On Feb. 23, Northwest Dallas APA lost one of its members, Joe Amador III, in a tragic motorcycle accident.  He was only 24 years old.  When League Operator Lori Way found out that Joe left behind twin 6-year-old daughters, the ache in her heart told her she needed to do something to help his family in such a difficult time.

“I thought about those two little girls, and how hard it must be on them to be without their daddy,” Way said.  “So I decided I needed to do something.  I called upon the APA community—players, Host Locations, vendors I deal with, as well as local businesses—to help me raise money for this family.”  Way also reached out to the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers for donations.  “I had an overwhelming response from everyone,” Way said.

On March 25 Way conducted a pool tournament to raise money for Amador’s family.  The tournament took place at Wizards Sports Café in Richardson, Texas, and also featured a break-and- run contest, speed break contest, silent auction and raffle.  Wizards donated 10% of their food sales for the day, and even added a little extra.  “All said and done, we raised $3,894 that will be put in a trust fund for the twins,” Way said.  The girls also received a box of new toys from an APA member who is a toy distributer in the Dallas area.

The 8-Ball Singles tournament was broken down into three brackets—SLs 2-3, SLs 4-5 and SLs 6-7.  Andrew Youngman won the SLs 2-3 bracket with John Liles finishing in 2^nd Place.  The SLs 4-5 bracket was won by Henry Castillo, with Phoebe Simon taking 2^nd.  Orietta Strickland took 1^st Place in the SLs 6-7 bracket with TJ Davis coming in 2^nd.

For more information on Northwest Dallas APA visit nwdallas.apaleagues.com.

On January 25, 2012, APA lost two members tragically.  Alexander “Skip” Wade and Phillip Johnson, longtime friends and teammates in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill APA, were shot and killed during the course of a robbery at the store that Johnson owned called “Week in Treasures”.

Skip and Phillip both played on the team “Top Dawg” out of Oscar’s “Q” & Bar in Chapel Hill, NC.  Skip was the captain of the team.  Skip had been a member of the APA since 2003 and Phillip joined in 2008.  They were both loved players in the Tuesday night in-house Double Jeopardy league.  Their team competed in the 2011 APA National Team Championships in 9-Ball this past August.  The loss of these two members of the APA family devastated the community and local APA league.

To remember Skip & Phillip and to show support and offer assistance to the families of both men, the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill APA held a Memorial Tournament in their honor at Oscar’s “Q” & Bar on February 25, 2012.  The fundraiser featured an 8-Ball Scotch Doubles tournament, a break contest, raffles, a silent auction, and a BBQ plate sale.  Named after the team that both men played on, the Top Dawg Memorial Tournament raised $5,536.50 for the families.  The tournament was a success due to outpour of love and hard work of the APA, Oscar’s, Skip & Phillip’s teammates and fellow APA players, friends and family, and the community.

Another fundraiser tournament was held on February 3, 2012 for Johnson’s family to raise money to help pay for the funeral costs, due to lack of insurance coverage.  That tournament was organized by fellow APA players and raised about $2,600.00.

Jeff and Cassie Howell took 1^st Place in the tournament which featured a field of 35 doubles teams.  Jeff Copeland and John “JC” Collins finished 2^nd.

Click Here to see video coverage of the event produced by the NBC affiliate in Raleigh, NC.

For more information about the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill APA, visit apa-raleigh.com.

On Aug. 9, 2011, Pee Dee South Carolina APA member Justin Tidwell was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer.  Justin missed the entire Fall Session due to surgery and radiation treatments, but he didn’t spend that time sulking.  Instead, he used his time during treatments and hospital stays to develop a website devoted to raising money to help those who, like him, have little to no medical insurance.  You can access the site at cafepress.com/tracshop.

On Jan. 14, 2012, Pee Dee South Carolina APA League Operators Richard and Regina Johnson did what they could to help Justin by organizing a fundraiser.  Taking place at Stroker’s Billiards in Sumter, S.C., and featuring a double elimination Singles tournament as well as raffles, the benefit raised $473.  A total of $413 went directly to Justin and $60 went to the winner of the tournament, which just so happened to be Justin!  Justin then gave $40 of his winnings to the 2^nd Place finisher, Brian Timmons.

Justin has completed his treatments and will know if the cancer is completely gone when he returns to the doctor next month. “He is in great spirits and has returned to play in the League for the Spring Session,” said Regina.

For more information on the Pee Dee South Carolina APA visit peedeesouthcarolina.apaleagues.com.

Northwest Dallas APA combined forces with Wizards Sports Cafe in Richardson, Texas on Dec. 22 to hold their inaugural Toys for Tots 8-Ball Scotch Doubles Tournament. Thirty-two teams showed up with toys as an entry fee and over 200 toys were collected.

Lori Way, Northwest Dallas APA League Operator, donated two Action pool cues for 1^st Place and an assortment of APA merchandise for 3^rd Place; Wizards Sports Cafe donated $50 in gift certificates for the 2^nd Place team.

Jose Dorado Jr. and Juan Contreras took 1^st Place, Richard Dankovcik and Lucy Kimble placed 2^nd, and Kevin and Deanna Bush finished 3^rd.

For more information on Toys for Tots visit toysfortots.org; and for more information on Northwest Dallas APA visit nwdallas.apaleagues.com.

Sixteen players competed in the 2^nd Annual Blue Ridge APA Toys for Tots Tournament.  The event was held Dec. 10 at Fat Cat Billiards in Arden, N.C.  A total of $220 and 135 toys valued at over $1,300 were donated to the charity.  Staff Sergeant Russell from the Marine Corps attended the event to meet the players and collect the toys.  He even drew the winner of the pool cue raffle, which was won by Lee Hines.

The tournament was a modified single elimination 8-Ball Scotch Doubles competition.  Tony Hollifield and Joe Daly took home the 1^st Place prize.

For more information on Toys for Tots visit toysfortots.org; and for more information on Blue Ridge APA visit blueridgeAPA.com.

When Stephanie Johnson heard fellow APA member James Owens was the victim of a house fire her immediate reaction was, “What can I do to help?”  Her second thought was, “Organize a charity pool tournament.”  And that’s exactly what she did.

“Me being one person can’t do much,” Johnson remembers thinking, “but if we brought the entire League together, we could.”  So she spoke to the owner of Scottie’s Last Chance Saloon in Punta Gorda, Fla., and got permission to hold the benefit tournament for the Owens Family at his location.

The charity event took place on Dec. 10 and featured 20 individuals competing in a double elimination 8-Ball Singles tournament.  Shawn Collie won the tournament, with Albert Baker finishing 2^nd.  Both members donated their winnings back for the family.  The event also featured a barbecue and raffles, including a cue donated by Charlotte County APA League Operator Vito Faieta.  At the end of the day $377 was presented to James and his family.

“It was so good to see so many people come together at this time of year to help one family,” Johnson remarked.

For more information on Charlotte County APA visit charlottecounty.apaleagues.com.

On Dec. 10, 15 teams competed in the 2011 ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) Fundraiser 8-Ball Scotch Doubles Tournament held at The Break Billiards in Cahokia, Ill. Winning pool cues, cue cases, large baskets of APA pool stuff and 1^st Place trophies were the father and son team of Marty and Martin Kaczmarowski. Winning pool cues, cue cases, a small basket of APA pool stuff and 2^nd Place trophies were Mark Montgomery and Niki Politte.

There was also a 3-ball contest, 9-Ball break contest, in-house poker run, 50/50 drawing and basket of booze which contained bottles of liquor from 11 local Host Locations.  Paul Malter won a cue as 1^st Place prize in the 3-ball contest. John Stoffel III won a cue as 1^st Place prize in the 9-Ball break contest. Brien Youngblood had the winning hand of four 9’s to win a cue in the in-house poker run. Brien also won $57 on the 50/50 drawing. Marty Kaczmarowski won the basket of booze.

The tournament was sponsored by Midwest Illinois APA and was held in memory of Bob Hinkle Jr. Bob became an APA member in 1993 and was a skill level 6 when he was diagnosed with ALS in October 2006. He passed away at age 50 in November 2007.

Many thanks to all who helped with the tournament and contests: Judy Hinkle, Alex Hinkle, Dale Miller, Brien Youngblood, Shelli Eichelberger, Bob Nier, Buffy McKinney and Jim McKinney.

Thanks to The Break for providing the pool room and tables at no cost for the day. Also thanks to all locations who donated items for the booze basket: Carol’s Bridge Inn, Doit’s Village Inn, Fairview Inn, Humdinger’s, Ken’s Lounge, Laurie’s Place, Old Town Tavern, Shooterz, Shorty’s Pub, Time Out and The Break Billiards.

Other donators were Gary Newingham and Rixstine Recognition.

All proceeds—a total of $1,046—were sent to the ALS Association, St. Louis Regional Chapter, which helps all families in the Missouri and Illinois Metro East areas who are dealing with ALS in their lives.

Please visit alsa.org for more information about the ALS Association; for additional information about the Midwest Illimois APA visit midwestil.apaleagues.com.

Sixteen shooters turned out for the 3^rd Annual Toys for Tots Benefit tournament held at Terry’s Billiard Club in Topeka, Kan., on Dec. 4.  Leon Sylvestor took 1^st Place in the tournament, which used a Speed 8-Ball format.  Local merchants donated enough gifts that everyone who entered the tournament received a prize.  Northeast Kansas APA League Operators Jim & Rosemary Halladay matched the entry fees and Terry Munson, owner of Terry’s Billiard Club, matched the quarters that went into the tables, making the total donation to Toys for Tots $600.

For more information on Toys for Tots visit toysfortots.org.

Northwest Dallas County APA raised $470 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure during two separate events.  League Operator Lori Way donated two Action pool cues that were raffled off to raise money for the charity—both were signed by APA spokesperson Jeannette Lee “The Black Widow” and Robin Dodson.  The first drawing was held during the 2011 Summer Awards Ceremony on Sept. 25, with Jonathan Bearfield becoming the first winner.  The second cue was raffled off during the 2011 Top Gun Tournament on Nov. 11— Tony St. Clair was the lucky recipient of that cue.

For more information on Susan G. Komen for the Cure please visit komen.org; and for more information on Northwest Dallas County APA visit nwdallas.apaleagues.com.

Hawaiian Brian’s Billiards in Honolulu was the site for the 2^nd Annual Oahu APA Shoot for the Cure, held Oct. 30.  The single elimination 9-Ball tournament raised $2,000 for the Hawaii Affiliate of the Susan G Komen for the Cure.  Participating players raised money by getting sponsors to pledge between ten cents and one dollar per ball pocketed. Kevin Higuchi was the high pledge earner, taking that honor for the second year in a row.

Kimo Polk took 1^st Place in the tournament with a victory over Gene Starling in the finals.  Tony Bonelli and Sophina Placencia finished in 3^rd Place.

Oahu APA and Poison Billiards sponsored the event and donated prizes. Hawaiian Brian’s Billiards hosted the event and donated table time.

For more information about Susan G Komen for the Cure visit komen.org; and for more information about Oahu APA visit oahu.apaleagues.com.