Willie Hoppe cue worth about $40. He continued to play at various locations such as the Strand, Mercury, Olympic Bowling Alley, South Akron Billiards and the Owl Cigar plus others. He took an interest in three cushion billiards and received tutoring from billiard notables Reg Riley, Harold Horn, Charlie Anthe, Roger Adams and Eli Shadie. He enjoyed it more than other standard pool games and played three or four times per week until about 1963 when the gamed waned. Eventually, the rooms and players were no longer available and in 1965 he stopped playing and raised his family. He resumed playing in 1985 at Starcher’s and later at Diamond Billiards and Action Billiards. In the mid-1990’s he began a new career on small table leagues and tournaments winning the On the Snap Saturday tournament among others. He was employed by Goodyear and McNeil Machine Shop until retiring from Markham Machines. He had open heart surgery in 1984. He has one daughter, age 48 and a son, age 37. His eyes beam when he talks about his grandchildren, one is on the Dean’s list at the University of Akron and the other plays baseball in high school. Dave spends his time today playing cards and golf.

THE GREATER CANTON AMATEUR BILLIARDS ASSOCIATION