Trick shooting or Artistic Pool is becoming a very popular billiards activity, both for the audience and for players and would-be players. It is to the point where the first Artistic Pool championship for 2005 will be filmed by HDTV and it will be the first time that High-Definition TV has ever covered a billiard event.
The WPA World Artistic Pool Championship is scheduled for January 12-15, 2005 at the Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA best known as the premier Southern California tour stop on the highly respected World Poker Tour. Fondly referred to as “The Bike”.
Professional Artistic Pool competition was born in May of 2000 after less than 10 years as a recognized BCA championship activity.
The father of the Artistic Pool movement was Tom “Dr, Cue” Rossman who coined the term Artistic Pool in 1991 through his “Banks, Tricks and Kicks” training product.
We caught up with Dr. Cue on tour in New York State with the idea of finding out what it takes to be a top competitor in the intricate world of artistic pool at the championship level. We also chatted with two others just getting started.
Billiards Crossing: How did you get started in artistic pool?
Dr. Cue: In 1980 I competed in my first “trick shot” competition at the BCA Nationals in Columbus, OH, finishing second in that event. Two years later I won the McDermott World Masters Trick Shot Championship in Milwaukee, WI, realizing I had a special “knack” for this type for competition and an enhanced attraction to it.
From mid 1982 thru 1995 there were no documented and/or sanctioned competitions on the pro level. In 1991 I authored and copyrighted a “Dr. Cue” teaching aid entitled “Banks, Tricks, and Kicks”, as an instructional tool for the modern day sport of “artistic pool”…founded within its pages. Marty (his wife) and I created “artistic pool” competitions with the BCA in 1993 and the VNEA in 1995 on both the junior and amateur levels…and with the APA in 2001 on the amateur level.
In 2000 I chaired a WPA approved general committee to develop the “professional” sport of “artistic pool” internationally on an “open” and credible basis with unbiased shot/challenge program selections. These early efforts of competition and sport input with the founding principles for “artistic pool” were the primary experiences and exposures I had with our sport. From 2000 until the present day, I have played in every “artistic pool” event professionally with 17 discipline and major championship victories, including the 2002 ESPN Trick Shot Magic Title…with its unique format structure in a modified version of “artistic pool”.
Billiards Crossing: Why did you choose this form of billiards competition?
Dr. Cue: Personally, I have chosen “artistic pool” competitions due to the “fair” nature of this sport…where everyone that enters an event shoots like in golf and where 9 potential titles are available in each event for the 8 discipline champions and overall winner. In addition, the camaraderie shown by fellow colleagues on and off the table is uplifting and rewarding in ways that make this sport very special to all that take the “artistic” challenge.
“My name is Paul Danno. My nickname is "Book Em Danno...I'm from Norwood, New Jersey. I participated in my first Artistic Event at The 2004 Las Vegas Open Artistic Pool Championships, scored 102 points, finished in 19th place and had the TIME OF MY LIFE!!!!!!”
Danno brought new excitement, both to the competition and to the interview:
“I've always been interested in Artistic Pool (trickshots) as a kid. Back when Minnesota Fats had a show called Celebrity Billiards (1960's), I would see a shot and immediately go to the local poolroom and shoot it over & over again until I figured it out. I chose this form of competition because it is very self-rewarding, and the camaraderie is unbelievable.”
Mark “The Oklahoman” Dimick is another regular in artistic pool championships: “I started playing pool when I was about 15yrs. old. I started artistic pool by practicing for the trickshot tournament being held at the 1980 BCA 8 Ball championships in Columbus, Ohio. I played in the finals of the tournament against Tom Rossman, aka Dr. Cue. Tom won our match and went on to play against Steve Geller, who was the reigning champion from the previous year.
Then in 1993, the artistic pool tournament was being held at the BCA 8-Ball Championship at the Sahara Casino in Las Vegas with Tom Rossman directing it. I played in every Artistic Pool tournament at the BCA 8 Ball Championships from 1993 to 2003, placing 1st or 2nd in six out of those 11 years.
The friendly competition and Tom's sincere encouragement was a great motivating factor for me. The spectators always add to the excitement.”
Billiards Crossing: Tom, I didn’t mean to lose control like that. What has been required of you to be able to take part in these Artistic Pool Challenges?
Dr. Cue: Most competitions require a practice time for me of 3 to 5 hours per day in the 3 to 4 days prior to the actual competition. This is normally adequate; due to the fact that I am very active on tour performing “artistic pool” shows each day. This conditions the required “muscle memory” and motor skills necessary to execute each discipline requirement. It also helps me to engrain the critical adjustment factors or speed, English, and angle for each shot…with set up guidelines for each shot being reinforced along the way for the various table conditions that might occur.
Dr. Cue continued, “The biggest factor of preparation for me is in the mental end of this sport. Doing my show work in the methodology of entertainment I use, “Dr. Cue” technically gets paid for “missing” with tactful style and appropriate “cover lines” as part of each show. The actual execution of each show shot is a bonus, but it is not a requirement to garner business interests. Therefore, I, as Tom Rossman in the competitive arena, must reprogram my mind to make the shots, since a “cover line” with a miss produces little reward in positional finish to an actual event.”
Compare that to Paul “Bookem Dano: “I had to become a member of the International Artistic Poolplayers Association (IAPA), follow there guidelines and principles, and abide by their rules and regulations”.
Dr. Cue had some pretty definite thoughts to pass on to casual players considering the “Trick Shot venue.
I would recommend he or she buys any book, video, or other instructional product on the market and learns the shots they contain. Most of these products present the shots in an understandable manner, so the beginning player can “get started” properly.
Then, I believe a player might consider entering the BCA junior (if age allowable) and/or amateur programs as they may occur…now normally held once a year. If a player is part of the VNEA or APA, other events are available to them also through their national event programs. Applicable shots are available prior to most events for practice and confidence to each challenge.
On the pro level, I highly recommend buying the Rick Malm CD Manual on “Artistic Pool”, which is a masterpiece instructional tool in teaching the 40-shot/challenge original program approved by the WPA for sanctioned competitions.
I also encourage that the casual player to attend a “learning clinic” for “artistic pool” as they appear on the promotional scene throughout 2005. Taking lessons from a pro “artistic pool” player is a good idea, as long as the instructor can communicate the adjustment principles in an understandable and yet comprehensive manner.
Finally, I think a player should enter an “artistic pool” qualifier with a shortened shot/challenge program of 22 shots normally, in the journey to playing in a major event later. An alternate option is to take the “artistic” plunge full force in the unique learning experience of one of the major events, but enter with a concentrated focus on one or 2 of the 8 disciplines and not necessarily an intent to win it all.
Many of the players I have seen successful at our sport initially have won a solo discipline, while developing an uplifting spirit to spur the confidence and enhanced desire to continue with more practice. Others simply enjoy the beauty of what “artistic pool” is all about, which relates to the concept and accepted theme of this sport being “aesthetically pleasing” with unique cue and ball movements not found in other billiard disciplines.