Frederick, Md. – June 8, 2010 – Champion Billiards Sports Café of Frederick, Md., (www.frederickchampions.com) is announcing that it has hired 10x World Pocket Billiards Champion, Mike Sigel, as director of business development and the local house professional. In this position, Sigel is responsible for helping build up the local A.P.A. pool leagues, giving both group and private pool lessons, organizing weekly pool tournaments, and performing trick-shot exhibitions for corporate events and private parties. In addition, Champion Billiards Sports Café is opening a pro shop, where Sigel will be doing cue maintenance and repairs as well as selling pool cues and related accessories.
In 1987, Paul Newman selected Sigel to be the technical advisor for Newman and Tom Cruise in the Academy Award-winning movie “The Color of Money.” In his career, Sigel has won 106 professional pool tournaments including three U.S. Open 9-ball Championships, three U.S. Open Straight Pool Championships, and 10 World Pocket Billiards Championship titles. In 1989, at age 35, Sigel became the youngest person ever inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame.
In 1999, a panel of experts at Billiards Digest magazine rated the top 50 pool players of the past century, and named Sigel as the greatest living player. Sigel has played against and beaten other great pool legends such as Irving “The Deacon” Crane, Luther “Wimpy” Lassiter, Joe “The Meatman” Balsis and Steve Mizerak, as well as many of the younger professionals such as Johnny Archer and Ralph Soquet, who are winning professional tournaments today.
Established in 2003, Champion Billiards Sports Café provides its guests with a unique experience in dining and entertainment. During the day, guests can enjoy a meal in the large dining area, inside or outside in the covered private patio. Champions boasts a full bar, fourteen 9-foot and four 7-foot high-caliber pool tables, darts, karaoke, poker, games, a number of large screen TV's, a D.J. on Thursdays and live bands on Fridays and Saturdays.
Gary Allen, co-owner of Champion Billiards Sports Café, Frederick, Md. said, “We are truly fortunate to have a pool legend of Mike Sigel's stature working with us to help promote pocket billiards at Champion Billiards Sports Café and throughout the Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C. metro area.”
Mike Sigel said, “When I was younger, I learned how to play winning pool from the very best in the industry-- World Champions such as Irving Crane and also touring professional Larry Hubbart, who went on to help establish the largest amateur pool league in the world – The American Pool Players Association (www.poolplayers.com). At this time, I want to pass on some of that knowledge and pool skill to anyone who aspires to excel at the sport which requires the highest combination of finesse, strategy and mental focus – pocket billiards.”
Although semi-retired from the professional pool circuit, Sigel still plans to play in a few select events each year. Sigel would like to invite pool fans to come watch him and some of the nation's best players in the Maryland Straight Pool Championships, to be held at Big Daddy's Billiards in Glen Burnie, Md., June 19-20, 2010.
In addition, pool fans who want to meet Sigel and sign up for individual or group lessons, can usually find him at Champion Billiards Sports Café in Frederick most evenings, but especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when Champions hosts the local A.P.A. 8-ball and 9-ball leagues. Also, Mike is getting ready to start hosting in-house pool tournaments on Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Players of all skill levels will be welcome to sign up for these tournaments on a walk-in basis.
For more information joining the local pool league, playing in the weekly tournaments, or to schedule a private or group lesson with Mike Sigel, please call Champion Billiards Sports Café at: 301-846-0089 or email Sigel at: ms@frederickchampions.com .
