Since early billiard history, the world of professional billiard has been attracting some unusual characters. Billiard players are often more famous than the game they are playing. Here you can read about some of the most interesting billiard players in history.
Michael Phelan, who is also known as the ancestor of modern American billiards is not only one of the most important billiard players in the history of American billiards; Phelan is also a well known inventor who is credited for the billiard table diamonds and the first American billiards author. Moreover, without Phelan's efforts to promote billiards as respectable sports, the game would have probably stayed locked behind smoky, dubious pool halls.
Willie Hoppe aka The King is considered as one of the best billiard players in history. His titles include dozens of world championships in balkline and three-cushion billiard as well as some unbreakable records in those difficult carom billiard games. Ever since Hoppe retirement from professional billiards during the early 1950s, the popularity of balkline and three-cushion has been declined.
Ralph Greenleaf aka The Showman is one of the most colorful billiard figures. In addition, Greenleaf is responsible for the rise in pocket billiards popularity among the American crowd. Greenleaf won six world championships and he is considered as one of the top pocket billiards players of all times. However, he is mostly remembered for his amazing trick shots and flamboyant appearance.