We received the news today that Larry Hubbart has succumbed after suffering a long illness. Known as "The Iceman" for his uncannily cool nature in high-stakes games, Mr. Hubbart was a truly unique individual. Originally from Rochester, N.Y., Larry was one of the top professional poolplayers of his era during the late 70s and early 80s, winning numerous titles including the 1976 U.S. Open 8-Ball Championship, 1977 World 9-Ball Championship and the 1979 World 8-Ball Championship.
Always a ferocious tournament and money player, Mr. Hubbart is the one who mentored Mike Sigel and was the first to recognize Sigel's talents to the point where the Hubbart and Sigel road team became the most feared in the country.
Mr. Hubbart will most be remembered for being one of the founders, along with Terry Bell, of the APA. One of the major items that set the APA apart and made it so acceptable was that Bell and Hubbart developed a handicapping system that was superior to the ones that had come before. According to the APA website: "Based on their knowledge of the game, Bell and Hubbart developed a unique handicap system, The Equalizer®, to level the playing field in the League. The Equalizer® utilizes a formula that measures a scoring ability by counting the number of turns it takes a player to win a game. The result is a handicap that determines the number of games a player must win to capture a match. After the handicap system was developed, the APA was formed as the sanctioning body of the League."
In October 2010, Bell and Hubbart were inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service. He was gravely ill at the time of the induction but still managed to express his thanks and gratitude to the assembled crowd.
Mr. Hubbart is survived by his wife, Nancy, and six children and eight grandchildren. APA President Renee Lyle-Beddingfield said: “We’re all extremely saddened by Larry’s passing. He was a great man who was dedicated to his family, his business and to the sport of pool. Larry fought a very courageous battle the past few years, and we hope he’s finally found some peace. Our prayers go out to Nancy and the entire Hubbart family,”
