On Saturday night, February 26, in the midst of the normal chaos, created by the running of two concurrent, Great Southern Billiard Tour events – a $1,500-added 9-Ball event and a $500-added Banks tournament – which had drawn 99 and 64 entrants, respectively, the lights went out in Michael's Billiards, in Fairfield, OH.
“Somebody had gotten into a car accident and knocked a transformer out,” said co-tournament director Marge Daulton. “We (and a variety of restaurants and night spots in the area) were in total darkness for about two hours.”
One enterprising soul with a strap-onto-the-head lamp generally used for camping, hung that lamp over a practice table and continued to shoot. All participating tables in both tournaments were left alone, and when the lights came back on, play resumed almost immediately. That said, the two-hour delay set the whole double enterprise back, to the point where the final ball in the 9-ball event found its pocket at 7 a.m. on Monday morning, February 28.
That ball was sunk by Chuck Raulston, who'd gotten by Richie Richeson twice to claim the 9-Ball event title. They met first among the winners' side final four, where Raulston sent Richeson west 10-7, as Lucas Hawkins was busy sending D.J. Holloway over 9-6; a double hill battle, with Holloway needing only seven. Raulston went on to claim the hot seat 10-6 and waited for Richeson to get back.
Up first for Richeson on the one-loss side was Frank Ruby, who'd defeated Sam Kirby 9-1 and Steve Hancock 9-3. Holloway picked up Mike Cantrell, who'd gotten by James Rowland and Josh James, both 9-5. Richeson downed Ruby 10-7, as Holloway was busy defeating Cantrell 7-5. Richeson and Holloway then got locked into a double hill, quarterfinal match that eventually sent Richeson to the semifinals versus Hawkins. He then defeated Hawkins 10-8 for a second shot at Raulston.
Dawn was long gone when the opening set finished at 7 a.m. on Monday morning. Raulston made a second set unnecessary, winning the opener 10-6 to take the title.
The Daultons, who'd added $350 to the prize pool ($10 per player over 64 entrants) thanked room owner Mike Medley and his staff for their lights-out (and on) hospitality and player-friendly atmosphere. They also extended thanks to tour sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products, and Delta-13 Racks.
