Earl Strickland (born on June 8, 1961, Roseboro, North Carolina) is an American professional pool player and was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 2006. He is considered one of the best nine-ball players of all time because of his numerous championship titles within a 25-year time span, and also one of the most controversial, for his often-outspoken views and sometimes volatile behavior at tournaments.

Early Days

Strickland started playing pool at the age of nine, and after intensive practice he entered his first pro tournament at 15.

Career

Strickland rose to national prominence in 1983, with a victory in Lake Tahoe. This was followed in 1984, in Caesars Palace Pro Billiard Classic, Las Vegas.

According to sources, Strickland played "like a polished gem." He was beginning to be a dominant force on the tournament trail and recognized as a future world champion. He had the "skill, endurance, patience, temperament, and tenacity of which champions are made." Because of his dominance, Strickland was named The National Billiard News Player of the Year in 1984. He won the 1988 World Open championship, after a momentous final confrontation between himself and Mike 'Captain Hook' Sigel".

A 45-second shot clock was used to monitor each shot because the tournament was being recorded for broadcast for a seven-week series. At the conclusion, Sigel commented he could feel the pressure of being clocked. Strickland, on the other hand, said they "could have made it only 30 seconds between shots, and it wouldn't have mattered.".

At the 2004 Derby City Classic, a week-long multiple tournament event held every January in Louisville, Kentucky, Strickland was one of six competitors in a nine-ball ring game. Veteran Grady Mathews, when introducing Strickland, says when Earl Strickland is in the house, "A hush ensues, and there is an expectation," because of his brilliant shot-making capabilities, and the unpredictability of his behaviour.

Awards and accolades

Strickland is a multiple winner of the prestigious Player of the Year Award, and his career highlights include five wins at the U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships (more than any other professional pool player worldwide), and the WPA World Nine-ball Championships. Strickland is the only WPA World Nine-ball Champion ever to win the event in consecutive years. He is also an ever-present player for the American team in the annual Mosconi Cup tournament.

Strickland once ran 11 consecutive racks against Nick Mannino during the first PCA tournament in 1996 where there was a stipulation that anyone who could 10 racks would win US$1,000,000. Jimmy Mataya, who was present at the event, witnessed Strickland's last shot, a tough nine-ball combination in which Earl showed no fear and "fired it in with authority" to win the prize.

For 2007, he was ranked #6 in Pool & Billiard Magazine's "Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players" poll.{{Cite journal|title=The Survey Says...: ''Pool & Billiard Magazine'''s 22nd Annual Player and Fan Poll|journal=Pool & Billiard Magazine|month=February|year=2008|volume=26|issue=2|issn=1049-2852|publisher=Sports Publications|location=Summerville, South Carolina|pages=p. 14|accessdate=2008-02-14}}

Controversy

Strickland has engaged in back-and-forth colloquies with fans, players, referees, and tournament officials. His 2003 World Pool Championship match with snooker star Steve Davis was particularly notorious. Before the match, Strickland had given a particularly charged interview with a Sky Sports reporter, in which he complained that fans had been disrespectful to him (booing when his name had been broadcast over the PA), and that the event "Revolves around Davis" (the event was organized by Matchroom Sport, which was headed by Davis's manager Barry Hearn, while Sky's coverage had featured Davis heavily in order to win an audience in the UK). He also appeared upset that Sky Sports had shown numerous replays during the build up to the match of Davis beating him in the previous year's Mosconi Cup, the match which settled the event in favour of Team Europe.

During the match, a Strickland entered the arena visibly downbeat, and after beginning the match in a quiet mood, Strickland soon began to engage in heated verbal arguments with fans and then referee Michaela Tabb. TV Microphones caught him using foul language to one member of the crowd, then telling Tabb to "shut up" when she reprimanded him. In response, Davis made use of his entitlement to take a break in the match (Davis admitted later that the timing of this was intentional, leaving Strickland to the mercy of the crowd). During the gap, Strickland put his fingers in his ears to block out the crowd's support for Davis, to the derision of the crowd, who mocked the gesture, and cheered loudly for Davis whenever Strickland took his fingers out. Late in the match, he responded to Davis' missing of an easy shot by sharply leaping out of his chair, fists aloft, shouting to the crowd "Yeah! He dogged it!". When Davis took a second break, Strickland loudly complained that players were only entitled to a single break, telling the crowd "He's Steve Davis, he can do what he likes", another reference to his belief that Davis's status at Matchroom Sport afforded him special treatment.

Strickland's tirade against Davis, the crowd, and the rules of the event, continued through the main part of a post-match interview, before visibly calming and apologizing for his behaviour.. After admitting regret over his reactions during the encounter with Davis, Strickland entered the arena for his next match carrying a bunch of flowers which he gave to Tabb by way of an apology, and proceeded to play in a much calmer manner for the remainder of the event. Davis would go on to liken his match with Strickland to his 1980s snooker matches against Alex Higgins, another player noted for his combination of impressive play and enigmatic behaviour.



During the 2006 Mosconi Cup, which took place at Rotterdam, Netherlands, December 7-10, 2006, the audience was loud, cheering and blowing horns when rooting for Team Europe. During a match with Nick van den Berg, someone shouted from the audience for Team USA Member Strickland to "shut up" since he had continued talking whilst opponents were taking their shots. The noise was so intense that Referee Michaela Tabb warned spectators they could be thrown out of the arena if they persisted. During Strickland's match with Team Europe Member Thomas Engert, he broke his own cue out of frustration by smashing it against the floor after a failed shot attempt. Strickland, however, replaced the broken shaft and went on to win the match 7-4.

One year later, the 2007 Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas saw Strickland complain strongly about the misbehaviour of European players and fans, reaching its peak in a particularly bad-tempered clash between himself and reigning world champion Daryl Peach, which saw referee (again Michaela Tabb) separating the two amid fears the animosity might turn violent. Whereas most matches in the event were followed by live TV interviews with both players, Strickland refused to participate, while the normally mild-mannered Englishman stated "Strickland is the scum of the Earth, everyone knows that". Given the opportunity to retract the statement moments later by the concerned interviewer, Peach declined.

One year later, with the Mosconi Cup being played in Las Vegas, Strickland's open night match again saw him repeatedly argue with European fans in the crowd, and also repeatedly comment aloud that the table was playing too easily. In a post match interview, Strickland stated that it was bad for the sport if the public sees top players in a high profile event using a table that was clearly playing more easily than a standard club table. When the crowd gave a miced reaction to his comments, he turned to the spectators and attempted to rally them by calling "Do you want to see us have an easy time out here? Or do you want to see these guys shit on themselves?". Presenter Andy Goldstein immediately apologised to viewers, an action that prompted Strickland to further argue that such language is acceptable, citing Tiger Woods as a fellow sportsman who has used such language on TV without being challenged.

Asked about the possibility of banning Strickland from future events for his behaviour, Matchroom Sports founder Barry Hearn stated he would always want Strickland to participate in the firm's events, since his presence "guarantees drama and unpredictability".

Titles and achievements

2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players, #6 2006 induction into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame 2003 Viking National Nine-ball Championship 2002 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's division) 2000 US Open Nine-ball Championship 1999 Camel Shooters Nine-ball Open 1999 Camel Riviera Hotel Pro 8-Ball Open 1997 US Open Nine-ball Championship 1995 PBT Eastern States Memorial 9-Ball Championship 1994 PBT Glass City Open Nine-ball 1994 PBT World Nine-ball Championship 1993 US Open Nine-ball Championship 1993 PBT Florida Flare Up 1993 PBT Western Open 1992 MPBA Los Angeles Open 1992 MPBA Sands Regency XVI Nine-ball 1991 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's) 1991 MPBA McDermott Masters Nine-ball 1990 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (men's) 1990 MPBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball 1990 MPBA Sands Regent XI Nine-ball 1990 WPA World Pool Champion 1988 PBA Tara Open

1988 PBA Brunswick World Open 1988 PBA Shoals Classic 1988 PBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball 1988 PBA Augusta Classic 1988 PBA Greater Greenville Open 1987 US Open Nine-ball Championship 1987 PBA Bowling Green Open 1987 PBA Tara Open 1987 PBA Sands Regency Nine-ball 1987 PBA Charlotte Open 1987 PBA Fall Classic 1986 Bowling Green Open 1986 Citrus Open 1985 Ohio State Open 1985 Clyde Childress Open 1985 Charlotte Open 1985 Akron Open 1985 West Virginia Open 1984 US Open Nine-ball Championship 1984 Red's Nine-ball Open 1984 McDermott Masters 1984 Caesar's Palace Classic 1983 Caesar's Tahoe Nine-ball

References

1. Earl Strickland inducted into Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame 2006
2. "USA Dominates World Nine-ball", Pool & Billiards Magazine, May 1990
3. "Earl 'The Pearl' Strickland Wins Another Caesars Event," page 11, the The National Billiard News, October 1984. Retrieved May 18, 2007
4. "Pot Shots" by Bruce Venzke, page 5, The National Billiard News, February 1986. Retrieved May 19, 2007
5. "Brunswick's World Open on T.V. Features the Best," Pool and Billiard Magazine, pages 27-28, July 1888
6. Billiard Club Network, 2004 Derby City Classic, Louisville, Kentucky
7. "Earl, According to Earl", Billiards Digest magazine (online edition), April 2006; Note: The million-dollar prize seemed to be a very safe stipulation because runs that high are quite rare especially in formal tournament play; there have been no similar promotions since.
8. "Van den Berg Wins a Classic" 2006 Mosconi Cup, Rotterdam, Netherlands, December 7-10, 2006
9. MosconicCup.com article December 2006 "Strickland Smashes Cue and Still Wins"

External links

• "Earl Strickland, Player Profile", InternationalPoolTour.com, International Pool Tour