Efren Reyes

Efren Manalang Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player. A winner of over 100 international titles, Reyes was the first player to win world championships in two different pool disciplines. Among his numerous titles, Reyes is a four-time World Eight-ball champion, the 1999 WPA World Nine-ball Championship winner, a three-time U.S. Open winner, a two-time World Pool League champion, a four-time All Japan Championship winner, a seven-time Asian Nine-ball Tour champion, and a thirteen-time Derby City Classic winner. Reyes also represented the Philippines at the World Cup of Pool, winning the event with partner Francisco Bustamante in 2006 and 2009. By defeating American player Earl Strickland in the inaugural The Color of Money event in 1997, Reyes took home the largest single match purse in pool history of $100,000. Many analysts, fans and players consider Reyes to be the greatest pool player of all time.

Early life

Reyes was born in Pampanga, Philippines, on August 26, 1954. He moved to Manila at age five to live with his uncle, who owned a pool hall. He cleaned the hall and slept on the tables. Gambling from a young age, he won his first match for money aged nine and continued to compete at three-cushion billiards in the 1960s and 1970s. After establishing himself as a winner, he was discovered by promoters. This gave him the opportunity to compete in larger tournaments. ==Career==

Career

In 1983, Reyes took on Pepito Dacer in the finals of the Philippine Rotation Championship. The finals were played in race-to-39 and the players competed over 11 racks on a weekly basis. On the seventh week of play, Reyes defeated Dacer 39–32. Overall, he is the most successful player at the Derby City Classic, having won the overall championship on six occasions. He has also won five bronze medals at the Southeast Asian Games and an eight-ball bronze medal at the 2002 Asian Games. Despite suggestions that his skill had declined by 2019, his games still attracted large crowds at the 2019 and 2021 Southeast Asian Games. Reyes continues to play professionally. In 2023, he participated in the Derby City Classic one-pocket tournament, placing third. ==Media and persona==

Media and persona

Reyes is known for his highly creative play. Reyes is often called by his nickname "", a Filipino word which means "kid" in English, given to him by close friends to distinguish him from an older Efren who also played pool. He considers balkline to be his favorite cue sport, and plays chess as a hobby. ==Accolades==

Accolades

Numerous fellow professional players have credited Reyes with being the greatest living player in the world. Reyes has topped the AZ Billiards Money list five times: 2001, An annual five on five tournament between Asia and Europe was dedicated in Reyes' name, titled the Reyes Cup. Awards and recognitions International • 1995 Billiards Digest Player of the Year • 2003 Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame • 2004 One Pocket Hall of Fame • 2006 Time Magazine's 60 Asian heroes • 2010 U.S. Billiard Media Association Player of the Decade - 2000s • 2018 Asian Culture Day Lifetime Achievement Award • 2024 World Billiards Museum Hall of Fame National • 1999 Philippine Legion of Honor • 1999 The Outstanding Filipino Award • 1999 Philippine Sportsman of the Year • 2001 Philippine Sportsman of the Year • 2006 Philippine Sportsman of the Year • 2006 Order of Lakandula Champion for Life Award • 2010 Philippine Sports Hall of Fame • 2019 Philippine Sports Lifetime Achievement Award Titles and achievements Reyes is a winner of over 100 professional tournaments, including: • U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships (1994)) • Indonesia Leg (2005, 2006,) • Manila Leg (2003,) • Singapore Leg (2003,) • Taiwan Leg (2004,) • ESPN Challenge • Ultimate 9-Ball Challenge (1999) 2011, ) ==See also==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

tickerdossier.com tickerdossier.substack.com