Pool sharks’ paradise: State tournament begins today

By Christopher Maloney | Thursday, April 17, 2008

For 1,700 male and female billiards players from Iowa — and even some from out of state — the next five days will be pool heaven as they compete in the 2008 Iowa State PoolPlayers Association State Championships.

The ISPA State Championships is the largest state-associated pool tournament in the country.

Players from weekly pool leagues throughout the state will take part, but for many of those players this will be a family vacation. The tournament is expected to bring $2 million in revenue to the Quad-Cities.

In addition to tournament play, players of all skill levels, including some a small step short of professional level, will take part in a variety of classes during the five days.

Lynn Hunt, Quad-Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau vice-president of sales, said the players and others are “spending their own nickel” as they have filled the Radisson in downtown Davenport and other hotels.

“This is tremendous for the Quad-Cities with the businesses and bars downtown and businesses throughout the Quad-Cities expected to benefit,” Hunt said.

She added that the Quad-Cities will host future state championships as well.

“This is our third year of hosting these Championships. We have also signed a contract to host this event in 2009 and 2010,” she said. “I think the reasons we were able to get these championships for the next two years is a credit to the staff at the River Center, the area pool players and also the hospitality the players have received while in town in years past.”

Rick Palmer, River Center and Adler Theater executive director, said he is “very pleased and excited” to host this big of a state event.

Public admission to the championships is free. The first few matches begin today with Masters 9-ball at 6 p.m. and seniors 9-ball (55 and up) at 4 p.m. Thursday play features 8-ball and Friday features “Scotch doubles,” an event where two ISPA-member players, a man and woman, sign up as a team on the event day and compete with other teams for that event’s trophy and title.

Forty of the pool tables will be at the Isle of Capri Conference Center for seniors division 8-ball play on Thursday morning and the juniors (18 and under) competition at 11 a.m. Sunday. Area billiards players in their 70’s will take part in the senior competition.

In addition to bringing in 120 pool tables into the River Center, Palmer said “lots of piping and wiring has been put in place to make sure that every table has the same amount of lighting.”

While no extra help was hired to staff this event, Palmer said that the River Center staff have got “plenty of hours this week. This has been an around-the clock job, with resting maybe between 2 and 5 a.m. to get things ready.”

The top player expected to play is 2007 Male Pool Player of the Year, Shane Van Boening. The 23-year old will be taking part in the pro section of the competition. He has racked up a number of wins, including the World Ten-Ball Championship, U.S. Open Nine-Ball Championship, and ran six consecutive racks in a row at one point in his career.