celebrating 20 years!
All for the love of 14.1 Straight Pool...
The Maryland 14.1 Straight Pool Championship began in 2005 at Bill & Billie’s Cue Club near Annapolis, Maryland with it's genesis being a love of 14.1 by some of the old time patrons. Under the guidance of Peter B. a small league was started, appropriately named Willie Mosconi Straight Pool League of course! The old fogies encouraged the youngsters and after a couple of sessions the league gained a strong following. We held the first Maryland Straight Pool Championship Aug 5-7, 2005 with an entry fee of $60, Prize Fund $2,100. What a cast of top locals! Peter B., Michael Frank, Andy Lincoln, Kenny Holstrom and a host of other twenty ball runners. Actually, that first year Jerry Slivka, Bo Newport, Eddie Deska & Ryan McCreesh were the big draws, with Ryan taking the winner’s trophy and a whopping $780.
Well word got out and shortly after Danny Barouty, God bless him, brought down a gang of his NYC 14.1 pals - Ed Hodan, Steve Lipsky, and a young Zion Zvi, to steal some easy money from the Maryland boys. And they did. Soon down from the Big Apple came Thorsten, Mika hot off two back to back US Open wins, exquisite Jeanette Lee and cohorts. Danny Harriman from far away Missouri, Grady Matthews from SC, Warren Kiamco, Jose Parica, Corey Deuel, Johnny Archer, and John Schmidt on his motorcycle looking to cash, which of course they did. Word continued to spread, “there's a pretty nice Straight Pool tournament down in Maryland.” And, yes, there was. Then Ivan Lee stepped up to lend the strong and ever after loyal support of Iwan Simonis & Aramith Balls. As all know, where would our industry and this beautiful game be today without the backing of these two century old companies. Seriously. Their support was key in those early years and remains even more so today in these trying times.
In the ensuing years the Maryland Straight Pool Championship sought new and stronger venues. We settled at Thomas Dorsey’s, Midlothian, VA. Diamond Billiards for a very successful four-year run. No longer based in Maryland we changed our name to the American 14.1 Straight Pool Championship and growth continued. Our 2018 tournament was held at Carom Café in Queens, NY, hosted by room owner Michael Kang, and in 2019 we moved to the late Barry Behrman’s historic room, Q-Master Billiards in Virginia Beach managed by Gary Ornoff. Following a Covid sabbatical, we returned with a roar in 2021 and also announced the inaugural 14.1 Women's Championship - the first such ladies event held in over 20 years! The ladies returned again in 2022 and hopefully will be back in the future.
Now in our 20th year, the American 14.1 Straight Pool Championship has evolved into a highly regarded world class event thanks to very positive support by virtually every top player in the US and many from Asia and Europe. Our thanks to each and every player, sponsor, and fan who has enabled our ever-increasing prize fund while maintaining a minimum entry fee. For the fifth consecutive year we return to Q-Master Billiards & the Norfolk area, a long time a hot spot for top pool events & we look forward to an outstanding roster of world class players in 2024!
Our goals are simple...
- Provide a truly classic tournament where the best players in the world can play this historic and beautiful game in a competitive environment among their peers.
- Build a strong prize fund which returns every dollar to the players to support them, with nothing retained by promoters.
- Support the classic, majestic game of 14.1 Straight Pool. Teach, encourage, and expose it to the younger next generation players. So many young players are truly exceptional and should know, love, and admire the game of 14.1 Straight Pool.
Chairman and founder
Peter Burrows
As a youth Peter played with Willie Mosconi in Chicago, and later in a college exhibition with the great Mosconi. Following graduation from the University of Colorado where he was 3 times winner of the CU 14.1 tournament, and after a decade of travel playing pool as far away as Johnson City, in 1968 Peter hung up his old Rambow cue and followed his beautiful bride, Pam, from Chicago to Maryland. Times along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay have been good and today Peter is still active and President of Severn Insurance Ltd. He was Director of the 2006 14.1 World Championship Tournament and founder and Director of Maryland 14.1 Open which now enters its 20th year as the American 14.1 Straight Pool Championship. Peter played as an ‘honorary’ in many past World 14.1 Championships and the Sang Lee Three Cushion Billiard Invitational. A lover of opera, golf and bridge, Peter & his wife Pam have three daughters & six grandchildren. High run 89 and still trying for that mythical 100! There is no other game but 14.1 . . . just ask him.
Tournament committee
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Vice Chairman
Michael Frank, Ph.D
Tournament Director
Andy Lincoln
Assistant Director, Referee
Karl Kantrowitz
Website & Social Media
Kelly Burrows
Tournament Photographer
Shaun Wilkie
Tournament Live Stream
Up State Al Leon
