Nick Varner: Difference between revisions
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| other wins = 100 |
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| world champ = [[Straight Pool]] ([[World Straight Pool Championship|1980]], [[World Straight Pool Championship|1986]]), [[Nine-Ball]] ([[1999 WPA World Nine-ball Championship|1999]]) |
| world champ = [[Straight Pool]] ([[World Straight Pool Championship|1980]], [[World Straight Pool Championship|1986]]), [[Nine-Ball]] (1989, [[1999 WPA World Nine-ball Championship|1999]]) |
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'''Nick Varner''' (born May 15, 1948, in [[Owensboro, Kentucky]]) is an American pool player who was inducted into the [[Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame]] in 1992. Varner is widely considered one of the greatest pool players of all time.<ref>[http://www.bca-pool.com/cgi/site/framegate.cgi?url=http://www.bca-pool.com/industry/hof/hof.shtml&cat=i Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070331000000/http://www.bca-pool.com/cgi/site/framegate.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bca-pool.com%2Findustry%2Fhof%2Fhof.shtml&cat=i |date=2007-03-31 }}</ref> Varner is a multiple world champion and has won back to back [[U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship]]s, in addition to being the oldest player to ever win the [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]], at 51 years old. |
'''Nick Varner''' (born May 15, 1948, in [[Owensboro, Kentucky]]) is an American professional pool player who was inducted into the [[Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame]] in 1992. Varner is widely considered one of the greatest pool players of all time.<ref>[http://www.bca-pool.com/cgi/site/framegate.cgi?url=http://www.bca-pool.com/industry/hof/hof.shtml&cat=i Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070331000000/http://www.bca-pool.com/cgi/site/framegate.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bca-pool.com%2Findustry%2Fhof%2Fhof.shtml&cat=i |date=2007-03-31 }}</ref> Varner is a multiple world champion and has won back to back [[U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship]]s, in addition to being the oldest player to ever win the [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]], at 51 years old. |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Nick D. Varner graduated from Tell City High School in Tell City, Indiana in 1966. Varner learned to play pool in his father's (Nick Varner) pool hall in Grandview, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Varner gained notoriety on the professional pool scene after he won two ACU-I Intercollegiate Championships while attending Purdue University and playing "money games" at an on campus pool room called "The Hole". A cliché given to Varner was "Speak softly and carry a big stick" because of the way he conducted himself as well as his competitive endeavors.<ref>"Varner Carries Big Stick in World Open", by Bruce Venzke, page 5, ''The National Billiard News'', October 1980. Retrieved May 20, 2007</ref> |
Nick D. Varner graduated from Tell City High School in Tell City, Indiana in 1966. Varner learned to play pool in his father's (Nick Varner) pool hall in Grandview, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Varner gained notoriety on the professional pool scene after he won two ACU-I Intercollegiate Championships while attending Purdue University and playing "money games" at an on campus pool room called "The Hole". A cliché given to Varner was "Speak softly and carry a big stick" because of the way he conducted himself as well as his competitive endeavors.<ref>"Varner Carries Big Stick in World Open", by Bruce Venzke, page 5, ''The National Billiard News'', October 1980. Retrieved May 20, 2007</ref> |
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In 1989, Varner became only the second man to [[Mike Sigel]], to earn over $100,000 in prize winnings in single year, accumulating an unprecedented |
In 1989, Varner became only the second man to [[Mike Sigel]], to earn over $100,000 in prize winnings in single year, accumulating an unprecedented 8 out of the 16 [[Nine-ball]] PBA tour events that year. The same year he won the PBA World 9-Ball Championship, after a momentous hill-hill final against [[Grady Mathews]]. |
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He also represented Team USA eight times at the [[Mosconi Cup]], four times as a non-playing team captain. |
He was named Player of the Year in 1980, 1982, 1989, 1994, by the pool media, including the National Billiard News and Billiards Digest Magazine. He also represented Team USA eight times at the [[Mosconi Cup]], four times as a non-playing team captain. |
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Varner is also an author, a video personality, a pool room proprietor, a manufacturer's representative, and an [[Exhibition game|exhibition]] player.<ref>''The Snap'', "Players of the Year", by Kreole Freddie, page 8, February/March 1980. Retrieved June 17, 2007</ref> |
Varner is also an author, a video personality, a pool room proprietor, a manufacturer's representative, and an [[Exhibition game|exhibition]] player.<ref>''The Snap'', "Players of the Year", by Kreole Freddie, page 8, February/March 1980. Retrieved June 17, 2007</ref> |
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Varner is one of the few players to be inducted into the [[Billiard Congress of America|BCA]], [[One Pocket]] and [[Bank Pool]] Hall of Fame. |
Varner is one of the few players to be inducted into the [[Billiard Congress of America|BCA]], [[One Pocket]] and [[Bank Pool]] Hall of Fame. |
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Nick is starring in the upcoming billiard movie, "The Tale of Texas Pool", set to be released on December 25, 2024. <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32864164/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1&cat=i iMDB The Tale of Texas Pool movie] </ref> |
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==Career titles and achievements== |
==Career titles and achievements== |
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* 1970 [[ACUI Collegiate Pocket Billiards National Championship|ACUI Collegiate National Championship]] |
* 1970 [[ACUI Collegiate Pocket Billiards National Championship|ACUI Collegiate National Championship]] |
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* 1974 Midwest Open 9-Ball |
* 1974 Midwest Open 9-Ball |
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* 1975 Kentucky Open |
* 1975 Kentucky Open 14.1 Championship |
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* 1975 Texas Open |
* 1975 Texas Open 14.1 Championship |
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* 1976 Rockford 14.1 Championship |
* 1976 Rockford 14.1 Championship |
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* 1976 Midwest Open 9-Ball |
* 1976 Midwest Open 9-Ball |
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* 1989 Rak'em Up 9-Ball Classic |
* 1989 Rak'em Up 9-Ball Classic |
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* 1989 Knoxville 9-Ball Open |
* 1989 Knoxville 9-Ball Open |
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* 1989 |
* 1989 PBA World 9-Ball Championship |
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* 1989 Governors Cup 9-Ball |
* 1989 Governors Cup 9-Ball |
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* 1989 Glass City Open 9-Ball |
* 1989 Glass City Open 9-Ball |
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* 1989 Golden 8-Ball Invitational |
* 1989 Golden 8-Ball Invitational |
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* 1989 Scranton Open 9-Ball |
* 1989 Scranton Open 9-Ball |
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* 1989 Billiards Digest Players of the Year |
* 1989 Billiards Digest Players of the Year |
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* 1990 [[U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship]] |
* 1990 [[U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship]] |
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* 1990 Al Romero Classic 9-Ball |
* 1990 Al Romero Classic 9-Ball |
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* 1990 West End All-Around Shoot Out |
* 1990 West End All-Around Shoot Out |
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* 1990 World Series Philippines Championship |
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* 1990 Philippine 9-Ball Series |
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* 1991 Rak'M Up Classic 9-Ball |
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* 1991 Billiards Digest Best 9-Ball Player |
* 1991 Billiards Digest Best 9-Ball Player |
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* 1991 Billiards Digest Best All-Around Player |
* 1991 Billiards Digest Best All-Around Player |
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* 1991 PBA Sportsperson of the Year |
* 1991 PBA Sportsperson of the Year |
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* 1992 International One Pocket Championship |
* 1992 International One Pocket Championship |
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* 1992 Super Bowl |
* 1992 Super Bowl 9-Ball Open |
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* 1992 Team America North Vs South Exhibition |
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* 1992 [[Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame]] |
* 1992 [[Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame]] |
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* 1993 Lexington All |
* 1993 Lexington All-Star 9-Ball |
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* 1994 [[International Challenge of Champions]] |
* 1994 [[International Challenge of Champions]] |
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* 1994 PBT |
* 1994 PBT [[Glass City Center|SeaGate]] Eight-ball Championship |
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* 1994 Lexington All |
* 1994 Lexington All-Star 9-Ball |
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* 1994 Billiards Digest Players of the Year |
* 1994 Billiards Digest Players of the Year |
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* 1996 [[Sands Regency]] 9-Ball Open |
* 1996 [[Sands Regency]] 9-Ball Open |
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* 1996 Roanoke One Pocket |
* 1996 Roanoke One Pocket |
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* 1996 McDermott Eastern States One Pocket |
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* 1997 [[Mosconi Cup]] |
* 1997 [[Mosconi Cup]] |
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* 1997 Music City 9-Ball Open |
* 1997 Music City 9-Ball Open |
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* 2000 [[Derby City Classic]] One Pocket |
* 2000 [[Derby City Classic]] One Pocket |
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* 2000 Music City Classic |
* 2000 Music City Classic |
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* 2000 Senior Masters 9-Ball |
* 2000 Senior Masters 9-Ball Championship |
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* 2000 Legends of One-Pocket Championship |
* 2000 Legends of One-Pocket Championship |
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* 2001 Superman Classic 9-Ball Tournament |
* 2001 Superman Classic 9-Ball Tournament |
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* 2007 Great Southern 9-Ball Tour |
* 2007 Great Southern 9-Ball Tour |
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* 2011 [[Bank Pool]] Hall of Fame |
* 2011 [[Bank Pool]] Hall of Fame |
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* 2023 Seniors One-Pocket Classic |
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[[Category:1948 births]] |
[[Category:1948 births]] |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Sportspeople from Owensboro, Kentucky]] |
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[[Category:World champions in pool]] |
[[Category:World champions in pool]] |
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[[Category:WPA World Nine-ball Champions]] |
[[Category:WPA World Nine-ball Champions]] |
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[[Category:Straight pool world champions]] |
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Latest revision as of 12:35, 20 November 2024
 Nick Varner at 2008 Mosconi Cup | |
| Born | 15 May 1948 Owensboro, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Sport country |  United States |
| Nickname | "Kentucky Colonel" |
| Professional | 1971 |
| Tournament wins | |
| Other titles | 100 |
| World Champion | Straight Pool (1980, 1986), Nine-Ball (1989, 1999) |
Nick Varner (born May 15, 1948, in Owensboro, Kentucky) is an American professional pool player who was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1992. Varner is widely considered one of the greatest pool players of all time.[1] Varner is a multiple world champion and has won back to back U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, in addition to being the oldest player to ever win the WPA World Nine-ball Championship, at 51 years old.
Career
[edit]Nick D. Varner graduated from Tell City High School in Tell City, Indiana in 1966. Varner learned to play pool in his father's (Nick Varner) pool hall in Grandview, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Varner gained notoriety on the professional pool scene after he won two ACU-I Intercollegiate Championships while attending Purdue University and playing "money games" at an on campus pool room called "The Hole". A cliché given to Varner was "Speak softly and carry a big stick" because of the way he conducted himself as well as his competitive endeavors.[2]
In 1989, Varner became only the second man to Mike Sigel, to earn over $100,000 in prize winnings in single year, accumulating an unprecedented 8 out of the 16 Nine-ball PBA tour events that year. The same year he won the PBA World 9-Ball Championship, after a momentous hill-hill final against Grady Mathews.
He was named Player of the Year in 1980, 1982, 1989, 1994, by the pool media, including the National Billiard News and Billiards Digest Magazine. He also represented Team USA eight times at the Mosconi Cup, four times as a non-playing team captain.
Varner is also an author, a video personality, a pool room proprietor, a manufacturer's representative, and an exhibition player.[3]
Varner is considered one of the best all-around players of all time, winning multiple titles in Nine-ball, Eight-ball, Straight Pool, One Pocket and Bank Pool.
Varner is one of the few players to be inducted into the BCA, One Pocket and Bank Pool Hall of Fame.
Nick is starring in the upcoming billiard movie, "The Tale of Texas Pool", set to be released on December 25, 2024. [4]
Career titles and achievements
[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^ Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame Archived 2007-03-31 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Varner Carries Big Stick in World Open", by Bruce Venzke, page 5, The National Billiard News, October 1980. Retrieved May 20, 2007
- ^ The Snap, "Players of the Year", by Kreole Freddie, page 8, February/March 1980. Retrieved June 17, 2007
- ^ iMDB The Tale of Texas Pool movie
External links
[edit]- "bio on NickVarner.com" Archived 2011-08-30 at the Wayback Machine
- "Nick Varner Custom Cues", Nick Varner Custom Cues
- "Nick Varner Player Profile", InternationalPoolTour.com, International Pool Tour
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